Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-06-22
Want QUESTION OF
REGULATION DECIDED
Power Of the Public Utili-
ties Commission to Regu-
late Competition Is Point
Involved in Important
Case Now Pending.

Until the state supreme court hands
down its opinion in the case now pend
Ing, the Idaho Power & Light COM
pany versus the public utilities COM
mission, upholding the authority of
the commission to determine whether
competition is justifiable between cleo
trio plants in the same field. or deny
ing that authority, three large electric
companies in Idaho will pause in their
work of expansion, and the commission
will give its attention to other prob
lens. Next month that opinion will
doubtless have been written, and the
commission will then have to pass up
on several applications by the COM
panies for permission to enter COM
petitive fields.
Because of the case now IN the su-
preme court, hearings on the applica-
tions of these companies have been
postponed until the latter part OF July.
They have already asked for "certifi-
Gates of convenience and necessity"
which means formal permission of the
commission to compete with establish
ed companies.
Hearings Are Fixed.
The Idaho Power & Light company,
as stated by Commissioner Ramstedt
in his interview published in the Capt.
tai News yesterday. is one of these
which has applied for certificate in
advance OF the supreme court decision.
Hearings on Its application have been
fixed for the following dates and
places:
shoshone, July 27. 10 a. m.
Buhl, July 2S. 10 a. m. g
Twin Falls, July 20, 10 a. m
Wendell, July 80. p. m.
The Clear Lake Power & Improve
ment company Is also seeking to enter
the Buhl and Twin Falls field. Hear
ings on it's application will be held at
these points at the same time as those
of the other company. The Clear Lake
company is not party to any former
litigation, and has not heretofore
sought to enter that field A third
company, desiring to enter at Pocatello
as a competitor, will present its claims
to the commission at Pocatello on July
81. at 10 a. m. This company has dis
puted the right of the commission to
govern rates and competition. and is
vitality interested in the pending su-
preme court case.
Work of the Commission.
Commissioner Ramstedt, on being
questioned as to the work OF the com.
mission, submitted the following inter-
esting report: -H~N
Among the matters which have been
investigated by the public utilities
commission of the state of Idaho and
which have come before 1t involving
the consideration of the reduction Of
rates before charged by public service
corporations. the following may be
mentioned:
"The Pocatello water case in which
the water company applied for an in
crease of rates and which resulted In
a reduction of the rates by the COM
mission and requiring the water COM
pany to bring In the waters OF Mink
creek in order that an adequate sup
ply may be furnished the city Of
Pocatello and It's inhabitants. involv-
ing an expenditure of 100000 in the
betterment of the system.
The company has filed It's schedule
complying with the order OF the COM
mission and is advertising for bids for
the construction of new works in con.
pliance with the order of the commits.
sion by which the supply of water to
Pocatello will be doubled Shortage In
the supply mas long Deen a Done OF con-
tention between the water company
and the city and much tedious and ex-
pensive litigation in the courts has
been going on for years
Investigation Of Rates.
The investigation of the rates
charged for lighting, heating and power
by electrical companies involving Twin
Falls. Wendell, Bull, Jerome, Gooding.
Shoshone and Pocatello in which the
rates in all except the latter city were
materially reduced and in the city Of
Pocatello were reduced 81 per cent
"The discrimination Of rates for cleo
trical energy In the cities and villages
lying west of Mountain Home involv.
ing Boise, Meridian. Nampa, Caldwell
and Emmett and other points which ID
still pending before the commission and
will be adjusted as soon as the decls-
ion of the supreme court of the stat\
of idaho IN which certain powers oi
the commission are involved. Is decid.
ed
THE discrimination OF rates In local
iities in the Wood river and Cana.
Z y