The sun., 1918-10-13

imous vote to insert In all future leases
n clause which will provide that the
tenant shall pay for actual electric cur
rent consumed. This action means that
the custom OF furnishing free electric
current for lights, fans, dicta phones, adj
dressographs. adding machines. 60, will
DO abolished. and that meters will be
installed to measure the current. or, II
local wiring conditions make the install
lation Of meters impracticable, month
ly charge will be made on some other
equitable basis
The members Of the association claim
they have been compelled to take this
action as q result of the failure Of ten
. ants generally to assist In the conserva-
ton of fuel needed for war purposes.
Numberless instances were cited Of the
fragrant abuse of free light. II was said
that tenants have failed TO realize that
4 II takes coal to generate electricity. and
that the United States Fuel Adminlstra-
ton insists on greater conservation OF
fuel than is now being practised in order
that the war programme may be car
ried out.
The special meter committee OF the
New York Building Managers Associa-
ton, consisting of Clarence r. Cooley.
Lee T. Smith and J. Ciydesdale Cush-
man. appointed to investigate the ad-
visibility and feasibility OF metering
electricity In ofice buildings or Of other
wise making an equitable nat rate charge
for current consumed made an exhaustive
study of the situation. Not being con-
tent to enter into such drastic step
without first having a thorough knoMl-
edge Of the way the matter Ii handled In
other cities, the COMMITTEES sent ques-
tionnaire to members Of the National As
ISOLATION Of Building Owners and Man
ayers in every large city In the United
States and Canada. Mr. Cushman, who
made the report for the COMMITTEES. said
"the inquiries were confined to ten MEM
hers In the largest cities. The number
OF questionnaires sent out numbered 2s0.
and 139 replies were received. The re-
suits were most gratifying to the COM
mittee and showed that in the majority
of cities electric current IL now being
charged for. In all instances throughout
the country. with but a single exception.
the opinion prevails that electric current
, should bejcharged for instead OF being
included In the rent
Incidentally. building managers
throughout the country are anxiously
awaiting the result of the action to be
taken by New York." he continued.
''whose example win be emulsted in the
smaller cities where temerity to take
the step has heretofore existed" He
added that ian analysis of the replies
iaAicates that the Atlantic and Pacific
gsaboard cities. and cities In the South
are now including light In the rent.
. whereas the middle Western cities. those
In the Mississippi Valley and even fur
Their West, cities Of the Northern States
, and cities of the northeastern Atlantic
. seaboard are charging extra for cleo
tricity. OF the 13s replies received SIXTY
seven members report they are charging
extra for light and sixty-two say they
include 1t in the rental price. Ten other
members reported that the nature OF
property they handle makes II inappli-
/. cable. The charges for current were
found to run as high as 10 cents
X, W. H.. but the usual charge was found
TO be either 8 or 10 cents a h. ". h. A
condensed analysis Of twenty-one o. the
large cities taken al random shows that
thirty-fiv members include light in the
. rent and forty-six charge extra for 1t"
Mr.. Cushman also submitted data
affecting these principal cities showing
that where tenants were charged indi-
vidually for current consumed there was
50 per cent less current used than In
cities where the light was included in
the rent. .'..,.
80 Specific Reeomme
BY the decision of the association to
insert In all new leases a clause provid-
Ing for an extra charge for electric cur
rent the principal recommendation OF the
committee was accepted. Tho details in
cidental to the main object, such as
charging for lamps, standard form OF
lighting clause, &C., will be settled at the
meeting in November. The recommenda-
tons. Of the special meter committee
follow:
Electric current In all New York build
ings should be charged TO the tenant
inst cad of including II In The rent.
Recommend the installation of meters
for the most equitable method OF meas
uring current.
For those who do not wish to install
meters at this time. advise that they
make provision In all future leases for
cancellation Of free electric current
clause upon the option Of the landlord.
All charges for current should be made
at local lighting companies general rate
No minimum charge should be made for
meter rental Landlord TO pay for
meters, installation and maintenance.
Tenants to pay for lamps at local
lighting companies regular rates Tor
originsi installation and renewals Lamps
TO become the property Of the tenant,
No allowance 10 be made for current
used when offices are being cleaned or
Inspected
Where II Is impracticable TO install
meter due to the expense Of wiring DIM
culties a fat charge for watt fnstalla-
ton should be made for light and other
electrical equipment. The committee
advises that a charge OF cent per watt
per month be made where ave hours per
day is the average use, at cents per
X, ". h.
one Of the suggested methods of
charge where Individual meters cannot
be advantageously installed is TO meter
a group Of Offices under one meter and
pro-rate the charge.
The Clause Defined.
Advise the. universal adoption OF the
following clause for all future leases:
1.-THE landlord agrees to supply electric
current to the equipment Of incandescent
lamps installed In said demised promises
and also the lamps. ana to renew said
lamps from time to time when necessary.
The tenant agrees to use such electric
c1IrleSt during the term OF this lease
and in consideration therefor pay to tho
landlord an additional rent equal In
amount TO the cost of the lamps to the
landlord and the value of the electric
current used. The amount OF current
used 10 be determined by a meter to be
provided by the landlord. The value
BIZ the current used shall be determined
by the price then charged by public
lighting companies In said city for
similar amount Of current. The meter
shall be read from time to time and the
charge for the current found to have
been used shall be added TO and paid