White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-02


c. V. Jenkins of the Steptoe COM
pany. and G. S. Chandler, one of the
company attorneys, while in Carson
City recently. interviewed some of the
members of the Public Utilities Com
mission in an attempt to bring about
legislation of benefit to some of the
smaller mining companies of the Ely
district, resulted in "A sort of tempest
in a teapot in certain newspaper
circles, owing to the distorted view
taken of their visit by a Carson cor
respondent to a local paper, and his
insinuating and misleading comments
thereon.
The gist of the whole business is
that two or three of the smaller min
ing interests here are in need
of power which is absolutely neces-
sary for variety of well-known pur-
poses in mining and mine develop
ment. To install requisite power
plants by the individual companies
would involve expense, an expense
that most of the companies interest
ed consider as prohibitiye. The
Steptoe company with its immense
power plant and facilities has, at
the present time, some surplus power
which II might dispose of to smaller
companies. but, under the law, can
not do so without thereby becoming
a public utilities concern and Obliged,
perhaps even at the expense of
its own operations, to sell pow
er to any or all concerns. large
or small and for whatever pur-
pose, If once a contract Is entered
into TO accommodate one company
or individual with the nesssary cleo
trical energy. Futher, by becoming
a public utilities concern it's affairs
would be open to inspection of the
public, through the public service
commission, and its business man
agement in a way eircumscribed.
The Steptoe company is in no
sense a power or lighting company.
but having the power at disposal is
ready and willing TO sell surplus
power to neighboring companies.
provided IL can be done legally.
and at the same time leave the Step
toe company at liberty to run its own
business.
II was with this idea in mind
that Messrs. Jenkins and Chandler
took the matter up with members
of the public service commission
with the view of having the present
law so amended as to define a pub
lie utility as a person or corporation
furnishing for compensation light,
heat. power. water. etc. to the pub
lie. This. of course. was all the law
was ever intended to cover. but is
so worded as to apparently include
as a public utility anyone who fur
nishes light, heat, power, etc. ito
any other person"
The subject was discussed with J. f.
shaughnessy of the public SER
vice commission. who fatly opposed
the idea Of amending the law and
informed the gentlemen from the
Steptoe company that he would exert
his influence against any such bill If
it were introduced. While Mr..
Mr.. Shaughnessy is credited with
stating TO Messrs. jenkins and Chand-
Ter that in this case satisfactory
arrangement might be made by spe-
cial contract, and that the commits
sion, Notwithstanding the provision
of the law to the contrary, would
not. on that account, hold the Step
toe company to be a public utility
But the Steptoe company does not
care to be placed in the position of
evading the law Furthermore, 1t
doubts the ability of the commission
to maintain such position in the
face of a legal complaint filed by a
person or persons seeking power and
invoking the present provision of the
law. It's representatives, therefore,
Immediately dropped the whole mat
ter, stating to the members of the
White Pine delegation, (several OF
whom had received letters from the
managers of smaller companies oper-
ating here, urging some action which
would enable them to get power)
that the Steptoe company would take
no further action in the matter, but
that II the members of the delega-
tiop cared to and could persuade the
commission to favor the amendment,
the company would be glad, In case