The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-07-30
City and Public Utilities Company
Acting on Suggestion of Judge
Wade Decide to
Act
METHOD is CHEAPER
Eliminates Court Litigation and Brings
Speedier SettIement-Com-
mittee is Represen-
tative.

The city council and the Keokuk
Electric company have jointly agreed
to ask specially appointed utilities
rate commission to come to keokuk
Immediately for the purpose OF de-
termining upon equitable prices for
gas service and street car fares.
Some time ago the electric company
asked for an increase in gas rates and
street car fares. The council denied
the petition some weeks after 1t was
fled.
Attend Des Moines Meeting.
At the suggestion of Federal Judge
Martin ]. Wade, the city council, city
attorney, the manager of the keokuk
Electric company, ]. P. Ingle and his
attorneys, A w. OHarra and Henry
S. Walker, attended a joint meeting
of the Iowa League Of municipalities,
Thursday and Friday of last week
Judge Wade called attention to the
need for adjusting rates Of public
utilities brought about by the extreme
high price Of materials and labor
rate commission will be able to de-
ternine such cases more speedily and
at less expense, he pointed out
Judge Wade said his court was be-
ing filed with applications from pub
lie utilities for change in rates. He
suggested that representatives Of the
cities and utilities agree on plan to
appoint q commission of five men to
handle each individual case and to re-
port to the companies and cities what
the rates should be.
Appoint Commissioner.
The joint meeting decided to ap-
point five men each, five from the mu-
inequalities league and five from the
utilities association, these ten men TO
recommend course of action agree
able to both bodies. These ten man
appointed in accordance with Judge
Wade's suggestion, named commits
sion of five men to hear the cases.
They also set forth the maner in which
the commission should proceed.
Recommendation Made Known.
Recommendations which were
adopted by the joint convention are
rs follows:
your committee composed of
five members appointed by the
League of Iowa Municipalities
and FIVE members appointed by
the public utilities of the state of
Iowa, hereby recommend plan
for the creation and adoption OF
a board of Cancellation to investi-
gate and settle controversies aris-
ing between municipalities and
public utility owners, and respect
fully report that after deliberate
discussion of the matter they unan-
imously recommend the adoption
of the following plan:
Board is Named.
THAT the board of concilia-
ton for the state shall be COM
posed of five members: one engin-
eer. one lawyer and three other
persons, one of whom shall be
selected by said board "a chair
man. and in acting in any contro-
versy the chairman and two 9TH
er members OF the board to be Sc
lected by him shall act
2-The members of the board
shall be:
Mayor John F. Ford of Fort
Dodge.
Dean G. w. G. Raymond Of Iowa
City.
Former Judge Clarence Nichols
of Yinton.
Mayor Truman A Potter of
Mason City.
J. H. Inggfverson of Clinton.
Vacancies to be Filled.
In case of vacancy or the in
ability of any to serve, successors
to be selected by the committee
making this report.
3-This board Of Cancellation
shall act whenever requested by
either party in any controversy
arising between any municipality