The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-01-29
ORCHARDISTS ASK
LOWER RATES
PROBLEM DISCUSSED AT MEETING
Proposed Municipal Plant Finds Sup
pOrters, who Find Fault with Work
of Railway Commission

vi hanWdy HUMMELSHINE,
Their ardor not dampened by the re-
port Of W. w. Rodwell, of the West
Side. member of the recently ap-
pointed committee, which made an in
Vestigation on the behalf Of the 0dell
Development League and other inter-
ested individuals and organizations, as
to the cost of the installation of q mu-
nicipal lighting plant for the valley,
the ranchers and orchardists who
crowded the rooms of the Commercial
club Saturday afternoon displayed an
intention of proceeding with the mu-
nicipal plant, in case the local lighting
companies failed to readjust their
rates in such a way that country con-
Isumers would have Q material redue-
tion for their lighting energy.
The report of nr. Rodwell showed
the estimated costs to be heavier than
had been expected. DIX. RodWell, in
bis address. stated that ths people Of
the valley did not mean to saddh the
community with the expense Of ga
other aght plant, but that they were
going to make every endeavor to seek
lower rates.
]. E. Davidson, manager of the Pa,
eifie Power 4 Light Co., of Portland,
of which the Hood River Gas q Flee.
trio Co. is subsidiary concern, wsn
present at the conference, which cams
at the suggestion of Guy W. Tablet.
the president Of the company, who
passed through the city last week en-
route to Cloud Capp Inn with the Port
land Snowshoe club. Mr.. DAVIDSON d.
clared that the company would boz
pleased to have the matter breHph& te-
fore che Railway ara Public Utilitbes
Commission. Ths rate thst wan eEtafe
lished here, be stated, vas triad cue.
sstablishud fcs yeas. However, boz
uas of the epipioa Shat the 'Comissbu1r
you'd be GLAD to PeoeaAe the chargah
over that portion Of the year not yeGt
CONSUMED, and Zoe ready 10 listen to
complaints.
On. questions askspi by Mark Caump.
on. ". ". Rodwell aHd James 3. For
han, MIR. Davidson stated thai the COM
p8nies coHld reaHee thear rates sw8
tupn them In to the cemmissicn for srp
proval. The companies were In efis8p
as ksd to do this. or else feee the Rb-
sentative of competing with munioi-
pal plant. The work Of the Railway
Com mission came in for ne small criti-
cism by orchardists. Who proposed thaH
the companies make a reduction Ia
their rates without a trial before the
Commission.
In his remarks before the orchardists
Er. Davidson STAGED that the Cem1rdss
sion fixed the rates aoeosdinR to q
reasonable valHatbon Of the prcpepties
OF valuatieR was the cause Of Humep-
oHs qrhesttedfs as to what wmld be con-
sidepod the property Of the cempaDieR
here. Mr.. Davidson yas also askeSi
she point blank question as 20 the own-
epship of the local compmbs. he,
however, stated that the Hydpc- Ehc-
trio Co. vas NOT the property Of tho
Pacific Power & Light Co., aad ttab
the Hsad River Gas & Electric Co.
leased louAl plants andaeqnipment for
bthe period Of "a years.
Numerous other facts of interest
we're brought out, MIR. Davidpon vas
asked If improvement began by his
company here last year woald be
turned over to the Gas Electric Co.,
and Why that work was commenced.
| be replied that in telling of this hOp
Woeh probablp he tellin@ q seuret !:
that his comPaay had beHun shis worB
on account OF negotiations with IN
eastern cheaical company. The wor&
Uas suspended, he said, becaue Of 4.
nancial striDgencies that affected tD5th
his ovn company and the chemical
company.
1t was .sxpresssd by the oroA&rdsstS
Saturday that a feeling prevailed that
the peop&a of the country had been dis,
criminated against. composing the City
residential lighting rate with that Of
The country, which Is one of the densel8
populated rural districts in the UniteOi
States. Manager Albert s. Hall, OF
the Hood River Gas Electris Co.,
stated that he felt that the rates were
too high for the ranchers, but that
companies which we're operating With
coat pcoft dSd nos feel liRe naaRiup q
red Dc$ien on certain rates, which they
Ifelt wspa too high, while tkny wees
unable to raise other rates. which we're
considsred too low. MIR. Hall and ttrs
companies in effect favored the plan of
having the Commission readju$ rates.
And while such an expression was not
made. the conclusion has been drawn
that the companies have hePeS ed trpc-
ing tfns sity rats raigad to eqaalize for
t%1am any Srrres@ In the seuaa&py pateB.
Tho city lighting rate is 10 ceats foU
the first Is kilowatts, eight cents for
the sseond; five for the third and three
for additional, while the country con-
sumers pay IL and eight on 40 kile-
watts consumption.
E. o. Hall made a short talk calling
attention to the fact that eitisenn Of
the city would be gald to see redue-
tion in the commercial rates here.
The following committee was In
structed to proceed with an investiga-
tion of municipal plants and IL possible
to reach some adjustment Of a salts.
factory nature with the companies
Mark Cameron. j. P. Naumes. j. c.
Rowland, J. G. Porter, A. c. Staten.
| w. w. Rodwell. VIM. Stewart and C..
A. Bell. The committee will report
ies efforts at a mass meeting to be
held Saturday. February z. Mr.. Cam
eron, chairman of the committee,
stated that Judge Derby had offered to
give the committee any legal advice
wanted free of charge.
At a meeting Of the members Of the
investigation committee, when different
ideas and suggestions as to the meth
ods of forming district for the con-
struction of municipal plant for
country residents, one of the most IA
vorable plans received was that Of IN
itiating law at the next general elee'
tion to make it possible for districts
to form municipalities for the purpose
of furnishing light, power and heat to
/ its residents. Such law, as was ex-
planned by Judge Derby, has already
been applied to irrigation districts, and
, he sees no obstacle. il the voters OF
, the state see the feasibility of 1t and
cast their ballots for it, to prevent Its
working successfully in the latter case,
Coal or wood delivered on short no
tice. Taft Transfer Co. f20u