Arizona republican., 1918-04-20
RELIEF
 ONLY ASKED BY UTILITIES COS.

Relief is asked of the state corpora ton commission by the Arizona Gas, Electric Light and Power association, gn organization composed of IS public utiltty corporations of Arizona, in the form of permission to increase their rates of service to meet the added cost Qf operation.
 The application was filed with the commission as announced in The Re- publican the hearing being set for Fri day, April 26, at 10 o'clock a. m., in tho rooms of the corporation commits sion at the state house.
 t.Vhe public utility companies com posing the association and which toin in the application for authority to increase their rates are as follows: Arizona Power company, Prescott; Desert Power and Water company, Kingman; Douglas Gas company, Douglas Traction and Light company, Gila Valley Electric, Gas and Water company, Stafford; Globe Light and Power company; Pacific Gas and Elec- tric company, Phoenix; Prescott Gas and Electric company, Southside Gas ai,d Electric company, Tempe and Chandler; Tucson Gas, Electric Light and Power company, Tucson Rapid Transit company, Upper Verde Public Utilities company, Jerome and Clerk dale; Yuma Light, Gas and Water com- pany.
 Previous to the filing of the applica- ton before the corporation commission, the association of public utilities held conference at the Hotel Adams in tRis city. Representatives from all the utilities forming the association were present.
 The application filed sets forth the great increases in the cost of operation over those of three or four years ago including fuel, labor, materials, taxes. etc, in many acses an increase Of more than 100 per cent
 The application requests of the cor Doration commission permission to those public utilities where a satisfac- tory showing can be made to add a surcharge to the regular bills until such a time when conditions have re- turned to normal.
 It is declared that the situation with many public utilities corporations have become so acute that relief had been sought of the national administration. Both President Wilson and Secretary McAdoo, it Is stated, have gone on record as favoring adequate relief to these utilities so that their credit may not become impaired and they may be able to render good service.
 The public utilities of Arizona in their petition to the corporation com mission have set forth the fact that while they arc laboripg under many difficulties occasioned by these numer- ous increases in cost Of operation, they feel that it is their patriotic duty to bear, so far as their finances will per init, their just portion of the unfortun- ate burdens placed upon them by the war. They ask relief, not from added taxation burdens, nor to compensate them for loss in revenue because of the daylight saving program and lightless nights, but ask only for partial relief covering in two increases, labor and fuel. Tn their petition to the commits sion the utilities ask for authority to add to their existing rates temporary surcharges in sufficient amount to compensate them for these two items of cost in those communities where it can be shown that the necessity for the increase exists.
 This is a matter of great interest 10 the people of this state who are consumers of gas and electricity. and especially to the large consumers of electric power under contract, such as the concerns at Oatman who are served lis the Desert Power and Water com peny at Kingman and those at Jerome aid Clarkdale operated by electric power" declared F. A. Jones, chairman of the corporation commission, yester- day.
 'The petition states that the price of fuel oil has more than doubled in the pAst year This is the principal item of expense in furnishing electric power. The matter is deserving of the closest attention of the people. The general