The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-09-10
live QUESTIONS
Does Seattle
Need Skagit2
nx EpMIN .. nRow


There are many honest people vhen
contend that there 10 more eieetri0
energy created now than there -
sale for. and the skagft. when deveis
duplicate what already exists. With
the result that there will be an over
production OF hydro-electric energy.
First permit me to say that cleo
trio power generated by steam II the
our city and the Puget Sound Power
4 Lght Company are compelled -
uss this expensive. antiouated sye~
TEN In order TO meet the demandn.
Power 4 Light company generated
<Ss.7G0 kilowAtt hours BY steam: nor
was this but . mere drop in the
bucket You will be surprised 70
learn r.. that the puSst SOUND Pcwss
900 kiiowatt hours for resale during
1920. 30 that by the use OF steam an4
by purchase the Puget Sound Power
4 Light Company acquired 37.5iss-
cold: 34.7ts.ooo kilowatt hours were
purchased from the city Of Tacoma
and the Inter Mountain Power Cone
pany. OF the amount purchassds
chased from the city Of Tacoma ana
-. 7os.s0 kiiowatt hours were pur-
chased from the Inter-Mountain
Power company. nor WAS this all
The facts are that the Puget Sound
-. 100000 kilowatt hours from Cans
ada for their Bef1ingham division.
making . total OF 5s.soo.o 900 kilowatt
hours purchased and produced ~
sse x m n: pus far sG 9s.a. Po S-ss
1870. They purchased Il at three
fourths Of Z cent and sold Il st from
one 10 six cents per kilowatt
i have now shown that an actual
short.gs In electric power exists il.
/ do not hesitate TO suggest that
u the Puget Sound Power 4 Ligh6|
Company can bring power from
IS 70 500 per cent profit seattle ca
bring power from Skagit and com-.
pei an enormous reduction In light.
and power rates to the people Of
this city. and stiI1 make money.
Company sold about 2se.73s.7s1 xiios'
Seattle IN 1870. This Is two and one-
half times - much ~ our city lighe
The Puget sound Power = rxght
Company's maximum load for Seattle
In 1920 was approximately $4,000
kiiowafe hours. and Of this the city
Of Seattle took $4,000 for the street
Seattle sales. (Do you wonder why
the octopus wishes to destroy the
Skagft?1 The company's average
selling price in 1890 per kiIowate
atIns expense per kiIo~att I hour wss
80 cents. leaving = surplus per kilc-
watt hour Of 50 cents. from which
interest and depreciation must b
deductsd which shouid leave : net
annum on their saIea-
Our City Light plant has $4,000
customers. while the Puget Sound
company has less than half that
the cuilyins dlssrscts '' etns s siSsi II
users who live in cottages) which
costs the city more to deliver electric
current because the city has moro
than three times the mileage Tor
Power 4 Light Company has. while
the Puget Sound Power 4 Light
Company has the large customers
In the downtown district
owatt hour at the customers meter
to deliver electric energy. while ie
costs the Puget Sound Power q
Light Company only 90 cents per
hour. This is because sthe city has
steam power to generate electric
power. while the electric company
has the advantage of hydro power
And particularly because the cons
town business, which is very cheapiy
reached. as their distribution lines
are short and the customers large
consumer rs. The city has been al
ways short of current to competo
for large loads downtown. and yet
supply outlying suburbs TO do the
greatest good to the ereatsst NUM-
Der.
You may be surprised to know
that have underestimated the net
earnings OF the Puget Sound Power
& Light Company. az the figures at
on their Seattle division to be a
follows:
For light and power. :. 81. s7s. 7ge.sS
For steam heat -.->->.. SS.S4k4I
seattie's light plant has taken IN
sl7.000.000 since II was built, and
has time and again compelled the
octopus to reduce its rates to tho
citizenR Therefore, IL Seattle'e City
Light plant had never been built
the people OF Seattle would have
paid at least 100000 more than
they have paid for electric light and
power In the twenty years have
lived here, and our Fate for light
and power would be double what it
Is today.
Seattle needs the sksgit
estimate OF cost on the skssit W.
raised. also tho only danger tho4
exists to Skagit; what Skagit win
do for Seattle when completed: and
why we should have the scent car
fare. EDWIN J. BROWN.