El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-09-26

1913 for Il hour day; yard laborers'
S1-35. and a variety Of other help
I ranging between the last two figures.
/ She contended that the wages were
too low.
Office help averages under 500 a
month in salaries. she said. and con-
cluded that the employees, on the
T whole, seem to be underpaid, and the
j increase in wages has been very slight
and certainly has little TO do with the
I increa sed cost Of gas. And. the price
/ Of coal has not materially advanced to
( the consumer since the fuel admins
{ tration took charge and there is not
any likelihood Of further advance"
People Get Only 4 Percent.
Mrs. Robinson then read press dis
patches to the effect that speculative
stocks are TO be taken from the mar
, ket. at government command. and
concluded that if such a rule were in
effect when the gas company or
ganized, it could not have sold its
stock
The speaker also called attention TO
the fact that no one should expect
business as usual at this time, and
cited the fact that millions Of people
are lending their money 10 the gov
eminent at percent
Company Writes n Letter.
The gas company was not repre-
SENECA except LLL0AEA AAAE Al-40N
letter. which was read by the mayor:
Having received positive informa-
ton that the majority Of your council
has reached a definite conclusion upon
the merits of the application Of the
Fl PasO Gas company for an increased
rate. we have decided that TO go
through the hearing set for today
would be a waste Of time and energy
When we made the application in
fH
then knew that the request for an in
crease 10 meet the great increase in
cost Of every commodity entering
in the manufacture Of gas, was justi-
fled; while now. as such cost con-
tinues to increase, the relief is abso-
lutely essential. and no public service
corporation can long continue when
its revenues fail TO increase up to
the legitimate fixed charges.
Asks No Higher Valuation
we ask for no higher valuation
OF our property than that on which
we have been paying taxes to the city,
and we are not responsible for the
fact that coal. gas, oil. labor and al
materials used in extensions and i'm
provements have increased from IS to
so percent"
The letter was signed. 'W- ". Tur-
ney. for the FL Paso Gas company"
Alderman F. B. Simmons then moved
that the request Of the company be
denied and the council voted unaus-
mously. alderman W G. Jolly being
the only absentee. The women i'm
mediately began lauding the council
and then voted 10 give them the Gus
tomary three cheers
Company May Appeal
The letter from the gas company
was the only expression Of their at
titude that was heard. but il was said
in some quarters that the company
has two other means Of attempting 10
secure the higher rate, one being
through receivership proceedings and
the other through an appeal TO the
war trade board. at Washington.
The latter plan would require about
so days and & was unofficially under I
stood that the company has plans TO
resort TO this means Of securing a
higher rate.
II was said that an appeal 10 the I
state courts for permission TO i'm /
pose the higher rate would be IN 4
availing. although il was cited by
some that a number Of years ago the I
governor Of the state appointed a /
special master in chancery to come to 4
Ell Paso for making an adjustment Of
water rates.