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™*jL^ TrjANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 1907.
ATLANTA’S LIGHT RATE
IS CHEAPEST IN SOUTH
What The Georgian’s
Campaign Will
Save People.
COMPARISON WITH
OTHER BIG CITIES
Consumers Share With City
in Reduction in Electric
ity Price.
No agitation of recent years has been
productive of more material advantage to
any municipality than has the campaign
waged by The Georgian for cheaper city
lights, together with si concession on the
part of tho company contracting to? supply
the lights, for n reduction in prices cluirged
f irlvate consumers for current to be used
or commercial purposes. By the terms of
the contract agreed upon by a special com
mittee of couucll acting jointly with the
electric lighting committee of couucll.^f
and saves the private consumers uol
than $60,000 a year for the same length of
time. This Is approximately a reduction
price for current to private consumers. The
acceptance of tho hid for city lighting waa
predicated by the joint committee
proposition for the reduction to |
consumers, together with the declaration
that the city was not adverse to making
an experiment in the municipal llghtlug
business, providing tbc private con
failed to measure up to a reasonable pi
The result Is that Atlanta has cheaper
city lights, lights to private consumers and
power for commercial purposes than any
other representative city in the South, and
much cheaper than any of the largest cities
In the United States, or in the world, for
that matter. By the terms of the contract
the city lighting will be .supplied for $60
an arc light ami $2S tin Incandescent light
for the first year; $53 an arc light and
$27.50 an Incandescent light the second
J eer; $58 an-arc light and $27 an Incan-
eacent light the third year; $57 an arc light
and $26.50 an Incandescent light the fourth
year; 156 an arc light ami $26 nil Incandes
cent light the fifth year, making an aver
age of $56 nor arc lamp for tjio five years,
or life of tno contract.
Consumers’ New Rates.
The terms of the agreement for private
conHiimers are: For regular one year and
longer term contracts, and subject to the
monthly minimum charge, the maximum
rate for electric current for lighting pur-
noses shall bo not more than 10 cents per
kilowatt hour, subject to 10 per cent ms-
count on monthly hills If paid on or lieforo
the loth of each month; for current ex
clusively for power or heating purposes,
the maximum rate shall be 6 cents per kilo
watt honr, subject to 10 per cent discount,
on monthly bills If paid on or before the
10th of the month.
The prices now being charged are $75 a
year per arc light, $33.75 per year per In
candescent light, .13 cents per kilowatt
hour for light and .07 per kilowatt hour
for power, tlio latter two Items being
charged to private consumers.
The uninitiated do not understand the
meaning of the terra “kilowatt hour.” It
Is simply a name to distinguish a nnlt; it
might as well be. feet, or pAnnds, or gal
lons or acres, or nny other name. A kilo
watt hour Is based on twenty lamps of
sixteen candle power, each burning one
hoar. If one lamp of sixteen caudle power
waa burning, It would have to burn twenty
hour* before a kilowatt waa consumed; two
lamp* would have to burn ten hours, and
so on. The amount of current consumed Is
measured by a meter through which the
current flows, Jost as water la measured.
Where Money May Go.
With tills redaction In tho price of city
lighting tho people are saved a large
amount of money, which can either go to a
reduction of tho city tax rate or to Im
provement In schools, parks, or any other
municipal Improvement. In the reduction
to private consumers the people have more
of his competitors who have water,
other cheap bower.
Ah for the city lighting, there Is not an
arc lamp In tho United States with more Il
luminating power nor ore there any re
quired to barn n greater number of hours,
on the average, than those used In At
lanta. Aa for the Incandescent street
limps, they are two-thirds the power of
an are lamp, and tho price for them Is
at a leas rato than for the arcs. It la
explained that an electric company mnst
furnish Instantaneous service at nny hoar
of the day or night for any amount any
customer may call for up to the limit of
his maximum demand. This is true not
only of ono customer, bnt of every cus
tomer. An electric company, therefore,
hsa to have a manufacturing capacity suffi
cient to furnish the maximum demand of
nil of Its customers calling for the full
amount at the same time, for electricity
can not be stored; yet a largo part of the
machinery Is by no means In constant use,
but has to 1 bo maintained Just the same.
. In arriving at the prices to bo charged
fur electricity some very definite and per
tinent rules have to bo followed—rule*
that would have to be followed carefully
l v any municipal lighting plant For In*
**ance, there Is Interest on the Investment,
depreciation, taxes. Insurance, salaries, and
WHA 7 NEW CUR REN 7 RA 7 ES
WILL SAVE EACH YEAR
Savlne to the etty each year ... fl00
Ravine to consumer, each year rn nnn
Reduction in price of city lights Kum!
Reduction in price of consumers' current . ,'.ii i-3 per cent.
Average cost of arc lamps, each, per year ... 1
Net price to consumer, for lleht 09 'cents per k'liowatV hour
Net price to consumers for power (about) 05 cents per kilowatt hour
*SES .to supply the city llghtln, „t Jnst
uhat It coat the company may be taken aa
. ,ow at which
municipal lights will be supplied la future,
l he price * to the consumers also brings
the price lower than any city of any Im
portance in the United Staten, for with
the 10 per cent discount for prompt pay
ment, tho net price for lights will be .09
cents, and for power a fraction more than
.05 cents per kilowatt hour.
Loss to Company.
The company contends that this reduc
tion will mean a loss to It of $81,000 a
year. President Arkwright says It takes
Just ns much enrrent to sopply the lights
at the reduced price aa It required pre
vious to the reduction. This loss, he says.
Is not only from tho gross earnings of the
company, but from the net esrnlngs and the
surplus as well.
In i _ “
ipp! „ ,
al Important points to be considered.
Former Mayor Matthews, of Boston, esti
mating on the cost of arc lamps, expressed
the opinion that there should he a differ
ence of $40 per tamp when furnished by an
underground system as against the over
head system. The underground system Is
far* more expensive than.the overhead. The
conduits, ducts, wires and labor necessary
to get them down and maintain them rep
resents money that coaid tie hearing Inter
est The cost of nn underground system Is
an all night every night service of 4,000
hours per year. In Atlanta the lights burn
4,nno hoars per year, or as great a number
of hours as any city In the United States.
Then there Is tho Illuminating power of
the are lamp. Many cities of the United
States are supplied with 1.200-candle power
are lamps; Atlanta has 2.000-candle power
' a. which Is neatly twice as great, so
the flat rate In comparing Is hardly
for tho 1.200-cnn * ""
supplied at much li _
2.000-candle power lamp, .
In meant that an are lamp gives as much
light as wonld 2,030 candies If the lights
were merged Into one. Therefore Atlanta
with, say 1,000 are lamps of 2.000-candle
K wer each, would be much better lighted
in with 1,500 arc lamps of 1,200-candle
power.
The Georgian's Position.
It has never been the contention of The
eorgtan that municipal electric light!
should l>e supplied by a municipal plant
all haxards. Tty* paper contended for
lights, heat and power at reasonable prices,
and If by agitation It has secured these
things for the city from a private corpora
tion without the necessity for the city
making the Investment, a double purpose
has been served. There appears really no
objection to a minimum charge being made
to private consumers, for in making a con
nection the company does not charge for
installation, goes to the expense of supply
ing a transformer and makes no charge for
meter, as Is done In many cities. The city
makes s minimum marge for supplying
water, and the residence to which water Is
supplied is subject to s .lien In tho event
the water bill remains unpaid, whereas the
private company Is put to the necessity for
making Its own collections, independent of
‘he premises to which current may be sup-
lieu.
Rates in Other Cities.
Nothing better illustrates the advantage
which Atlanta enjoys In this connection
than a comparison with other cities, always
bearing In find the conditions surrounding
the supply of light, heat and power, for
both municipal and private purposes. New
York city pays $100 an are light for munici
pal lighting, while the people pay .29 P«r
kilowatt hour for lights and .10 per kilowatt
hour for power. Boston pays $124.10 per
arc light for city lighting and 20 cents for
light and 10 for power for private consump
tion. Philadelphia pay* $39.45 per arc light,
while her citizen* pay If cents for light
and 10 cents for power. In Chicago they
have a municipal lighting plant, but It is
uot of sufficient capacity to light the entire
city. Fur the part which the city buys It
pays 1103 an arc light, while her citizens
pay 20 cents for light and 10 for power.
Cincinnati has a ten-year contract for 1,300-
candle power arc lamps, for which sue pays
172 a year for the underground service and
:60 a year for the overhead service per
arc lamp, white her citizens pay 10 cents
for light and 10 cent* for power. 8t. Louis
pays $37.45 for are lamps, 13 cents, for light
and 10 rents for power, ftin Francisco
pays $90 for arc lamps, 9 rents for light
and 9 rents for power; the company does
not allow free lamp renewals Baltimore
nays $67.49 for are lamps .of 1,200 candle
power, 10 rents for light and 12 rents for
ee?;' ss
°"* r ‘ Rate, In th. South.
Thom are the Uritret nod mo»t reprraenta-
tlr* cltlee of tho rolled 8tote*. It will be
oliacrvcd that nono of them In on a par
with Atlanta. Tho difference In Southern
ciUc* la even more marked.
Birmingham pave VK for arc lamp*, 1-
eenta for light and 11 cent* for power. The
aratem le entirely overhead, cool I* $1.15 n
tin on egal net »» a too la Atlanta. while
tho Birmingham company doe* not allow
free lamp renewal* to connumen. The
l °£k. CO ?ffeTtiSTa Tennemee. MUM*
has a municipal plant which supplies LM®*
candlo power arcs; tho price Is not quoted
dct |k lamp. Her citizens pay a private
company 13 cents for lights and W cents for
L ,e pay * 272 for arcs, 10 cents
r£wi *£r t ‘V ind 12 for power. Memphis
JS? tot ares, 11 cents for light and 10
rents for power.
<2, « taW cities In Georgia, Savannah
JJJ? J} 72 Pf p 1.300-caodla power are lamp,
system entirely overhead, while the people
rent* for light and 10 cents for
uS“ U Pay* IS* per arc lamp, 12
cent* for light and 15 for power,
uSSBF'm H*** which lias a municipal
»8S& MkSyjHS
JKL£?® ,nerc i2] Pa 1- !**** la not quoted,
jvjpp* n*y* I* per arc lamp, 12 cents for
light and 12 cents for power.
In tho Far South.
. *n New Orleans thoy pay $85 per
are lamp on the underground circuit and
for lamps on tho overhead circuit: her
cittsens pay 20 cents for lights and 10 cents
ror power.
M ’ M L S S ppI peculiar
conditions. Meridian, which has an entirely
overhead system, has only 200 arc lamps. Of
oujy f«rty burn every night, the re
maining 160 depending on tho moonlight.
The average price per arc lamp Is $09.50.
while .la rents Is charged for lights and
.13 cents for power. Natchez nays $103 for
are lamps, .15 cents for light and .07V4
®f®}* f'or power. Vlcksbnrg. which haa s
moonlight schedule, pays $100 for arc lamps,
w tot hght and .10 rents for power.
In Texas, Dallas*pflys_$7I per arc lamp,
I® rents for light and .CG cents for power;
the entire system is overhead. Rl Paso
pays $s( for 1.200 rnndle power lamps, .13
renta for light and a similar amount for
power. Houston par* $85 for 1,200 candle
power arc lamps. .12 cents for light and
.06 rents for power. San Antonio pays $80
for lumps. .20 cents for light and .00 cents
for power. Waco pavs $98 for lamps. .15
cents for light and .05 cents for power.
What Charlotte Pays.
Charlotte. N. C.. shares better than n
majority of the cities. She has all water
power, overhead system and gets 1.600 can
dle power sre lamps at $54 each, while
07H rents Is charged for lights and .09 cents
Is tho cbnrge for power. C'barges are
made for Installation, and there nro no
free lamp renewals. Durham pays $90 for
arcs, .15 rents for light and .10 cents for
power. Greensl>oro. with 1.200 candle pow
er arc lamps, one-fonrtb of which burn ail
nlghta and threc-fonrtha operated on moon
light schedules, pays $60 per are lamp, .15
cents for light and .08 cents for power.
Wilmington, lighted on tho moonlight sched
ule, pays $78.50 for arc lamps, .14 cents for
light and .07 cents for power.
Charleston. 8. C. t which has an overhead
system, pays $80 for 1,200 candle power arc
lamps, .15 cents for light and .07 cents
for power. Colombia, under almllar condl
If You Have
The Union Label on
your printing it signifies
to 25,000 working peo
ple in Atlanta that you
wish their patronage.
See The Point?
OFFICES USING THIS LABELt
Press Iladdlccton Printing Co.,
21 8. Forsyth
Syl Lester A Co 3H N. Broad
V. 1*. Bisson 9 N. Forsyth
N. C. Tompkins 16 W. Alabama
Warner Ptg. & Label Co...68 8. Pryor
Telegram Pub. Co..... 86 Central A re.
Franklin-Turner Co .65-71 ivy St.
Index Printing Co....94 Central Ave.
Ln I latte Printing Co.....20 S. Broad
Ward Printing Co... 55 8. Pryor
John Thomason Co ALA Broad
Btosaer Printing Co 28-40 Walton
Converse A Wing.,,,,..104 Kdgewood
Kirkpatrick & Co 2114 H. Forsyth
Atlanta Typographical Union,
520 Candler Building
P. O. Box 266
Atlanta Phone 673
Bragg & Ryon
OSTEOPATHISTS
E. E. Bragg
PHVSICIAN AND SURGEON
Offices: 924-325 Century Bldg.
Bell Phone 3901
and .08 rents for power. Greenville, under
similar conditions, pays $90 for seventy-five
lamps. .16 rents for llgfirs and .10 rents for
>+. Rates In Virginia.
Richmond. Va.. secures 1,200 candle pow
er lamps for $54.75; her cittsens pay .10 rents
for light and .10 rents for power; the system
Is entirely overhead. Lynchb — —
for arcs, .10 rent* for light
for power. Norfolk secures 1,200 candle
power are* tar $58; her dtlxena pay .12 cents
for light and .10 cent* for power. Peters
burg '
pays
oka i_„
lights and .10 rents for power.
Nature designed that West Virginia shonld
receive tho cheapest power possible to pro
duce. The more Important cities of the
state are located In the heart of the coal
fields, where natural gas abounds. Charles
ton pays $69 for arc lnmps, however, and
.10 rents for light and .06 rents for power.
Fairmont pays $80 for arc lamps, ,10 rents
for light and .05 cents for power. Hunt*
‘— )tys $90 and $75 for arc lamps, hav-
Idlng scale, and .10 rents for light
The charge for power Is not qrafted. Par
kersburg pays $75 for arcs and .08 cents
for lights; power Is not quoted. Wheeling
has a municipal plant but her citizens pay
.15 rents for light and .10 rents for power.
The majority of tho West Virginia cities
secure steam coni at .90 cents a ton and
natural gas at .09 cents 3 thousand.
Where Atlanta 8tands.
These figures wonld seem to Indicate that
If comparisons mean anything, Atlanta Is
more Ideally conditioned when electric
lights and power are taken Into considera
tion than any city In tho South or In the
United States. It has nover been tho con
tention of The Georgian that a municipal
plant should be constructed In spite of
everything. It has been the contention of
this paper that the citv and her citizens
should receive lights and power at the very
lowest possible price, and that If It were
9 Hleatnit fnifawiM
Wkbktf, Vfiwm, Far4
lb Only Ruley lattt-j
lull la Gwti*.
229 Woodward An., ATLANTA, 6A..
CENTRAL OF GEORGIA RAILWAY,
Arrlv« kroni —
Savannah ....7.00 am
JacfcaootUle . 7JO am
Macon 1L40 am
Depart To—
Macon 11.40 pm
Macon 8.00 am
Macon 4.00 pm
Jacksonville .. 8.30 pm
tavsnoab 9.18 nra
necessary to balld and own Its own plant
to accomplish this. It should'be done. Tho
fact that tho figure* secured from the Geor-
S i Hallway and Klectric Company are so
vorable to this contention is an evldenco
of tho Justlco of the agitation which has
been conducted, and In Its final analysis
Is also something In the natnro of a tribute
to the local management of tho Georgia
Hallway and Klectric Company, for it la
a fair presumption that the company con
tinues to make a profit on its product 18
Is by no means in business for Its health. —
President Arkwright stated frankly that
s expected to make some reduction in
the old figures. lie added that the re
duction would not have been so great,
however, If ho bad not been face to face
with a stern competitor—municipal owner
ship. lie now expresses tho belief that
be has successfully met this competitor,
and that the people of Atlanta havo no
reason for further complaint against the
company.
In the words of s city official who was
In the council chamber when the bid of
tho Georgia Railway and Klectric? Company
was opened and resa, “Nobody but tho Lord
makes electricity any cheaper than At-
Uinta Is going to get 1t; and He docsn t
make It for commercial purposes."
Lava may be blown Into beantlfully
green-colored bottles lighter and stronger
than ordinary glass.
A German hygienic expert maintains that
lying In tho open air Is much more benefi
cial than walking.
In proportion to Its also, Belgium has
more miles of railway thau nny other coun
try in the world.
Acme Mattress Co.
FACTORY: Jackaon
and Irwin Streets.
WE RENOVATE—Work called for and daliverad aama day—SATIS
FACTION GUARANTEED—Ball phon, 6338-J—Atlanta 1948.