The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-03-28
WULFF BUILDING GETS HEAT
Commission Order Tells Co. Service
Must Be Extended Before Opening of
1918-1919 Season. Forecasts Order
Refusing co. Right to Abandon.

Fluttering hearts of the patrons of
the Kenosha city heating system who
have been fearing the elimination of
the service at the end of the present
season, had a little comfort today when
the Wisconsin Railroad Commission
handed down formal order directing
the Wisconsin Gas and Electric Com
pany, prior to the beginning of the
heating season Of 191S-19l9 to extend
it's heating service to the store in the
Wulff Building in Kenosha known as
252-254 Wisconsin street.
The order is issued following an in
vestigation on the motion of the Com
mission ON the refusal Of the company
to furnish heat for the Wulff Building
and attorneys who are interested de-
clare that it forecasts an order from
the Commission which will demand
that the company furnish heat to its
patrons in Kenosha during the 1918
1919 winter season.
Attorneys for the company some
time ago announced that the heating
system would be abandoned just as
soon as the contracts for the present
season have been ended but tnis order |
from the Commission would indicate |
that the Commission will insist that |
the service be continued in Kenosha
Miss Virginia Wulff made the com
plant 30 the Commission against tle
action Of the Wisconsin Gas and Flee
trie Company, declaring that the fact |
that the company had refused her heat
for the building had resulted in the |
cancellation of five year lease on the |
building which had been made with
the King Clothing Company, The com
pany objected to the extension of the
service to this store or to any other
prospective customer. The local man
ager testified that the existing equip
ment is severely overburdened in sup
plying heat to consumers whose prem
Uses are already connected. 1t was his |
opinion that any extension would make |
the service to outlying patrons very
satisfactory He also pointed out |
that if this store was heated SINH
lar demands for heat would be made |
for other prospective customers of
the company.
In the decision the Commission calls |
the attention of the company to the
fact that the Commission has already |
refused to authorize the abandoning |
of the service in Kenosha, but that it |
has granted an increase in rates for
the service rendered.
In the concluding paragraphs of the
decision of the Commission it SAYS:
The testimony taken at two other
hearings was referred to and has been
considered. In one case the Commission
refusde to authorize the abandonment I
of heating service and in another auth |
orized an increase in heating rates.
A heating utility is under obligation
to serve without discrimination all ap- |
phcants for service who can be pro- |
vided with heat satisfactorily from it's |
heating plant. Further extensions of
service should also be made if the |
sure a reasonable return on the addi-
tional plant investment which is neces- |
sarv for providing adequate service to
the additional consumers. In the |
present case we do not feel that the |
financial condition of the company or |
the prospective business warrants the |
installation of additions to the heat
generating plant, and it is clear that /
no large increase in the amount of I
radiation furnished by the existing |
plant can be made without seriously |
impairing the service of existing Gus
toners. However, we are convinced |
that the connection of the King Cloth
ing Company, Inc. store in the Wulff /
Building, will 1ot seriously affect the |
service to other customers. Whether |
the establishment of heating service in
the proposed new Wulff Building would /
be justified, cannot be determined |
without a more detailed investigation
of the plant capacity. This ques-
ton, however, is not in issue in this
proceeding
1T is ORDERED, That the Wiscon-
sin Gas and Electric Company prior to
the beginning of the heating season of
19l819l9, extend its heating service
to the store in the Wulff Building in
Kenosha known as No. 252-254 Wis
consin street"