Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-07-12
PUBLIC UTILITY RATES
The Red

The Red River Power company, which supplie. the
people of Grand Forks with electric current, r.. ana
steam for heating purposes. has announced material ad-
vances in the prices charged. for ali Of these commodities
These advances, Of course. do not affect the prices chars-
ed to the city for current, as those prices are fixed hy a
contract which is binding on the company, but which the
city may renew or allow to lapse at the end Of any year.
The announcement Of the nsk rates has been received
with general interest, as most Of our people are, in one
way or another, consumers Of one or more Of the com
modities supplied by the company.
Every person knows that war conditions have en-
HANGED the cost Of doing business, no matter In what
line. In the business Of the Power company there are
to be considered such items as increased cost Of coal Of
labor. and of the long list of materials used in the pro-
auction and distribution Of electricity. That there has
been a very considerable increase in each of these items
is within the knowledge Of everyone.
1t is equally manifest, too, that whatever tncrea.. IN
cost there is must be met by additional charges for SER
vice, assuming. Of course, economical management and
profits which are not more than fair and reasonable. The
business must be self-sustaining. II it is not it must
cease.
The people must pay for service rendered to them
prices which are Just and reasonable. We believe that
they are willing to do so. But to avoid dissa tisfaction
the people must be informed. in a manner which they
can understand, just what the conditions are. and for
this reason we believe it to be imperative at this time that
4Alo Oil Lie " u
ditions surrounding the production, Of electric current,
gas and electricity; that this inquiry be conducted by
persons who are entirely disinterested; and that so ,ar
as possible the facts be stated, for the information of the
public. in such a simple and straightforward manner
that the non-technical reader can understand them and
grasp their significance.
The thing that is needed just now is information. In
the informal discussions of the subject mention has been
made of perpetual franchises, OF interlocking corporate
existence which tends to, con,plicate the issue, and OF a
number of things more or less technical These things
are relatively unimportant at this time. Let it be con-
clusively established what is the cost OF production on
the basis Of a just valuation Of the plant or the portion
of the plant devoted to the Grand Forks service, and il.
on that basis. the rates charged are found to be exorbi-
tant, some method Will be found to rectify them. The
franchise was never granted, and the articles of incor-
poratioa were never written under which a corporation
could continue long to collect e1oTbitant rates when the
immunity had indisputable proof, tha. they were exor-
bitant, and was determined to remedy them
If the advanced rates are just, Lyth the company
and the public are interested in having that fact ezsao-
Iished to the satisfaction Of the community. II they are
unjust, It is certainly the business Of the people to ascer-
tain that fact Either way the need TO. prompt and
thorough Investigation is imperative