Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-08-06
JOHNSTOWN MAYOR
GETS 4 CALL-DOW|V
Informed That He j. Here to Com
plain as an Individual and
Not as the Mayor

Mayor Joseph Cauffiel, of Johns
town, appeared before the Public Ser
vice Commission late yesterday in op-
position to the minimum monthly rate
for electric service charged by the
Citizens Light, Heat and Power Com
pany-it appears that this rate with
in the past month has been increased
from so cents to s1.0O. The mayor
also complained that consumers were
compelled to place a deposit of $500
with the company to obtain service.
Bruce II. Campbell. whs represent
ed the company, made a point to show
the commission that Mayor Cautfiel
was not here in the capacity of mayor
of Johnstown. but as an individual;
that he was unauthorized by council
or the city solicitor to file the COM
plant, and that he was not generally
urged to do so by the patrons of the
electric company. Attorney Campbell
read extracts from the opinions of
commissions in other States and from
court decisions TO the effect that a
minimum rate of S1.00 was not eX-
orhitant, and claimed that this was
the charge of other companies in
towns surrounding Johnstown and in
various other parts of the State. The
$500 deposit was not eXacted from
property owners, and was only accept
ed as a guarantee, to be returned with
6 per cent. interest when the service
terminated.
The mayor was accompanied by two
of his policemen, John Mail and Louis
Joseph. who testified that they were
patrons of the company and paid the
minimum rate of s1-00.
Both sides will file briefs with the
commission before a decision is rem
dered.
The commission adjourned last
evening after approving the following
contracts:
Borough of Fairchance, Fayette
county, and Trotter Water Company;
Philadelphia and Reading Railway
Company and borough of Hatfield; ;
borough of Collegeville and Phoenix
Water Power Company; city of Nc
keesport and DuQuesne Light Com
pany; city of Pittsburgh and Penn
sylvania Railway Company; borough
of Charleroi and Pittsburgh and Char
leroi Street Railway Company; bor-
ough of Stockdale. Washington coun-
ty, and the West Penn Electric Com
pany: borough of Claysville and West
Penn Lighting Company; borough of
Derry and West Penn Electric Com
pany; borough of West Berwick and
Columbia and Montour Electric Com
pany; borough of Indiana and Buffalo,
Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company;
borough of Dunlevy and the Central
District Telephone Company borough
of Roslyn Farms, Allegheny county,
and the Central District Telephone
Company; borough of Homewood,
Peaver county, and the Central Dis
trict Telephone Company: borough of
Bear Lake, Warren county, and the
Bell Telephone Company; borough of
Aspinwall Allegheny county, and the
Central District Telephone Company;
Monongahela Southern Traction Com
pany-approval of incorporation; Cen
tral District Telephone Compary-ap-
proval of purchase of capital stock of
the Burgettstown Farmers Telephone
Company, Washington county; petit
ton of the Bell Telephone Company
for approval of agreement with the
commissioners of Delaware county for
right to cross bridge over Ridley
Creek.