The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-11-02
CLAIM new SCHEDULE TOO LOW
Tn Formal Petition Filed With the Rail-
road Commission the Kenosha Elec-
trio Railway Co. Cries Enough in
Proposed Rate War.

The Kenosha Electric Railway Com
pany has filed formal petition before
the railroad commission of Wisconsin
protesting against the proposed new
schedule of rates recently filed by the
Kenosha Gas and Electric Company de-
claring that the change in the schedule
is made with design, purpose and in
tent Of commencing and prosecuting a
rate war against the petitioner.
The hearing on the petition is set
by the commission for November 10TH
The fling of the petition was not sur
prise to the officials of the Kenosha
Gas and Electric Company, but they re-
fused to go into any extended discus
sion Of tho merits Of the petition or
the facts in regard to the rate war.
ttThe Kenosha Electric Railway Com;
pauy was the first to cut rates in Ke-
nosha, said one of the officials of the
older company, "and we are perfectly
willing to have the commission so into
this matter just as far as it wants to
and we are convinced that we have no
reason to fear any investigation made
by the commission, The Kenosha Gas
and Electric Company will protect it's
customers to the extent of selling all
Of it's product at lower rates than of
fered by the Kenosha Electric Railway
Company.
The netition is q lengthy ON It de-
clares in the preamble that the Keno
sha Gas and Electric Company has let
it be understood in Kenosha that a
rate war is to be declared and 1t de-
clares that the Kenosha Electric Rail
way Company believes that the Keno
Isha Gas and Electric Company will
furnish service to the people of Keno
sha at the rate stated in the schedule.
1t gives statement of the rates of
fered by the respondent company and
then insists that said rates IS held out
in the schedule are insult icieuC and I'M
reasonable. Proceeding Farther the pc.
tition states:
"That respondents said amendatory
schedule of rates is issued, published,
held out, fled and intended to be put
in effect by the respondent with the
design, purpose and intent of commence
ing and prosecuting rate war against
this petitioner and injuring this petit
tioner in its business as an electric
utility in tn city of Kenosha, and to
deprive this petitioner of it's customers
for commercial lighting service and
prevent it from obtaining other custo-
mers for such serviee.''
Following the electric railway COM
pany states that the action of the older
company promises to cause great IL jury
to the petitioning company in its bust,
ness and it declares that the Kenosha
Gas and Electric Company has not Civ
en- the proper notice of change in rates
demanded by law.
In conclusion the company asks that
the Kenosha Gas and Electric Company
be required to answer the charges of
the petition ard that an order be made
to fix a schedule of Just and reasonable
minimum rates for the furnishing of
commercial lighting and power service
in the city Of Kenosha.
The company also demands that the
commission take, steps to prevent the
proposed rate being put into effect until
such Q time as the commission shall
have finally acted in the matter
Past history of the railroad commits
sion fails to reveal a similar petition and
it is probable that the future of it viii
be watched with interest not only in
Kenosha but also in other cities
The state law provides that com
pany may not raise schedule without
q hearing before the commission and
no schedule of lower rates can be put
into effect without first fling a copy
of it with the commission Just how
the commission may prevent com.
pany from giving away its product if
1t sees fit is not apparent.
The people of Kenosha are watching
the fight with q lot of interest and It
is probable that there will be a dis
tinct feeling in favor of lower rates
regardless Of the futures of the two
companies.
a team BELONGING to Matt Flannaru