The Lamar register., 1916-01-05
Capitol Correspondence

One of the finest pieces of con-
structive work performed by the pres
ent state administration is in connec-
ton with the Public Utilities Comm's-
sion.
1t will be remembered that this
commission took the place Of the old
Railroad Commission, which was hand
icapped through lack o. authority and
power, and was really nothing more
than a bureau of information. Mr.. S.
S. Kendall and Mr.. George I. Bra Hey
of the old commission were con.inu' d
on the new and Mr.. N. II. Aylesworth,
of Fort Collins was appointed by Gov
ernor Carlson. They elected Mr.. Geo.
+. Oxley, well known Denver news
paper man their Secretary, and since
then their offices have been among the
busiest of the state nouse.
1t has been a year uf tests for the
law and for the commission.
Phases of the law, such as the right
of the Commission TO set aside pri-
vate and public contracts, franchises,
etc, between public utilities and In
dividuals or the public through ne
units Of the state, had
to be taken up individually and inter
preted and administered. This was
shown in the recent decision in the
Colorado Springs Light, Feat & Pow =
wuharafn he
mission ordered rate reduction avec-
aging about Is per cent, set aside con-
tracts and franchise provisions, and
required the corporation to in all re-
spects obey the law requiring it to
give the public adequate service at
rates. The effectiveness
of this order originally was set for
January l, 1916, but upon the showing
of officials of the company that a
hardship would be worked upon the
company by giving it so short time
TO change the business methods, the
date of effectiveness Of the order was
changed to February /, 1916.
If matters are brought to the at
tention of the Commission, it may
proceed with cases upon its own mo-
ton. 1t has a technical force of rate
civil, hydraulic and electrical
engineers and statistical department
for the thorough investigation of all
of complaints and for the TAX
ing of inventories to determine the
valuation Of properties and whether or
not they are being operated properly.
1t has jurisdiction over the con-
struction of buildings, including rail-
road depots, shops, etc, and has au-
thority to investigate and fix the
the blame for wrecks upon common
carriers.
Its powers are of wide scope, and
there is but one appeal from its find
ings-to the state supreme court, up
on questions of law Findings of facts
by the commission are final and are
not subject to review.
Each public service corporation
within the state is required to file
with this commission copies Of all its
schedules of rates and classifications
of service. These records are open
to inspection by the public.
A total of AZ formal, and hundreds
of informal, complaints were filed
with the Commission against public
service corporations during the year
just closed, and with few exceptions
the docket is clear for the new year.
Among these complaints are several
ones initiated by the Com
mission itself. One of the first was
in the nature Of a sweeping investi
cation into the reasonableness of coal
freight rates, and the order in this
case resulted in a material reduction,
each rate ordered into effect being
based however, upon the income nee
essary to give the common carriers Of
the state fair return upon their in
vestments. The railroads appealed 70
the supreme court, on questions of
law, but in spite Of this appeal the