The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-02-08
OVATION GIVEN
HYDRO OFFICIALS
LITIGATION ENDED LAST THURSDAY
Company Takes Business from Competing
Gas & Electric Company Lines viii
Be Gradually Extended.

NOitE tENA tNUltllLlNt NANA HtNMtHN
the Hooi River Gas q Electric Co. and
The Hydro Electric Co here last
Thursday evening, when d few minutes
after a telephone message from n. c.
Evans in Portland conveyed the news
that the iujunctions prevailing against
them for the past two and a b Il
months had been lifted and the power
was turned into the company's lines
Coau~1;iG,s ~ the time had alone been
made with Inc t0s.;,,,''...."p' uiiiV5 - the
Smith building, in which In few mo-
ments the brilliant lights of the new
company were shining. A crew
Of men began Immediately to make
connections with other places of bust
ness and a number of Heights homes
and stores were soon lighted with
Hydro 'juice" Several connections
were also made with down town bust
ness houses Thursday evening.
While the installations of fixtures
and connections was being made at
Baily q Colby s, on Oak street crowd
Of men gathered around and cheered
Justify as the lights of the new com
pany were switched on instead of those
of its competitors.
A lively demonstration, celebrating
the successful issue of the Federal
Court litigation and entrance to the
city of the Hydro Company was held
on the Heights last Thursday night.
| Speeches were made and fireworks
were exploded. Shortly before the
arrival of the Soo-Spokane trair, WHICH
reaches this city at lO;55 and aboard
which was President Evans, a parade
formed on the hill and marched down
to the station. Tue Heights people
were joined boy a large number of down
| town people and the crowd was swelled
| to the hundreds. Mr.. Evans was seized
as he alighted from the train, and,
placed on the shoulders of couple Of
men, was carried midst cheers to the
! Hydro offices, where in few words he
thanked the people for their support.
This is one of the happiest moments
Of my life, he said, "but il is not my
fight, il is not the Hydro's fight, but 1t
is the fight of this community against
the trusts.
Or. j. f. Watt, secretary of the
company, also made an address and
thanked the citizens for their hearty
cooperation in making the fight sue
cessful short talk was made by j..
| T. Holman, Of the Heights.
On Friday more than sixty dlscon-
uectof were made by the Hood River
Gas & Electric Co.. the Hydro Co.
athxing its wires and furnishing light
and power instead
The Hydro electric Co. was formed
about the middle of last June, the in
con porators of the company being Or.
ID. +. Watt ana N. G. Evans, of this
city, and II J. Jackson, of Portland.
In October } T. Thompson, Of Port
land, and former owner Of the plant at
l Husum, Wash, which he built. became
interested in the company ana on the
sixteenth day Of chat month under his
supervision the construction Of the
long tlume and the power plant at
l fuckers bridge was begun The work
was practically completed by the first
Of the year. The big plant was tested
out thoroughly last week. Melgs W.
Bartmess, son of S. Z, Bartmess ano
who has for the past several years
been connected with the Westinghouse
Electric Co, at Pttsburg, Pa, in.
spected the plant, which he stated wa:
In perfect shape.
Owing to the increase m rates Of The
Pacific Power 4 Light Co. here last
Fall, public sentiment was at once
created ia favor of the new company
and the greater portion Of the loca
patronage signed contracts with tht
HYDRO Co., which agreed to fufnisl
light by January However, as sool
as the Hydro Go. began the construe
/ tion Of its lines, the Pacific Power 4
Light Co. secured injunctiuns from tn,
Federal Court, alleging that the wire
we're constructed too close to those o
/ The old company. The deluge Of alii
davils and the visits of the Deput.
! United States Marshal to this cit
with papers which we've served upo
the president of the Hydro company
the story Of all this is familiar history
The litigation in the Federal Cour
1 led to the order that the Hydro con
panv bear the expense of reconstruct
ing the lines of the old company, i
4 order that the two lines would b
Z seven feet apart Iatcfaliy However
Y additional franchises W re granted b
Il ten local county court and the ilydr
lines were removed to conform wit
q the order. The Injunction proceeding
y wera before the courts nearly tW
q months aud a half. The quick settl,
II ment made a record in the adjusimer
Il of this class of litigation.
n The Pacific Co. has transferred il
& local holdings to the hood River G'
y & Electric Co.. in order TO wage a raj
3 war here without affecting its schedu
Il Of charges in other Mid-Columbi
3 cities. The new company immediateI
n on taking over the books Of he o
III concern began a cut IN charg S on
II fiat rate basis.
H One of the interesting features {
n the parade was tablean represent
III tion of the Hood River Gas q Electr
Il Co. by Carson Bucklin The your
n man with an expressionless mask {
Il his face brought up the rear Of II
II parade Of The Heights men. In b
III hands was burning tiny candle an
HI on a placard that hung from his shou
ders was printed Hood River Gas
Il Electric Go. -
II The light demonstrat' on was the so
HI topic of discussion IN the city on tT
III day. The electric theatres dlsplayt
signs announcing that their places
business were lighted with the ele
III tricitv Of the new company. On Il
III Heights The Blue Ribbon bakery bak,
III special batch of cakes, on the tol
III of which were artistically arrange
III the letters, Hydro Electric Co. cakes
HI The Hydro Electric Co., since
III entrance 10 the city last Thursdi
III evening has made l40 cGuneetions, tn
HI securing the majority OF the local pa
II rouage. ~ c. Evans, the president
Il the company. was in The Dalles Ia
HI Friday evening. A number of {
councilmeu of that city. it is unde
stood, were opposed to an extension
/ the franchise granted the Hydro col
/ pany there. n. j. Sinnott address
" the council, when a large number