DISCUSSION.

MR. BURLEIGH: I know of the many difficulties in the way of bringing this matter before the attention of the Convention. I know of the many difficulties that beset the way of a uniform classification of accounts. We have all fairly started on our way with our own particular plans; to change them would be embarrassing in many, perhaps in all, cases, but great good would follow a uniform classification. I do not mean that we should all keep our accounts alike, but that we should agree on certain headings for our expense charges, and what items are to go to those expense headings. So that when I hear my neighbor say that his arc light cost him so many cents per arc light per hour, I know what makes that up; I know whether he includes interest or not. Some keep a depreciation account, others do not, and so on. The forms that are appended have no particular merit over other forms. My whole thought is to get a uni

form classification of expenses.

MR. NICHOLLS: I have listened with a great deal of interest to this paper, and I shall consider it of more interest still when I have an opportunity of carefully and at my leisure going into the varied detail schedules that Mr. Burleigh has prepared. But, as it may be of interest to the Association, I will draw attention to two points that I have adopted in my own practice, which I find of incalculable value. To begin with, I have two private abstract books, bound, with a lock and key on them, so that while they are kept in the regular vault, they are not accessible. In the first book I have our charter, under which we operate. I have our agreement copied in our agreement with the city-our franchise. I have our different agreements with the different companies with which we do business. In addition to having all

those put down in this book, I have them indexed and cross-indexed. If I have to refer to any particular clause or agreement as to powers of any kind, I can, by looking at this index, find it at very short notice. I periodically read over these agreements, because there may be a clause in an agreement that you have pigeonholed which appears of no earthly use to you to-day, but a year from now you may find it gives you certain. advantages, or that under that agreement certain rights accrue to you which you have forgotten and which you wish to take immediate advantage of; and I think any central station manager will find a system of that kind a great advantage.

Then, we have a monthly abstract of earnings and expenses. We bring everything right up to the end of the month, and I insist on having it before me not later than the 12th or 15th of the month following. In addition to having that copied out into my private abstract book, I have the cost of our power, as compared to the variable expense of the station, made up to what I estimate at the engine, the bus-bar and the service, allowing for the average drop. I also have the cost of our total power turned out compared with our total earnings. Then, I take our light. I know whether we do our business by the meter basis, and then I figure actually what we get per horse power per hour for our earnings from incandescent lamps and from our meters, and if I am called upon to make a contract at any time, I can tell for every preceding month the average. I can tell what it has cost to produce our power at the engine, at the busbar, and at the service, for every month since we have been in operation, and, consequently, I am in a position to know exactly what we are doing. I do not know whether this is the general practice, but I find that it is of very great interest in my experience.