The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-01-20

distributing water to consumers in
incorporated villages, towns or cities.
Regulating Water Supply Companies.
No municipal corporation or water
supplying agency, not already vested
with such power, is hereafter to be
permitted to condemn lands or take
waters for any new or additional
supply, except according to plans APP
proved by the commission, and on Il
petition showing the details of such
plans and the reasons for such ex-
tension, which petition shall have
been given due publicity.
! The decision shall be given after q
hearing of all interest affected by
such extension.
| On approval, license shall be is
sued by the Secretary of State for
the diversion of water and the ope-
ration of water works in accordance
with the plans filed.
| The commission is clothed with
power for the enforcement of the
law, to compel the attendance of
witnesses and the production of
books and papers; also to call upon
the attorney general for the prosecu-
ton of offenders against its regula-
| ton.
! 1t is given power also to inveSti-
| gate water supplies furnished by
corporations and to direct such chan
ges as are necessary to the public
/ health
The expenses of the commission
are provided for by the authoriza-
ton of a moderate schedule of fees
for the filing of papers and of IL
cense fee for the use of water, based
on each million gallons used All
fees thus received are to be at once
turned over to the state treasury.
Control of Water Powers.
Important as are the foregoing
provisions, as affecting water trans
portation and the drinking supply of
the state, they are transcribed, from
business point of view, by the pro-
visions of the bill which propose to
check the monopolization of the
states water powers by private or
special interests and to control their
development and their use, here
after in the interest of all the whole
people of the state.
First of all, the commission is re-
CURED to take complete inventory,
as it were, of the states resources in
water powers, developed and unde-
velOped, with a statement TO the
power already developed, or obtain
able, its source and the use, if any,
to which now put, and by whom,
and the price charged per horse
power; also the extent to which
each power has been already i'm,
proved and the amount of additional
power which may be obtained-and
its probable value.
AS preliminary to further regu-
lation, it is provided that every
franchise for the erection and main
tenance of any dam, wharf, pier or
abutment in or across any stream,
or in any lake or reservoir, granted
which is subject to repeal, is hereby
repealed" and all franchises for such
erections are hereafter to be granted
subject to the provisions of this act.
Water Power Franchises.
Franchises and leases under the
proposed law are not to be granted
for a longer period than twenty
years, subject to two consecutive
renewals of ten years each, or to-
tai of forty years.
period may be secured under what
ever legislative restrictions may be
then imposed.
A license fee of not less than ten
cents nor more than two dollars per
horse power per annum is to be col
lected by the commission on every
horse power put to beneficial use by
any appropriation of water power.
The franchise value of each and
every horse power is defined as mean
ing "the difference in cost between
the production of horse power by
water power and the production of q
horse power by steam pOwer-in the
same place"
The amount of the payment re-
CURED is to be based on the value
and such valuation is to be read
justed at stated periods.
Ten hours use of a horse power
is to constitute a DAYS use" there
of in computing payments to be
made therefor.
There are provisions for prevent
ing unreasonable delays in the deve[
opment of water powers-after a
franchise has been granted; and for
compelling development thereof,
where desirable, to the full capacity
of the water power site; also for
preventing any dam or other con-
struction from becoming an obstruc-
tiOp IN M xvi on tion. and for odocuat q