Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-06-19
PUBLIC SERVICE HEARINGS
Commissioners Listening to Com
plants in the Several Counties.
Light and Power Conditions In Bur
iingtou md Difficulty between
Rutland Rniiroad and city
Touched upon Thursday.

In line with the meetings, which are
being held in each county of the state
by the public service commission for
hearing complaints, and in order to get
into touch with conditions IN different
localities. n meeting was held Thursday
% rternoon in the parlors OF the Van Ness
House. The committee appointed by the
board of aldermen, consisting of Alder
lmcn Buell.. Reynolds and Dwyer, City
Attorney Horton. appeared before the
commission to take up the matter Of the
investigation of the methods and prac-
tees OF the organizations engaged in the
business of furnishing light n power In
burlington. Nothing developed Thursday
except that the committee was instructed
TO present n petition for a hearing and at
the time Of the hearing to be present with
It's proof.
The request for the Investigation is a
result Of the action taken by the board Of
aldermen at a recent meeting and is di-
rected at the Burlington Light and Power
company and the Burlington Gas COM
pany. The petition will oe 50 worded.
however, that all companies engaged in
that business will be Objects of investlsa-
ton. At the meeting Of the board. it was
CldlflbO tIbI I1e mlllClDuI IltHl WIS IbS-
ing customers in an unaccountable way
Of late, and It was said that the reason
for this was unfair methods adopted by
other concerns In competition. In some
cases q house was wired free of charge
by the companies named in order that the
business Of furnishing light and power
might be obtained. This was OF course
discrimination In that It granted privil-
eyes to some and not all. City Attorney
Horton said that the investigation was
asked of all of the organizations so that
the municipal plant. as wen as the 9TH
ers, could be shown up If anything along
the line Of discrimination was being done
by its management. It was the desire
of the aldermen to nave the business
conducted above board and in this man
ner to secure greater efficiency, instead
Of merely getting along by giving con-
cessions.
Another matter which was brought up
by City Attorney Horton was the diff
Guilty between the Rutland railroad and
the city of Burlington regarding the con-
tract which allows the sewer pipe for the
outflow of the south end sewer to pass
through. tho culvert owned by the Rut-
land railroad. The sewer has been in
operation since last October and at the
time It was run through the culvert the
Rutland railroad officials granted their
consent and signed a contract to that Of
feet. Now, however, they desire Burling-
ton to assume any risks which might fall
on the railroad from any cause whatever
at the Culvert. That is, n freshet might
create a washout which would cause the
loss Of lives and if it could he shown that
the space in the culvert occupied by the
pipe curtailed the flow so that a washou
was caused or anything OF this kind, the
city might be held responsible to the cx-
tent OF thousands Of dollar The city is
willing to accept any risks of damage to
the sewer but declines to he responsible
for the operation OF the abroad. 1t was
not determined Thursday whether or not
this came under the jurisdiction of the
commission, as it was under the form Of
an agreement or contract. The railroad
people claim that the responsibility which
they think should be assumed by Burling-
ana that, therefore, If they do not ask it
here, they are showing a discrimination,
contrary to law.
In addition to the two local cases.
Francis Doom of Cnderhill registered a
complaint about tho manner in which II
is claimed the station at North Underhill
is conducted without fire in winter, etc,
and also had something In the nature
of "A private claim. which 1t was decided
did not come under the Jurisdiction Of the
commission and which IL already in the
courts.