Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

™*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.