The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1914-06-27
PROBE LIGHT RATE
OF LOCAL COMPANY
WASHINGTON WATER POWER COM
PANY MUST ANSWER TO IDAHO
UTILITY COMMISSION.
Declared That Result viii Be Agree
able and Satisfactory to Both
Sides.

That the public utilities commission
will probe into the light and power
rates of the Washington Water Power
company within the near future with
view of determining whether equit
able rates are now in force in Idaho
towns now served by the company,
was the statement of members of the
commission who are in the city today.
This would assure Moscow patrons of
the company that regardless of arbi-
trary rates fixed, that an equitable ad
justment is expected that would un
doubtedly be beneficial to the patrons
of the company.
Completed Work at Standpoint.
j. A Blomquist and Axel P. Ram
stedt, members of the commission
reached here last evening from the
northern part of the state where they
have been in connection with a water
rate problem at Standpoint and mi
nor problem with relation to the
changing of the name of the depot sta
ton of the O.-W. R. e N. at Kellogg.
In the latter case the company plan
ned to drop the name of Wardner,
identifying the station with the town
of Kellogg in which the depot is To-
Gated. The people of Wardner object
to the elimination of the name of their
tomn from tha dpnOt
Claim Discrimination.
In the matter of water rates at
Standpoint, citizens object to the priv
ate company supplying water to Koot-
enai and Ponderay at less rates than
are paid by Standpoint, declaring that
Standpoint is Disseminated against.
In both instances the cases were taken |
under advisement.
The visit of the members of the |
commission to Moscow at this time |
had no official significance and was for
the purpose of giving Mr.. Ramstedt
an opportunity to visit briefly with |
his parents in Moscow.
Complaint Been Filed.
"An order has been issued directing |
the attorney general to file complaint
against the Washington Water Power
with view of investigating
the commercial rates of the company
in towns it is serving in Idaho said
Mr.. Blomquist who is chairman of the
"The probe is the re-
suit of complaints from citizens and
| believe that when we have gone
through the matter thoroughly that
there will be an adjustment that will
be emminently fair and satisfactory to
both the patrons of the company and
The company itself"
Light and Power Tangle.
Mr.. Blomquist stated that the great
problem that has confronted the COM
mission for many months has been the
light and power tangles in south and
southeastern Idaho, but that it has
1een the policy of the commission to
adhere strictly to the law in dealing
With this problem. A policy adopted
~ the commission which will be ad-
lered to in connection with dual light
Ind power service is that no locality
reeds both competition and regula-
ion. The commission will require,
which is a provision of the law, that
new company must first file its in
ention before securing a certificate
O do business where town or city i,
S already served and that the COM .
mission will then determine whether
t is equitable and just to grant such
certificate. A case is now before
he supreme court on this point and
decision is expected by the commits
ion within a few days. e
Must Move Slowly.
1--WE must say that the work of both
n-