The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-08-22
HIGHER RATE FOR
GAS NECESSARY,
COMPA ANY TELLS
NOORHEAD USERS
Contract Basis Will Be
Adopted, Pack Says At
Wednesday Meeting

Necessity, not inclination caused
the Union Light, Heal & Power COM
pany TO increase the price OF gas in
Moorhead and Fargo 10 81 net per
thousand cubic feet Robert +. Pack,
vice president and general manager
of the Northern States Power com
pany, owner Of the Union Light, Heat
& Power company, told the Moor
head city council and a committee Of
Moorhead citizens Wednesday night.
Mr.. Pack said the company had
decided TO ask all MOOrhead COnSum-
Grs to sign contracts to pay the $2
net rate after September l. he SAID
the company wishes TO treat the con-
sumers' of Moorhead and Fargo alike
as this IS one community. In case
the North Dakota railway commission
finds the 50 rate to be excessive and
a lower rate established, he said the
company will refund to the MOorhead
consumers all excess charges paid by
them.
phaufzed. became an absolute neces-
sitv beca use Of manufacturing ana
(listributi,, & cost increases entirely
ySi+hou+ M .L7lleI in the history OF
public utiltv operation. Coal, OF
which the CT mpany uses thousands
OF tens each y ear, has jumped almost
100 Del. cent In cost these last rev"
wears, he said. Labor, during tina
last two yearR, has advanced 100 per
cent in cost, and general manufactur-
inc cost of gas during the last three
wear period has Ieaped upward 226
peg<cent. ~
pack. lis not and never has been de
fiant nor arbitrary We fought the
battle of increased costs all alone,
loath to place any share OF 1t on the
shoulders of our patrons, until we
reached that breaking point "hen
there was no choice left.
Il have brought hel facts and fig
ures to show any mln, any house
wife sufficiently Interested to pause
and examine. that this company has
had no choice but to % what 1t has
dane-announCe an increase in price
sufficient to Offset at least some por-
ton of the tremendous increase IN
operating expense.
THTr pack explained that the COM
many had prepared elaborate data for
presentation to- the T&ilToad commits
Sion Of North Dakota. which was
scheduled to inquire into the Fargo
gas and elecu &c increases August 10.
THE Comni sion was not ready to
hear our case at that time said Mr.
Pack. so I have brought before the
L
that data which relates to the In
creased price Of gas in this city.
am satisfied that under the terms of
your chapter and the companys
franchise, the city council has au-
thorIty to grant this company the
rate relief Of which II stands in alb
solute need
Mr.. Pack said that he did not be-
Ifeve Moorhead citizens would oppose
the 81 rate when satisfied that In
creased operatlnZ costs made 1t ahso-
Iutely essential to the life. Of the
COMPANY.
we are charging the people of
Fargo. where our gas is made, 81 for
gas and on and after September l
that wiD have 10 be the price IN
Nocrhead." continued Mr.. Pack. We
nave prpnared a form Of contract for
our Moorhead consumers to sign at
this rate and the company will be
obliged to discontinue gas service to
those who refuse.
NO one could fOreSctc the reVolu-
ton which has occurred in the public
utility field during these last Two OF
three ve1re. The war came upon us
and the government in ITS wisdom
stepped in and assumed control or
certain situations and commodities,
Control over the coal fields was TAX
en- over bv tho government and the
present prices fixed. TIE government
likewise took over the railroads AND
increased freight rates. 1t was neces-
sary also for the government TO take
various ac'!7ns winch d'rerty or m
directly contributed to the increase in
fine cost Cf lnbCr-an increase which
I hegrudge no one.
"a "'But manifestly all these things
have been beyond the control OF this
company. There is only one way for
as to offset increase IN operating eN-
penses after having exhausted those
measures Of economies which 1 as
sure YOU this company DOng ago in
Etltuted. That way is to increase the
retail price of the commodities We
have to sell That we have been OBJ
Iiged to do and l bring you here facts
and figures in justification thereon
The meeting was attended by about
$50 citizens Of MOCrhead, including
several housewives. Many ques-
tfons were asked by people in the
audience and short talks were made
by DR.. D. c. DarrOw, James M. with
crow and Edgar f. Sharp.
DR.. Darrcw did not think It neces-
sary for consumers to sign contracts
MS there is no disposition to be un-
fair with the company.
II Mr.. Witherow said the only ques-
ton is whether or not the increase
is reasonable as this is not q LlIIle
to stand on technical legal rights
From the figures presented by Mr.
Pack he thought the rate asked by
the company a reasonable one and for
his part, was willing to pay it.
~. THE people Of Moorhead do not
want service from the company al
Jess than cost" said Edgar E. Sharp
He said the company had, in his
opinion, adopted the proper method
~ rrooe5ura dealing directly with
each consumer and leaving it to him
to decide whether or not he will con-
tinue to use gas at the advanced rate
-
RETURNED FROM DETROIT.
Mrs. P. ]. Sullivan has returned