Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-28
Electric Submetering
Held Aid to Consumer

To the Editor or The star:
The recent attempt Of the Edison
companies to stop subrietering may re-
suit in q condition which would COM
pieteiy demoraliEe the rent situation
and affect the ultimate consumer OF
electricity disadvantageously. May !
present facts and opinions based on 10
years experience. as president OF the
largest submetering company In New
York City, the Meter Service Corpora
ton, which will explain why this is so?
About 80 years ago, when the New
York electric public utility companies
were still small, growing concerns, they
offered to sell electric current to the
owners ut wholesale prices in order to
discourage the building Of private plants
' in multiple living houses or ONCE build
ings. In return for their investment In
wiring houses and other expenses, prop.
erty owners were given the privilege OF
selling this current at retail. From the
standpoint Of the consumer. this was
desirable, for IL gave him his current
at retail rates Of the Edison company,
or less than the Edison company. At
the same time, 1t insured the Edison
company q large fixed income at less
expense for overhead than otherwise,
and provided for the property owners
a means OF covering expenses incurred
by the outlay for electrical equipment.
This mutually advantageous situation
brought into being individuals and or
carnations who supervised the reading
Of the meters for the property owner
and who, through experience and or
ganization, were able to lift from his
shoulders the burden of reading and
billing and supervision OF his meters.
The principles and practices in sub
metering recognized the right OF the
property owner to buy electricity as a
ity. In the controversy now before the
Public Service Commission, shall the
Edison company be permitted to abro-
gate what was in sense an agreement
made between itself and the property
owners, in order that 1t may take for
itself the differential between the
wholesale and the retail rate? From
| the consumers angle, this Is most I'M
desirable because what will actually
happen Is that many private plants Will
| Immediately be started, and because OF
this reduced business. the Edison COM
pany will not be able to make any saw
inss to the consumer. In fact, 1t may
have to raise It's rates. -"
The submetering companies are really
not an issue In this situation since they
serve the property owner only as an
agent. The owner picks that meter
ing company which he feels is the best
| In the field, to supervise the electric
meters under his ownership. This Is
battle between the electric power COM
| panies and the consumers, the big as
! well as the small. And from the stand
point Of justice to the greatest number
certainly their interest should be pre-
served.
AS q matter of possible interest to the
| public, our organization uses only the
best and most modern type Of electric
meters, supervised by the highest paid
electric meter experts. The account
| ing Is done on the most modern auto
matte bookkeeping machinery. Our
| testing laboratories are the largest OF
any Of the submetering group. and are
under expert engineers. equipped with
the latest devices, equal to any meter
| laboratories Of any Of the large utility
companies. All meters are tested i'm
mediately upon receipt in our labora.
tories and also again when installed at
tenants location, and thereafter are
tested periodically.
It represents outstanding building
| owners among whom you Will note the
| highest type organizations, including
| The Graybar Building. Douglas L. Eli
man & Co, Michael e. Palermo, Bina
d Bing, inc; Pershing Square Build
ing, among others.
We are members Of the Electrica
Board OF Trade, and In any question o.
dispute; the Electrical Beard Of Trade
calls upon any one Of the subneterinl
| group to test q submeter. All the sub
| nietering companies have agreed to the
rules and regulations of the Electrical
Board Of Trade. 81.
s. A. CALVERT,
| President Meter Service CORPORATION.