Evening journal., 1918-01-10
LOCK into Cause Of
Street CAR HOLDUPS
Mayor Lawson and Mr..
McMullin Of Utilities Board
Visit Plant
COMPANY TELLS OF
POWER TROUBLES

IUlN lldclluI COMPANY atntNiudNf Nu
order 20 ascertain the cause Of, the fire.
queni trolley car delays and limited
electric current, and held a confer
. ence In the office Of Mayor Lawson
later with Thomas ". Wilson, vice
. president and general manager OF the
company. 80 the conference, ways
were discussed 90 relieve the situation
here and the suggestion was made by
somebody present that the company
issue a check or transfer slip 90 an
passengers on stalled cars, good for an
other ride on the resumption of tranlc.
When Manor Lawson and Mr.. Nc
Mullln visited the plan along the
. Brandywinc. creek. they were received
by the companys officials and the
workings of The plant were shown
them. The boilers that recently burned
out, az we'll as The new ones being in-
stalled. were shown tho officials
Yesterday was a bard one on the
traction company the trolley service
being at a slandstill at times and the
electric light service also being im-
paired for awhile.
Ii was reported today that complaint
Nas been made 10 Washington by some
Of the concerns engaged in war work
about their workmen being made late
because of the trolley delays.
pecause OF the Interruptions to the
railway or electric lighting services, an
Official of the Wilmington and Phila-
dclphia Traction Company made the
following statement as 10 difficulties it
is meeting In rs operations at this
time
The fundamental causes Of the
shortcomings IN service Of both the
railway and electric lighting and
o. nDwer- services are the unusual con-
ditions brought about by the war and
over which we have no control The
same unusual conditions which have
crippled the steam railroads, restricted
Che supply OF sugar coal and other
commodities and which have caused
defects or failures In either the supply
OF electric current, gas. trolley and
water service IN many communities, in
cludlng Philadelphia, Pittsburgh baiu-
more Cleveland Columbus and Scran-
ton. have affected our service also. The
causes vary os 90 detail. but are OH
links in the same chain OF circum-
stances ono of the most recent OF
these failures is that OF the Burning
ton power plant of the Public service
CORPORATION of New Jersey, when Is
Tho largest electrical generating sta
ton In that state. with the result tnai
The greater part of South Jersey, in-
cuding Camp Dix. is reported TO be in
darkness. and officers Of the company
admit the situation IS desperate.
Early in November we had detail
ed statement of our conditions puplsn'
od in AN Wilmington newspapers ~
order that the public should hc lull
Informed of the unusual conditions VIII
which we had 90 contend and Whli'
some of these situations have peer
Eliminated others remain for conlpi-
lion and solution.
nOur generating plants were designed
md constructed with due regard Iol
normal growth and were provided WIZ
snare apparatus. But, owing to in'
present war conditions, there is re!a
iivelv no limit TO the Increased De
nands for service from local Industries
whose output is in some manner tie'
nm with the prosecution of the war
In normal times most OF these indus
s.ies worked about nine hours ner da'
nnder which policy the load on ou
nlants was considerably reduced for
-reat part of every twenly-four hours
affording time 20 make incidental re
nairs without curt0iling service; bu
during recent months many or ines
works have been operating tweniy-iou
bburs par- day. thus eliminating our op
snorfunitv for much repair work with
out occasional curtailment Of service
.The quality of coal we are able u
secure has not improved-some is YER
moor and other cars fair this lov
Grade fuel requires much greater boil
er coal and ash handling capacity O.
produce an equivalent amount o
steam: even with this condition W
nave sufficient boilers TO meet the dt
mauds connected 10 the plants If othe
things are normal but II several boiler
must be out of service for repairs q
the same time the steam pressure iall
ga a'point whore tho service Is duecle
and mart Of the load must be droppe
10 get The steam pressure PACK L
normal.
additional boilers with automati
.iolers and kindred equipment whic
Dyere contracted for about nine month
aeo are now set up In our larges
plant ready for the brick work an
mining. The installation of these unit
win increase the boiler capacity OF on
main plant by 80 per cent, We hav
encountered one delay after another
obtaining and placing these boilers ]
service. the most recent being the te
lavs of bitter cold weather durin
which an work had 20 be suspended
Turing last week we were nOtineC D
three sub-contractors on the powt
s.house work that the government ma
r0mmandeered their supplies, and On,
they would be unable 10 furnish eith'
sand. cement or crushed stone nece'
sary for completing their respectiN
porlions Of the work, and we have bee
sirlyinS ever since 90 obtain these ma
ierials from. other sources; another u
stance is that Of repair materials it
siokers. which were shipped us irol
Atlica. N.Y.. on December a. by 81
press but after doing without OF
bDiler awaiting receipt OF these repa
parts for nearly a month, we have dul
Heated the order by telegraph. A ne
brick stack for this added plant an
remodeiing Of the buildings TO seeon
modale the same are now nearing con
pletlon. The date Of finishing this a.
dnion will be determined largely /
weather conditions and ability to e
supplies.
"We have been asked whether y
were not selling power to Chester az
lin reply would say that instead Of sci
INK power 90 anyone north OF the sta
line. the Southern Pennsylvania. Ira
Lion Company, which operates q
fenllav system I'M that section and Is a