The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-21
Edison Company Wants To In
crease Price to Consumers.
Matter Laid Before City Com.
missioners Today.
| CENT Per KILOWATT HOUR
Co. Would Make Increase Sur
charge During the War.
Raise Would Cost Average
Family IL Cents a Month.

Increased cost of production has hit
the Topeka Edison company. This
morning, F. A.-Warfield. of Peoria,
ILL.,, in company with Albert Patten,
met unofficia1ly in the mayors office
with the commissioners to lay before
them a request for permission to add
to their present rates a surcharge of
one cent per kilowatt hour for the
duration of the war.
F. A. sWarfield is an expert rate en-
gineer with the Illinois Traction Co..
and has been in Topeka for some time
investigating conditions affecting the
light plant.
According to the figures which were
presented in the unofficial meeting
this morning the increased cost of op-
peration over that of normal year
has amounted to $155,000. Prices
paid for coal have undergone an in
crease of 50 per cent. There has been
an increase of So per cent in labor. Ma
teriaIs used in the general production
| of electricity for light and power have
increased from % per cent to 230 per
cent it is said.
Business Is Less.
| This year, business has fallen Off
| over 5 per cent on account OF the ac-
| ton of the fuel administration in esta b.
| fishing lightless nights which cuts OH
the White Way and the lights in SHOW
windows on Kansas avenue, thus shut.
| ing off q source of considerable reve.
nue.. The Edison company is going
steadily in the hole under present
conditions.
| It is with the bettermAnt Of these
conditions in view that representative!
of the Edison company this morning
asked the commissioners for p~rmis
sion to raise their rate by adding g
surcharge of one cent per kilowat
hour to the existing rate for the dura
ton of the war. The sar-charge viii
partake of the nature of a war ia,
similar to war taxes which have beer
added to most all necessities and son'
| of the luxuries. However, the aver
light bill, according to Warfield
amounts to about $1.14. The addition
lin tha way Of q surcharge will add
iabout IL cents to the average bin
Just the price of loaf Of bread" say
| Patten.
! While the charge IS small and viii
affect 81 per cent of the present con
| sumers less than / 5 cents it will maxi
| considerable difference in the revenue
| of the company. In approximate fig
ures it will add about $65,000. Thi
4
| normal business is done and there Il
no further falling off in the volume o
business.
| No Action Taken.
| No action was taken by the mem
bers of the board of commissioner
this morning. Nor were any state
ments made as to what would prob
ably be done. Unofficially there is 1
| feeling that the permission will prob
ably be granted. The addition of tn
surcharge in no way violates the cit!
| ordinances and will be a temporar.
sort of war tax if 1t is allowed.
/ Altho there was no decision reaches
!, this morning. nor any expression
I made as to the possibilities of allow
i ing this increase. there seemed to b.
no desire to delay settlement of tn
| matter. 1t will in all probability b,
settled in the regular weekly session
of the city commissioners Monda,
! morning.