Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1914-04-18
Commission Orders Sub
StantiaI Reduction
of Water Rates.


Hurley and private consumers. The de-
cision and order covers many typewrit-
ten pages. going into detail regarding
the water company's plant, fixtures.
cost OF maintenance, etc. Y
The history of this case dates from
May %, 1913, when a petition was
filed with the railroad commission by
the Town of Vaughn officials wherein
it was alleged that the schedule OF
rates in force and charged by the Hur-
ley Water Company is unreasonable
and exorbitant and that the service
furnished by the respondent company
is inedaquate. The petition prays for
an order commanding the company to
desist from charging excessive rates
and to establish such rates as the COM
mission may find reasonable and that
SAID company be further ordered to
improve its service in such manner as
the commission may find reasonable. "
The hearing in the case was held in
the office of the Commission October
l, 1918, at which time the answer OF
the Hurley Water Company was filed.
The Town of Vaughn was represented
4 by NJ. LambrIx and the water company
by Hon. A. w. Sanborn. In its answer
! the company contended:
"That II had never elected to come
under the provisions of CHAPTER 499 of
the laws of Wisconsin for the year 1907
or the acts amendatory thereof;
That it had, on the 14th of October.
1890. entered into a contract with the
Town of Vaughn, winch contract pro-
vIded for tie construction. maintenance
and operation of water works in the
unincorporated village OF Hurley, and
/ for a schedule of rates to be charged
to SAID Town of Hurley and to also the
inhabitants thereof for water
THAT the company existing rates
are IN strict accordance with the rates
provided in said contract;
That the contract is still in fcrce;
THAT the rates are reasonable and
fair, and that the service furnished has
been at all times and now is. adequate
to the demands of the people of said
Town of Vaughn.
For 10! these many years the people
of Hurley have dug down and paid an
exorbitant price for water and are
therefore well informed as to the rates
against which complaint was made and
for lack Of space we will leave them
out
In the complaint it was also alleged
THAT the service rendered bv the Hur-
ley Water company is inadequate, beth
as to pressure maintained for fire
fighting and as to the quality OF the
water from the standpoint of its do
nestle use. Evidence was introduced
to show that in the case OF number
of fires WITHIN the past few years the
water pressure was deficient. and in
the report of the commission it was
maintained that as no pressure record
ing guage has been maintained in Hur-
E ley there was no record of water pres
sure at the time stated and that the
evidence in the case did not clearly
show that the company was entirely
at fault
AS to the quality Of water furnished
for domestic use 1t was acknowledged
that there has been an improvement in
quality within a recerc period due to
the installation Of q modern p1rifca-
ton plant.
The commission ordered:
~ That the Hurley Water Company
snail at all times be urepared 10 meet
- the reasonable IRE service demands OF
the village of Hurley and furnish the
necessary number Of hose streams un-
. Ser adequate pressure at the hydrants,
. and. for One curRsse of showing the