The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-10-19
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Officials of the Company Decline to
Discuss the Fight Inaugurated by
the Older Company but Hint that
They Will Stay in Business.

The Kenosha Electric Railway Com
pany is not looking for 'Ecut throat
war over rates in the Kenosha lighting
and power field and it is beginning to
lock as if this company will follow its
former course in the fight by appeal
ing directly to the commission. Man
ager Loughridge of the railway com
pany declared this morning that he
could not give out an interview in the
matter on account of the fact that he
had not conferred with the officials of
his company but he left no doubt as to
the fact that the railway company
would continue in the lighting field in
Kenosha and that the fight started by
the Kenosha Gas and Electric Company
would not be one sided one.
II can t discuss this matter now, y
said Mr.. Loughridge, "as I am not
wholly in possession of the facts and /
would not want to make any statement
until the officials of the company had
passed OH the matter and [ had been
given authority to talk. We are ex-
tending our lines daily and are doing
business. We have just expended
$4,000 In building line to the west
side of the city and have made five
year contracts with manufacturing
firms in that part Of the city and we
can not see any way for us to be pre-
vented from taking care of these con
tracts. Of course the cut in rates made
by the Kenosha Gas and Electric Com
pany is of interest to us, but we can
not say how we will act in the matter
at this time.
Notwithstanding this statement from
a source close to the railway company
it is declared that in a few days an
appeal will be made to the railroad
commission of the state asking that the
members of the commission make an
Investigation of conditions in Kenosha
and establish a minimum competitive
rate for the city. 1t is declared that
such q rate if established would be a
rate fair to both companies and that
under the order of the commission the
companies would not be permitted to
go below this rate. II is possible that
such an action would result in general
rates being lower in Kenosha, but the
managers of the companies seem to be
heve that the commission would in.
crease rather than reduce the rate
Men in the Offices of the railway com.
pany insist that the Kenosha Gas and
Electric Company has not gone any
lower than the minimum rate offered by
that company and they insist that if
the rates must be cut lower that they
are well supplied with knives. It is
certain, however, that the railway man.
ayers favor an appeal to the commits.
sion in the matter and would prefer
the establishment of competitive rate
rather than open warfare with contin.
uous changing of rates.
Both companies are in a position r.
make war as the one has a profitable
business In the sale of gas to cover
losses on electricity while the other has
the street railway to recoup any losses
that might follow general cut in
rate for commercial business.
1t is expected that the suit to settle
the differences Of the two companies
and incidentally test the constitution
ality of the statute making the compe.
tition possible will be taken up in the
circuit court before the end of the
present September term.