The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-09-18

ton with headquarters In Spokane
meets the Federal Mining e. smelling
Delaware corporation
with headquarters in Wallace. on the
soil of Idaho with the public utilities
commission as referee, battle of the
giants is certain to be waged. SAYS
the Boise Statesman.
This battle is to be fought over the
question of rates largely. Soon after
the complaint of the Federal company
was filed with the commission n few
days ago an order was issued sus-
pending the new rates against which
the complaint was largely aimed.
Then the power company was given
plant or file an answer with the CAM
mission. When this has been done a
date for hearing will be set by the
commission and the whole matter will
be threshed out. The commissioners
are still debating whether to have
the hearing here in Boise or to have
1t at some point in north Idaho for
the convenience of the many wit
nesses that it is presumed will be
asked to appear by the contestants.
Tamarack Also Interested.
The Federal Mining & Smelling
company is not alone in its complaint.
similar complaint Is filed by the
Tamarack Il Custer consolidated min
ing company, and 1t is announced that
practically every mining corporation
In the Coeur d'Alene district Is await
| ing with deep anxiety the outcome of
the contest,
A. P. MeRae, J. B. Cox and John F
Murphy, commissioners of Shoshone
county, join in the complaint for the
reason that the public utilities law
makes it necessary for the officials OF
municipality or county to take this
step.
Cite Old Contract.
Chief among the complaints is this
Five years ago the power compan,
and the Federal company entered int
a contract under which power wa
to be furnished at a certain price fol
a term of five years. 1t Is nov
charged by the mining company tina
this price was outrageous; that unde
it the mining company paid the pow
er company 100000 and that enough
was paid in Shoshone county to pa,
all the cost OF the power plant ant
transmission lines furnishing powe
for that county
furnished by the power company ant
under the proposed contract with tn
mining company, a contract that i
never to end. still higher price i
to be charged The increase Is estj
mated between 10 and IL per cent
And in addition to this the new sche
dule of rates makes it impossible 70
the consumer to know how much h
is to pay because of the confusion II
terms,
Can't Sell Property.
the proposed contract with the Tam
arack and other smaller coinpanic
would make It impossible for tie con
sulners to dispose of their own prop
erty during the life of the contrac
without the consent Of the powe
company.
Nor is this all There are othe
serious grounds of complaint. In tn
proposed contract with the FEEDER
company is found this otjections
provision:
1T is mutually understood an
: agreed that the power company doc
, not guartntee the continu 'ua and TN
interrupted delivery of electrlci
energy upon The premises Of tie cor
, sumer and shall not, under any cil
cumstances, he held liable by the COZ
! sumer for any damage or INJURY g
account of the non continuance or II
errupted deliveries of such electric
energy"
Fine for Power Company.
f | Another provision makes it mandf
: tory on the part Of the consumer, b.
e fore installing any new apparatus,
. get the permission of the power con
e pany and furnish 1t plans and spec
e fications, Under this provision
would be impossible to install 6
+ electric iron without the consent
r the power company. 1t Is so strt
that it would prohibit the consun
, from putting in an electric llg
j globe.
Still another provision again
: which there is vigorous protest Is ol
n making 1t compulsory on the part
r the consumer to furnish the pow
company free title to all necessa
n rights of way over It's land. Il mu
: furnish title also to a piece of groul
:, zoo feet long and 100 feet wide to
r. chosen by the power company t
It substation purposes Sufficient su
: ply Of clean water for cooling t
g transformer must also be furnish
# by. the consumer without expense
= the power company.