Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-09-10

commission cannot and will not procure
extensions such as have peen procured
by the city of Minneapolis 3s II there is
one thing that the people Of any city
are interested in above the: other citi-.
zens Of the state,8i is in the growth of
their own town, and you all know that
one of the most potent factors in. pros
noting the growth or q town is the ex-
tension Of public%utilities.
# Our city council has just completed
most comprehensive valuation Of the
gas plant of this city for the purpose
of fixing the gas rates A gas rate of
zoe for Minneapolis is in all probable
ity, freight rates on coal considered,
the cheapest gas rate Of any city In the
United States, and want to challenge
my opponent to show any city in the
Union where state public utilities
commission exists where such a gas
rate has been: fixed. The passage of
), the Toe gas ordinance by the city of
Minneapolis is the best argument pos
sible in favor Of the statewide public
utilities commission bill-that is on the
part of the gas company. The efficiency
of our city governments has been grow
ing stronger steadily, while very little,
if any improvement has taken place In
our state government One reason for
the growth of the efficiency of the gov
eminent of our large cities is the in
terest that the voters have taken in
their own affairs. The investigation Of
the value of the gas plant in this city
has been of great service in producing
a healthy interest in public affairs. If
we had in this state the Wisconsin sys-
tenn, this investigation would in all
probability have been conducted in the
office of the Railway & Warehouse Com
mission in the same way as investiga-
tions are now being conducted against
the railroads, but how much informa-
ton or interest would~that have aroused
among the people Of the city of Mime
, apolis?
DULUTH-SUPERIOR SITUATION.
For a fair comparison of the effect
ivei1ess of a state commission as
against home rule of our cities in the
regulation of public utilities, the Du-
luth-Superior situation offers excep-
tionally striking opportunities. Duluth
citizens, acting through their city coun-
Gil and public sentiment, have exercis-
ed entire control over their local public
utilities. Whatever results have been
secured to date have come through the
direct initiative and action of the peo-
pie themselves, without help from any,
where. The indirect result of this has
been to develop an intelligent, resource
full and vigilant citizenship, finding its
expression in effective business admin
istration of the city's affairs. and a
broad social vision. The direct results
are seen in the low rates and efficient
service of it's public utilities. This is
especially evident in the gas and water
plants, which for fifteen years have
been owned and operated by the city.
These utilities were taken over by the
city in 1898. The rates Tor gas were
reduced from $1.90, the price charged
by a private company in 1898, to 75c in
1905, and the latter rate has continued
until the present time. The service has
been extended and operated with a
substantial surplus each year amount
ing in 1912 to $4,000.
During all of this time Superior, just
across the bay in Wisconsin,, has been
enjoying the advantages of private own
ership and operation Of all it's public
utilities, and under the guardianship of
the Wisconsin Railway Commission
since 1907 From 1905 to 1911, while Du-
luth was getting rate of 75c for gas
the Superior citizens were paying $1.40.
1911 this was reduced TO $1.25 and the
next year to 800. The remarkable fact
is that in both cases, the reductions
were made upon the initiative of the
company without action by the Rail-
way Commission. =
It should be understood right here
that both Duluth and Superior secure
their gas supply from the same source,
the Zenith Furnace Company, of West
Duluth, coking concern, with gas as
a by-product. This gas is piped to both
cities and sold at a price approximately
equal to what it would cost the cities
to manufacture the product. Duluth is
larger city and has much greater
gas consumption, which favors lower
price, On the other hand, the expense
Of laying gas mains in Duluth, owing
to rock formation, is estimated to be
double that for the same work in Su-
perior.
The Wisconsin Commission recently
made an investigation of the Superior
gas situation, also water and electric
service on the complaint of citizens,
who asked for lower rates, and follow
ing this investigation ruled that, the
| public was not entitled to any reduc-
| ton. In it's report the Wisconsin Com
mission goes long way out of it's tur-
| isdiction to compare the Duluth and Su-
perior gas and water situation, obvious.
| ly in an effort to meet the criticism
| that has been directed at it on account
| Of the great disparity between the price
| paid for these services in the two cities
| In it's report the Wisconsin Commission
uses exparte figures presented by SUI
! perior Company to show the difference
in conditions between the cities ant
which figures are made to serve thu
Superior cause In connection with thu
Duluth gas report, Commissioner Err
ickson of Wisconsin, stated publicly a
meeting of our legislature of 1911
that the Duluth gas plant was no
charging a high enough rate to tax
care Of all legitimate charges. TIL
Wisconsin Commission, in it's report Of
the Superior-Duluth- situation, report
on the Duluth gas plant operation o
1911, evidently for the purpose of prov
ing it's assertion. 1t is significant thai
after making it's. own arbitrary allow
ances for items of depreciation, los
taxes, additional interest, all of whic
are not included in the Duluth repo1
of operations, the Commission finds tn
! ex traOrdinarv deficiency Of 81 .O92OO O