The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-05-29
Reduction 10 10 Be Made on June
First 10 Keep Premise Made
to People Of the City
Drop in Charges 10 the Second
Made BY the Pacific Power &
Light Company Since 1t Took
Over the Present Plant

Effective June first, the primary
electric light rate In North Yakima
Will be out from IL to 10 cents a
kilowatt hour. This reduction in
rates ie tbs second one made by the
Paci1ic Power g. Light Company since
It purchased the local plant and is in
accordance with the promise Of the
company to the people year ago.
The new rate will result in saw
ing of 1e per cent to all customers
whese bills are less than $3.50 n
month under the old rates, or in 9TH
or words these customers will be en-
abled to burn 20 per cent more cur
rent for the same amount of money
under the ,10-cent rate than they did
under the 12-cent rate. If consumers
bill amounted to $3.50 month under
the old rate, it will figure $1.5o un-
der the new rate, providing no ad-
ditional current Is used.
: Residential Rate
The present residentiss- rate in this
city 10 IL. cents kilowatt hour for
the, flpst 80 kilowatt hours and all in
excess OF 30 kilowatt hours eight
cents a kilowatt hour. This applies
to rssid ences having lighting load
OF kiiowatt or less. Residences
having a lighting load of more thaa
! kilowatt pay IL cents a kilowatt
hour for the first SO kilowatt hours
per month and cents for all In ex-
cess Of the first so kilowatt hours.
However, there are com paratively few
residences in North Yakima that have
over kilowatt of lights connected.
The new rates substitute 10-cent
rate for the 12-cent rate, and as stat
ed above, the average customer Will
be enabled to burn 20 per cent more
light for the same amount of money
which will enable him to install many
new electrical devices and lights.
New Commercial Rate
The present comm ercial rate iii
North Yakima is IL cents a kilowatt
hour for the first so kilowatt hours
use per kilowatt of the conn ected load
per month All in excess of the first
50 kilowatts is charged at six cents.
The new rate will be 10 cents ana
ok cents. which will also result in a
substantial saving in business houses.
H. S. Wells, of Portland, new bus
Sness manager of the Pacific Power &
light Company, is now in North Yak
xna and he together with Fl. r. King
man, local manager of the company.
are experimenting the changing over
of the accounting system to take care
Of this reduction. The first month
will throw great deal of extra work
lation of the new rates Messrs, Wells
and kingman made the following
statement to representative of this
paper:
Why Reduction is Made
"In line with the progressive policy
Of this company and in order to pop
ularize the use of electric current, We
are materially reducing our rates In
North Yakima. We are frank to con-
fess that we do not believe the re-
duction is warranted from the point
ct View of what we are canning on
our Investment but we behave that
the result in increase in current will
Justify the reduction, and it will do
90 If the public give us support in our
efforts to increase business.
I'VE are doing out utmost to de-
velop the territory which we serve
BY promoting the use of electric pow
or. especially for irrigation business,
and we believe that we are entitled
to the same support that the govern
ment receives in its effort to build up
its reclamation service.
Substantial Light Reduction
1.-The reduction In lighting rates is
not small. on the contrary it is very
substantial reduction. and it will re.
suit in q saving to every commercial
and residential consumer in North
Yakima. In many cases, of course.
small residential consumers do not
use any more than the minimum
amount of current for which they pay
75 cents month. but these consum-
ers will now be enabled to use rs
kilowatt hours for rs cents. where,
In the past, they have been using put
{. We might mention in passing that
residential customers in the city of
NAxu Ycrk WHARF alahtvirity a m q n :
ufactured in enormous quantities,
with cheap fuel, are paying more for
their current than our consumers in
North Yakima. the rate in New York
being 10 cents per kilowatt hour for
all current used whereas lin North
Yakima we have a secondary rate of
eight cents. This is especially inter-
esting in view of the fact that New
York has very dense population,
and same amount of distributing sys-
tenn in that city can serve many times
the number of customers that it does
In North Yakima. *
How Current is Used
Lower lighting rates result in
many conveniences for the home. This
company 10 now furnishing current
for heating 5000 fla. irons. every one
Of vhich 10 adding to the comfort Of
Z housewife. We are also supplying
current Tor coffee percoiat3rs. wash
ing machines. chSrncrs, oa5y bottle
Warmers. ;eAstcr stoves. house heat
ere. electric fans. electric ovens, wa
ter hepsta. anG G great many other
Asvtess that rend To make living more
AemfessAhle. Every time the price OF
anFrens u reduced It brings more Of
these Aevtees within reach Of the small
Aome swner. Bear in mind. too, that
We have said nothing about the con-
veASsnce of electric lights.
Must Satisfy Patrons
"Under our old rates fiat irons could
be operated for approximately 80
cents a month. Under the new rates
their operation will cost about 40
cents q month As we stated before.
we are anxious to secure the cooper
atien of the citizens of this territory.
1t is true We are In the business 10
make money but we cannor unless
our patrons are satisf1e0 In line with
our company motto. Always at your
servics,' we expect TO deliver current
in North Yakima just as cheaply as
II is possible for us 10. do so, at the
same time making interest on our in
vestneat and keeping our equipment