The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-01-30
(Staff Correspondence

(Staff Correspondence
Helena, Jan. 29.-Several days ago,
at a meeting of the Helena city coun-
Gil, Mayor Purcell submitted a state
ment of proposed reduction in local
electric light rates by the Helena
Light n Railway company, purport-
ing ito have been furnished him by
the representatives of that company,
and full publicity was given the same
through the medium of the local news
papers. Since that time the lighting
company has caused to be published
In these same papers,, a schedule of
these proposed new rates, which Upon
comparison with those submitted to
the counci by Mayor Purcell, discloses
a difference, and leaves but little mar
gin between the old rates Of the COM
pan and those now evidenced by its
published schedule.
This condition of affairs appears to
have attracted the attention of Alder
man B. II. Streets, a member of the
city council from the Seventh ward,
who is of an inquisitive turn of mind,
and who always has his eyes open
when matters of this kind, which at
feet the interests Of the people, are
before the council, and for the pur-
pose Of having light thrown on the.
subject, and letting the public know
just where they are in the matter, he
has personally addressed ~communica-
tions to Mayor Purcell, and the rep
resentative Of the lighting company,
calling attention to the discrepancies
between the rates as announced by the
mayor to the council, n those pub
1ished by the company, n asking for
information with reference to the same.
The. letters in question read as fol-
lows.
Mr.. ]. H. White,
Helena Light & Railway Company,
Helena, Montana.
Dear SIR ~
LAS m Of the members Of the city
council, of this city, I am interested
in the new schedule of rates which
was announced recently. and which. is
to go into effect on h first Of Feb
Fruary next. A week ago, Mayor
Purcell announced the rates which
the new schedule was to contain and
later YOU company advertised in the
daily newspapers here a schedule Of
rates which was much higher han
the schedule was to provide for ac-
.cording to the presentation of Mayor
Purcell. Mr.. Purcell was quoted in
the Independent of wednesday morn
ing, January %, and it is my desire
now to know whether the rates an
nounced by Mayor Purcell are to be.
the rates that are to go into effect
on the first of February next, or the
rates which were advertised a few
days after such announcement.
II shall appreciate an immediate
ply.
Yours very truly,
l.. "B. r. STREETS,
alderman of the Seventh Ward.
Helena, Mont, Jan. n, 1913"
mayor R. r. Purcell.
"City.
Dear Sir
AT the last meeting of the council,
you announced that a new schedule
of rates was to 60 into effect on the
first of February next. anG you an
nounced also, what the rates for cleo
trio lighting were to be, under such
new schedule. Later, the electric
light company, here, advertised in the
daily newspapers that a new schedule
OF rates was to go into effect and
such advertisements contained the
new rates. Upon comparison, 1 find
that there is a vast difference be-
tween the advertised rates and the
rates which were announced by you.
Upon comparison, also. I find that
there. Is but little difference between
the old rates and the schedule of
rates which is to go into effect ac-
cording to the advertisement Of the
electric light company. I find. also.
that If the. rates which were an
nounced by you were to go into effect,
there would be at least a material re-
duction.
II have also written to Mr.. White,
Upon the. matter of rates which are
to go into effect later, with a view to
ascertaining the facts to the end thar
consumers may know what they are to
expect in the way of reductions from
the present schedule and also with a
view to informing the members of the
legislature in order that they may
know what consumers of Helena will
be obliged to pay for electric lighting
under the new schedule. The mem
bers of the legislature. Of course, be-