Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1913-04-09
NEW RATES GO INTO EFFECT may
TFNTH AND REDUCTION VIRTUALLY
CUTS THE OLD RATES IN HALF

Huge reductions in the rates Of the
water company of Tonopah have
been ordered by the public utility
commission The commission rem
dered report Monday and copies
of the ruling we're received in this
city yesterday.
Prominent among the reductions in
the order establishing minimum
monthly charges from $3.50 to $3.50
according to the size of the house
wherein water is supplied, and also
according to the quantity used, a
minimum supply having also been
fixed. The new rates are to go into
effect by May 10, 1913.
The opinion and order, as rendered
By Chairman Bartine Of the com
mission follows:
AT the opening Of the hearing the
respondent company made oral an
swer, denying all the ayerments con
tained in the citation. The hear
ing took place in the town of Tono-
pah, Nevada.
The writer Of this opinion was not
present at the hearing, which was
conducted by First Associate Com
missioner Shaughnessy and Second
Associate Commissioner Simons. Con
sequently, the chief commissioner S
view of the case is based entirely
upon evidence adduced at the hear.
ing, coupled with the sworn reports
Of the respondent company on file
and OF record in the office of the
commission.
At the hearing it was claimed by
the respondent company that it had
no franchise and the claim was moi
disputed. This, in our Judgment, is
lmmaterial for the purposes of the
case in hand. The water company
is clearly public utility, and while
il may not have what is technically
known as a franchise, it has what
is very much better, a practical mo
nopoly of the water supply available
for use in the town OF Tonopah. The
right to regulate a public utility does
not depend upon whether it has
franchise. If it is a public utilit!
that settles the question and makes
it subject to just and reasonable reg
uation by a commission lawfully au
thorized The fact that the tow
authorities might prohibit the CON
pany from laying its pipes through
the streets, cuts no figure in thi
case. There is not the slightes
probability, so far as the eyides
discloses, of anything of the kim
being done. The conditions are sue
that 1t will be impossible for tn
town Of Tonopah to dispense wit
the water service, II at any tim
such contingency should arise, 9
course new question will be PR
9Nhheus We van oAiJ AN@i 49, 80
conditions as they now exist, and, a
we regard IT, there can be no que
tion that the water company is
public utility and fully under I'll
jurisdiction of the public service con
mission of this state,
This case presents three distin'
phases: First-The question of fiji
protection; second-the matter OF di
elimination; and third-the reason
bleness of the rates charged.
With respect to the question Of fiji
protection, the commission is co
strained to say that the evident
offered was not sufficiently clear,
so full and satisfying as TO justi
an order at this time that the /
spondent company furnish addition
facilities, including higher pressu
for fire purposes,
The commission feels, therefor
that no order should be made at tn
time with respect to the construct,
OF an additional reservoir for iii
fighting purposes, but that this pha
OF the case should be left open
further investigation and determir
tlon. This course will. according
be pursued.
Discrimination.
Upon the subject of discriminate
there was little or no definite t
umony given at the hearing. 1t
pears that some Of the patrons
the respondent company are charg
more and others less. but there "
no explanation of why It was So 7
records of this office, however, Il
to say the schedules of the
spondent company, show marked a
apparently inexcusable different
.lohs In the charges, which are Gle
y discriminatory But in view
'Ae conclusions reached by the CO
mission 1t is not necessary to d
specifically with those dscrimi
IONS at this time because II is
"eVed that they will be in a la