The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-03-09
HOUSE TO HOUSE CANVASS
State Commission Seeks to Get Infor-
nation First Hand as to Demands of
Kenosha for More Lighting and Pow
er Facilities.

The Wisconsin State Railroad Com
mission has started its own investiga-
ton into the lighting conditions in
Kenosha and half a dozen men re-
presenting the state commission are
here from Madison making the first
electric = census of Kenosha. Ken
osha people have met enumerators for
the school census, the national census
and the state census but for two hours
the enumeration for the electric census
had lot of them guessing on Friday.
The enumerators are making call at
city and they have just three questions
to ask. The first one is, 'Do you use
electricity" the second, ''Are you
user of electricity for power" and the
third is, "What is the value of your
property?" The enumerators/ have
been able to arouse lot of curiosity
over the fact that they have not been
willing to make any statements as to
he reason for their investigation. The
census is in charge Of w. HI. Harris of
Madison one Of the agents of the State
Commission and it is expected that it
will be completed within a few days.
The action of the commission bears out
the theory that the Railroad Commits
sion is not taking any great amount OF
stock in much Of the evidence that
has been laid before it in regard to the
Ii ghting conditions in Kenosha and it
is seeking at first hand to learn Just
what the demand for electric light and
power is in Kenosha. For this reason
the enumerators have not been declar-
ing their work from the house tops as
they are anxious to get n'unprejudic-
ed view of the exact number of users
Of electricity in Kenosha and this may
be used as a basis for the determine
ton as to whether or not the Kenosha
Gas and Electric company has a suffi-
cient capacity to supply the demands
of the city along electrical lines. just
why the value of property is sought by
the enumerators is not apparent. No
distinction is being made between com
panies and the people are not being
asked to register their kicks against
the old company, or to give praise to
the new company. The commission is
interested in knowing the exact condi-
tions in Kenosha without any favorit-
ism to either Of the companies and it
is pretty certain that when the enum-
orators get through they will be able
to tell just about what the consump-
ton of electric current in Kenosha is.
This is not the only electric census
that is being taken as Arthur Walsh,
one Of the agents of the Kenosha Gas
and Electric company is also making
house to house canvass of the city.
Walsh is seeking to secure data to be
used in the operation of the new rates
charged by the Kenosha Gas and Elec-
trio company for electric service and
he is seeking great deal more inform
alton than the men working under the
auspices of the commission. He is
seeking the number of active and mac
tive rooms in houses and the amount of
current that the family uses in the
month and the year. When this infor-
nation is secured it will be possible
for the company to figure out the best
rate for the various houses in the city.
1t will be some time before this census
is completed and when it is completed
the officials Of the gas company will be
able to tell great deal about Ken
osha homes.
1t is probable that the Madison men
will complete their work before the
middle Of next week and this informa-
ton will at once go to the commission
to aid them in deciding on the applica-
ton for competing company in Ken
osha.