Evening journal., 1920-11-24
WILMINGTON AND IT'S GAS SUPPLY.

TN connection with the recent Information ned by the
4 Wilmington Gas Company with the Board OF Public
Utility Commissioners relative 10 future rates for public
service there certain important facts with which
consumers should be made acquainted
For instance the present price for was granted by
the public Utility Commission effective October 90 1918.
This price granted after due consideration Of the
board investigating The facts and figures which were
presented at the hearings and the rates allowed
were then justified upon the costs Of producing and dis
trIbuting gas at hat time
Ths decision Of the board just prior 10 the signing
OF the armistice November II. 1918. Everyone today
would be satisfied the cost OF living and the cost OF
manufactured materials me same az they were
in October 1918 Greater advances all costs have been
made the sgnng Of che armstcc than was expert
enced during the period 1t Is evident that the
costs OF materials have increased the same 10 the
gas company as they have 10 other industries.
II would have necessary for the company to have
applied for a further in our rates long before
now had II not been for the fact that was fortunate
In executing oil contract in 1919 that sth in exist
enoe and considerably below me market price Of today
Only by the mosi careful economical and enclent cpcr
aiion coupled with an sales OF cubic feet Of
gas has been poss ble for the company 10 continue
operations with further advance in price per thou
sand cubic feet 10 the
The company has been hoping against hope thai prices
OF raw materials would decrease TO a point where il
might find t possible continue satisfactory operations
without further The advance in the selling
price Of gas per thousand cubic feet 10 the
today compared with the cost in 1914 about hrty-lve
per cent
Everyone would be we'll satisfied today IL hey were
obtain all the necessares OF life at OF
hlrty-nve per cent over 1874 With this slight in-
crease the Wilmington Gas Company's charges for II:
finished product It has been delivering 10 rs
me which IL furnished In 1914 As matter
Of fact il has spent more time and money along channe
In which made no expenditure OF time and money il
40 10
The company has spent money during the las
three years for additions and betlenents TO it's plant
insure this sevic than has during any previous three
year period when costs Of construction were con
sderaby less than during the war period
The company's nrst though always has been lhst q
service. Therefore its consumers as FAR as h- ca
company is concerned have not been aware OF the IA,
that there has been anything unusual or abnormal
interfere with their gas service during the war period
no Indications or statements have been made by il a,
visng he public OF any serious dinlcully that il W,
having either through lack OF capacity due 10 the i-
mendous demands that made upon Its manufacture
facilities distribution system, due in any way
the lack Of sufficient materials making Il necessa
10 request ourailment Of the Of lis service
This curtaimeni OF service was necessary by gre
many public utilities throughout the country during q
war period as well as since me armlstice All Of u
larger cities either compelled to curlai the use
sas In sections Of the communities IN which M
served requested each to use but a mlnimu
amount Of gas,
only last summer, during the severe shortage OF 90
in such towns Kalamazoo, Mich, town as large
Wilmington, The gas plant shut down for peri
o. two days for lack OF sufficient coal Saginaw. Mic
also was shut down this summer for period OF 10
days for The same reason. Des Mones Iowa. was sh
down for period Of two weeks to an ACCIDENT in
plant caused by insufficient equipment 70 take care
the increased demands
The Wilmington Gas Company has been singuiary Il
tunate in getting through these strenuous years up
his time. having been able 10 anticipate its requreme-
and demands and having been able carry out the G.
struction program necessary 10 our city an un
terrupted supply OF gas.
Pew Wilmington consumers realize what has nee
sary for The company do during thess years 10 hr
about the condition which has existed and each
It's consumers has been able to draw upon It's supply
gas without hesitation and without any fear that N
would be created any shortage should they more
usual
To carry on the service and supply the needs