Evening star., 1938-10-22
COUNTY DEBATES
PUBL|CLY-0WNED s.
UTILITY SYSTEM
Sentiment Appears Divided
After Mass Meeting
Hears Both Sides.
ARLINGTON Federation
WILL BACK DISCUSSIONS
Extensive Report on Question Is
Presented by Plymale,
Committee Chairman.

Having debated the subject for sew.
eral hours last night, residents Of
Arlington County, Va, today were
further pondering the feasibility of es-
tablishing publicly owned electric
power system. Sentiment appeared
divided after the meeting.
A series of mass meetings is being
planned by the Arlington County Civic
Federation, it was announced, follow
ing last nights discussion at mass
meeting in the Washington-Lee High
School.
An extensive report on the question
was submitted by the Federation's
Public Utilities Committee, headed by
Robert E. Plymale, in which the be-
lief was expressed that such a system
is practicable.
DR.. Victor Meyers, Federation presi.
dent, presided over the mass meet.
ing at which both sides of the cues.
ton were presented.
j. Byron Brooks, chairman of the
Federations Executive Committe, led
the fight against a public plant.
Among the speakers who made a casS
for public ownership we're Town Man.
ager v. Won Gemmingen of Culpeper,
Va. and E. B. Boynton of the engi-
neering firm of Wiley & Wilson Of
Lynchburg, Va.
Report Cost $4,000.
This firm early this year drafted a
detailed report on the problem for the
County Board at a cost of $4,000. It
showed that municipality owned
power plant and distribution system
or distribution system alone could be
operated successfully. The latter
method was favored by the engineers.
In the Public Utilities Committee re-
port, Mr. Plymale declared the fed.
GRAFTON already has voted approval Of
the distribution system. His report
included the following points:
A comparatively small section Of
Arlington, consisting of Rosslyn, Colo
nial Village and Fort Myer Heights
is served by the Braddock Light 6
Power Co. The rest of the county, and
larger portion, is served by the Vir-
ginia Public Service Co. Taxes received
by the county from both utilities
amount to $8096.46 from a combined
valuation Of property owned by both
firms of $749, 9,672 so. The total annual
revenues Of both companies amount to
$615,805, or 80 per cent Of the value
Of their properties within the county,
the report said.
includes Rate Comparison.
The committee included q rate COM
parison between the two companies
In which 1t stated rates range from 81
for is kilowatts charged by v. p. 8. as
compared with rs cents for this same
amount of electricity from Braddock.
For 500 kilowatts v. p. s. was listed as
charging $l2.59 to Braddock's charge
OF $40. These tables were headed
typical monthly bills" CThe v. P. s.
has filed a new schedule Of rate re.
ductions with the State Corporation
Commission which will become effec-
tive next year and were not compared
by the federations committee)
According to the Wiley g. Wilson
survey, a distributing system alone
would cost the county STATS 900,
which could be paid for over a 25-year
period. The report further contends
the county, in its first year of opera
ton, would realize a net profit Of
$l3l ,320 and that the profit would in.
crease each year until the 25th year Of
operation, when net profit of s284,.
730 would be realized. The accumu.
lated profit during the 25-year period
would be 1882, TAO, the report states,
However, it was emphasized by op-
ponents last night that the Wilson re-
port specifies that the county must OPP
crate in clear field, free from COM
petition" and that current must be
purchased at a wholesale rate of about
l cent per kilowatt hour in order to
realize these profits. Mr. Boynton
pointed out that if only go per cent or
80 per cent of the present users con-
nected with the proposed county sys.
tenn, then the county's profits would be
below these estimates.
Brooks Hits Proposal.
Mr.. Brooks strongly criticized the
proposal as an effort to increase the
county's bonded indebtedness. "The
county's debt in 1884 was $2,247.748
and in 1888 it has jumped to $4,115,-
704," he said.
I'VE must think of other neces-
sites first, our schools, for instance"
Mr.. Brooks said If the public is
dissatisfied with present electric rates
it should attack the problem through
the State Corporation Commission,
which sets the rates.
Mr.. Won Gemmingen explained the
success of the municipal plant in
Culpeper. He said that since its op-
Grafton there local taxes had been re-
duced 20 per cent because of the profit
realized from public ownership. In
addition it is paying of its debt and
making profit, the town manager
stated.
Mr.. Brooks pointed out that the pres
ent rate in Culpeper for 100 kilowatts
IS $6.07, as compared with the presenk
rate In Arlington Of 1919 by the v.
p. S. for the same amount Of elec.
tricity.
One reason municipal plants realize
profits during the first few years."
Mr.. Brooks said, Is that no reserve
funds are laid aside to replace worm
out equipment. While private utilities
always do this, he said, experience has
shown that public plants must event.
ually ref1nance their projects In order
to make necessary replacements.
Following the talks the speakers
answered questions from the audience.