Evening journal., 1922-04-08
TEST CERTAIN
FOR BUSLAW
City Solicitor Says Only
Utility Board Has Juri-
diction
RAILWAY AGAIN
SHOWS DEFICIT

the opinion given the commission at
their meeting last night. by City
Solicitor Satterthwaite. so that the
first move of bus line operators to-
ward fighting the resolutions OF the
Street and Sewer Department. rul-
ing them from the principal streets
Of the city, has been halted The
opinion was requested OF the City
Solicitor by the Commission. at It's
last meeting.
p. Warren Green has Withdrawn
as attorney for some OF the bus line
owners and Alexander Jamison has
been retained to succeed him. Mr.
Jamison had approached the com
mission with the proposition OF call
ing a special meeting to bring the
matter out in full before them, but
such a meeting Is improbable now,
in view OF the opinion OF Mr. Sat
terthwalte. II Is understood, how
ever. that the bus companies will
take a case to court after the Street
and Sewer Department resolutions
become effective May 1.
The opinion OF Mr.. satterthwaite
! follows:
you have requested me for an
/ opinion as TO your jurisdiction over
and power to supervise, the automo-
bile buses operating in the city OF
Wilmington.
section OF an act entitled An
Act to Create a Board OF Public
Utility Commissioners for the city
Of wilmington and Prescribe Its
/ Duties being Chap. 206 Vol. 26'
Laws OF Delaware. provides as fol-
lows:
"'The said board shall have su-
pervision over all public utilities op-
Grating within the limits Of the said
city OF wilmington; and the term
public utilities as used In this act
is herein defined to include all
street railways. express. traction
gas electric light. heat and power
water. telephone and telegraph cor
poratlons. associations or joint stock
vompanies operating within tn
limits Of the city Of Wilmington fol
public use.
The said board shall have gen
eral supervision over all public utili'
ties as herein defined, within th'
limits OF the city OF Wilmington
and shall have power. after hearinl
upon notice by order in writing.
THE term public utilities as De
fined IN this act. in my opinion, doe
Z not include the automobile buses be
ing operated in this city, and 70
that reason 1 am Of the opinion tina
b your board has no supervision owe
said buses"
8 In a letter 20 the board, the Cen
n trail Labor Union advised as TO IN
q modified service charges in tele
- phone rates. which, the communica
n ton stated, were brought abor
g through conferences by the unio
. with the Diamond State Telephon
g Company. The letter was receive
n and filed.
a Statements OF revenues and e1
n penses for the nine months endin
n september 80. 1921. and the twelv
. months ending December 81, 1872
we're received from the damon
, state Telephone Company. For tn
nine months the revenues wer ss6S
Ina: expenses. S7OS.16S; net revenue
s1bqq45. For the twelve-mont
u period the revenues were S1,164.922
- expenses, Ss45,SOS; net revenue
t S219,114.
The statement OF the Wilmingto
and Philadelphia Traction Compan
for January follows;
other Ths
Railway. Railway
Operating expenses. 500. .6ss.0i Sl0s.So6.'
lOperating expenses.
= Including taxes. 19,l92.lz 1884
Operating income. 2o,so5.ss si,4ii.
Interest. rentals.
I etc, net:
ReSiSi a'S5ss' leased Sn S0n3s lines asso5s s.SSS
Miscellaneous debts.
I inc. interest on
U floating debt. ad
vertisementH, etc 3,3l6.2f 1885.
Accrued interest on
preferred stock. 9aOi2 l.iis.
Totals........... ssl.14S.17 t22,slsi
Grand total. ...s.s......... .foo,so9.
Railway deficit for month OF Jai
uary, S1O,2S71s; surplus other tha
r railway for January S3S,595.11; su
l plus. all departments. S2s,357.93.
The statement OF the WilmingtC
Gas Company for February follow
Cost p
l. 10
p. February. mad
rs Production expense. .S3s,s7s.OO AS
-. Residuals. oil tar pro-
~ Transmission and dis
n tribution expenses. 5,42s.s5 .07
"a Office expenses ........ 21,373.1 80
=, Total burner cost.... 62.6i6.7s .ss
u Interest on bonds, notes
snd preferred stock. 10 1856 .27
n, Grand total cost Of gas.
operating expenses
- and interest charges. si,915H Iii
j. Revenue from sale OF
he gas ...............::.. ss.145.2s 1.2'
venue from other
sources .............. l,47b92 o.
e. Total revenue. ue.........sss.s2i1s i.2,
IA Operating expenses, includi
" taxes and depreciation. s62.616.7
T. net earnings, S27,OO440: deduction
We S19,29S.66; surplus. month OF Fe
al ruary, 1922, s77O5.74; cubic fs
sold, 69.ss6.4 400.
s. MRS. ELIZABETH CRAIG DEA
III since February rs, Mrs. Eliz
beth Craig, widow OF John era
died yesterday afternoon at Z
ID. home OF her granddaughter. NJ
as Alexander r. Abrahams, 10 Nor
nj Harrison street, yesterday afternoC
ne She was a years OF age. She car
Or to this city from Pennsylvania nj
IS. years ago. Her husband died
o. years ago.
en- She Is survived by one son. lie
or Craig, OF this city, who is connect
nm L.. NLrnanr. nnrAn ~ mani nhn i