Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-05-14
DATE FOR RATE
HEARING TO BE
DECIDED SOON
Case, Preceding
Grand Forks, Comes
Up Tomorrow.

City Attorney Geo. A. Bangs will
leave for jamestown tonight to at
ten the hearing Of the state railroad
board of commissioners called for the
purpose. of determining fair gas and
electricity rates for the city Of James
town. MIR. Bangs will make ar EFF
fort to have the date for the hearing
of the Red River Power company
surcharge case definitely determined.
Similar hearings will be conducted in
connection with complaints coming
from Minot and Devils Lake, but
where and when they will take place
has not been announced.
ed TO have the Grand Forks hearing
take place. early in April, but the sud-
den death of Assistant Attorney Cen
eral Dan ". Brennan ~necessitated a
postponement as he had gathered
and studied all the information neces-
sary for the action of the railroad
commissioners. 1t is possible that q
date will be arranged tomorrow and
although no indication as to the place
where the hearing will be held, has
come forward it is not improbable
that Grand Forks may be selected for
the proceedings. :" /.
The hearing for which the city
council has petitioned the railroad
commissioners has as its object the
establishment Of fair gas and cleo
tricity rates charges by the Red River
Power company of its in
this city. A 10 per e n ~surcharge
which that corporation levied upon its
patrons on January l, 1918. led to an
investigation of its rates, and when
the council tool c~ognizance of the
matter, a special committee was ap-
pointed, consisting of DR.. John NJ.
I ~..$
and Orr Sanders. The committee
submitted various reports showing the
impossibility of arriving at the exact
statistical facts which were deemed
necessary for the adjustment of the
rates. and at a special meeting of the
council on February Fl, it was decided
to appeal to the state board of rail-
road commissioners. p
Text Of Resolution.
The resolution embodying the petit
ton of the city. followed a report by
the committee setting forth hat lit
had been impossible to obtain infor-
milton deemed absolutely necessary;
consequently the committee recon-
mended the adoption of the following
resolution:
BE it resolved by the city council
a majority vote thereof. that com
plant be. and the same hereby is
made, that the rate charged within
the city Of Grand Forks, n. D.. BY
the Red River Power Co, a corpora
ton duly organized and existing un-
der and by virtue of the laws of the
state of North Dakota for gas and TO,
electricity for light, heat and power
to said municipality and to the in
habitants thereof Is excessive and tina
the particulars wherein it is claimed
that the rates SO charged are exces'
sive, are that the rates charged fol-
said gas and electricity for light. hea
and power are greater. than afford:
and gives to said Red River Power
Co. a reasonable return on the rea'
sonable value of the plant thereo
all of the reasonable operating ex;
penses thereof, including taxes and
reasonable depreciation charge; thh
the rate charged for gas is $3.50 pc
thousand cubic, feet and that suci
charge is excessive and greater thar
is reasonable or should be allowed b!
law. and that in addition to .sait
$3.50 per thousand cubic feet. Their
has been an additional charge OF II
per cent added beginning with Janu
airy, 1918; h a the charge for electri'
power for lighting purposes is lie pc
X. w. H. for the first 100 hours, aft
err which there Is a gradual decrease
and to which there was added o.
January l.. 1918. 10 per cent addition
al. and that said charge and all there
. Of is excessive and greater than !
reasonable or should be allowed b,
law and that the charge for electri
current for power purposes is 6.66
for the first 500 X. w. H.. after whicl
there is a gradual decrease, and tina
10 per cent has bee added to eacl
rate beginning Jan. l. 1918. and tina
said rate and the whole thereof Is ex
cessive and greater than is REASONABLE
or should be allowed by law. 4
That the city auditor is hereby au
thorized and required to forward
certified copy of this resolution With
j, ten days after the adoption thereo
: to the board of railroad commission
ers Of the state of North Dakota wit
: 81 statement showing the name an
: business address Of the c%orporatio
l. r