The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-09-11

man. Judge Duncan, who questioned
their right to enter protest.
Forces City to Pay.
The price the state commission re-
quired the city to pay to make is poss-
ible for the municipal electric plant
eventually establishing the lowest
possible electric service schedule
would be ridiculous if it was not so
serious.
The city plant desired to lower it's
electric rate but it's privately owned
competitor could not stand further
rate reduction and its interests were
protected by the commission. The
city officials then realized that if low
er electric rates were to be provided
Richmond people the electric plant OF
the Light, Heat & Power company
would have to be purchased by the
city
After the commission established
the valuation of the privately owned
electric plant to be $175,000 the city
was notified that it would have to pay
a purchase price of $4,000 for this
property. When the city made this
payment the enthusiastic delight of
the officials of the Light, Heat &
Power company of getting rid of their
white elephant" at such high figure
knew no bounds.
II Public Utilities Commission had
not been created by the 1913 legisla-
ture the city would have secured, next
year, a monopoly of the electric serv-
80 AS
by refusing to renew the Light, Heat
& Power eompany's electric service
franchise, which would have expired
in 1917.
Franchise Surrendered.
In entering the natural gas field in
this city, about five years ago, the
Light, Heat & Power company as.
sumed a franchise which provided
that the minimum charge was not to
exceed A. cents. This franchise ex-
tended over long period, probably
longer than there will be supply Of
natural gas.
With the approval Of the commits
sion the Light, Heat & Power COM
pany wisely surrendered its franchise
as it had the right to do under the
public service commission law, and
began operating under a permit. The
wisdom of this action is indicated by
the commissions order Of last Sat
urday increasing the minimum charge
from 40 to 70 cents.
County Loses Rights.
Several years ago traction COM
pany desired the use of the National
road through Wayne county. This
privilege was given the company in
consideration of the company accept
ing a franchise which provided a
reasonable schedule of fares between
various points on the company's line
within Wayne county.
That schedule of rates no longer
exists. It was chucked into the dis
card by the state commission, which
has authorized an increased schedule
of fares. Therefore the only return
the Wayne county taxpayers secured
from the valuable right they trans
ferred to the traction company has
now been taken away from these tax
payers.
Forces Higher Rates.
Richmond and Wayne county people
have truly benefited from this state
commission, which was to protect"
them from greed and entertainments
of public utility corporations. 81
Richmond alone has been compelled
to pay over 100000 to public utilities
because of this commission and it's
citizens are now paying higher gas
and water rates than they did before
the commission was established, and
~
are paying higher fare.
eavis Issues Statement.
Commenting on the gas rate ruling