The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-10-12
Strand Forks Calls on Him
To Confirm or Deny In
tention to Delay.
RAIL OFFICERS
POINT THE WAY
Blieck and johnson Place
the Burden on At
torney General

rst LuSL 4HCI ScasSQ puDuC uLAllly TdLCS
bids fair TO come to a climax within
few days as n result of action taken
at Grand Forks, where the city coun
Gil has put the question up to VIII
liam LANCER as to whether or not
II is his purpose to delay till after
Jan. /, next, the prosecution of the
charges made by the cities that their
rates are too high.
The Fargo Socialist daily. that
speaks for the state administra- q
ton. several weeks ago publish
ed a statement editorial!y to tho
effect that no action would be
taken till after January /. or
until the new board Of railroad
commissioners was installed.
1t has now been about three
months since the Fargo city com
mission made complaint against rate
increases made effective here by the
Union Light. Heat & Power CO.. but
SO far as any city official OF Fargo is
aware, no steps whatsoever have
keen taken by the attorney general
to prosecute the case in conformity
with the agreement he made with
the city commission.
Grand Forks has been affected in
like manner. with the result that
city officials there have become i'm
patfont at the delay. and are de-
Inanding from Mr.. LANCER a state
Jnent as to his position. A similar
request made on Mr.. hanger recent
ly by The Forum brought tha re-
sponse that he wasn't discussing
the matter.
Bheele Discusses Question.
Charles Bleick. member of the
state railroad commission. a visitor
in Fargo on Thursday evening, de-
tclared that the delay in handling
the rate matter was chargeable d.
rectIy TO the attorney general, ynd
ready to proceed at any time.
III the cities win revoke their deal
with Mr. LANCER. and use their own
attorneys to prosecute the charges
they make, the railroad commission
will be ready to hear the cases" said
Mr.. Blieck. II might add, too, that
the charges made against the pres
ent railroad commission as to what
we would do in the matter Of FIX
ing rates. are absolutely without
foundation.
Johnson Makes Point.
NJ. p. johnson of ToIley, another
member of the railroad commission
makes several interesting points in
connection with the rate question in
a. letter to w. L. Gushing of Fargo
"AAGLGiL 4AA ACo kOt4epG ~ Oil AAlAnlA ,
directed to him by Mr.. Cushing. The
letter to Mr.. Cushing from Mr.
Johnson follows:
'Repplying to yours Of Oct. 2,
the facts in the hearing on the
utilities are: LANCER and Pack
ard last winter engaged Hageneu
q Erickson of Chicago to make
survey of the utilities in this
state. presumably to be used for
taxation purposes. making the
valuations as high as possible,
evidently not thinking Of hear
ing on rates later. They have
both admitted that they are up
against it with that report, as 1t
raises the valuation to the limit,
and they are finding it difficult
to reduce rates on high valu-
alton.
However, speaking for myself,
have urged on several occas-
ions that these hearings De
brought to a conclusion. The
hearing at Jamestown was
brought without preparation for
such hearing. 1t was agreed the
commission should select audi
tors to audit the affairs. which
arrangements l made personally
with a firm OF certified account
ants. LANCER appealed to the
people of Jamestown and Grand
Forks to have a survey brought
down to late by the Chicago
Arm, thereby bringing about fur
Their delays.
"The article. referred to in The
Courier News OF Oct. 2, would
indicate that they have the re-
juvenated board Of railroad com
nissioners pledged to find for
LANCER whether such findings
should be based on Justice and
fair dealing or not,
mo persons representing the
utilities company have ever
spoken to me in any way rela-
tive to these hearings. have
never made any statements as to
what my findings would be.
decide cases OF so much impor-
lance without hearing the facts"
League Paper Hits LANCER.
The new Nonpartisan league pa
per at Grand Forks goes at length
into the rate controversy in Grand
Forks and deals rather vigorously
with Mr.. I4anger's attitude on the
question. The article in The Amer
lean, the Grand Forks league paper
says of the rate issue:
Forts of the city council to bring
about a hearing Of the protest against
The arbitrary raise in gas and cleo
trio rates by the Red River Power
company are set out in a report by
J, M. Gillette to the city council
asst night. ...
alderman Gillette was chairman
VI the committee appointed by Mayor
9inuie last winter to investigate in
he 10 per cent "surcharge' raise
made by the company. His commit
Zee recommended appeal to the state
BOARD OF railroad commissioners, and
he council appealed.
In his final report, filed last night,
alderman Gillette gives the history
of the efforts to get hearing. The
report says:
The first hearing before the rail-
toad commissioners was set for
hinot April A. 1918. upon complaint
9f the city against the increase in
rates by the Red River Power COM
pany for gas and electricity; this
hearing was necessarily postponed
because of the death of the assist
mt attorney general in control there
of the latter having been taken
charge Of by the attorney generals
office when the complaint was filed
oy the city with the railroad COM
paisaioners.
Thereafter the hearing was
igain set by the railroad commission
ers ut Grand Forks for July 10. 1918
Shortly prior to July 10, the city
was notified that it would be expect
sd to pay certain expenses aggregat.
ing approximately $500 because 81
the failure of the legislature 10 ap.
proprlate therefor ri jig last session
SUCH expenses of auditing the books