The Sentinel=record., 1919-01-02
INVESTIGATION 3
 OF UTILITIES
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1.

 rate if the investigation proved that the people were being overcharged for any of the pUalic service commod. tues.
 I4e following recommendations by City Manager George R. Bedding arousht the matter before the com miasioners, and was endorsed by 8 unanimous vote of chat body To the Honorable Mayor and City
 Commissioners:
 This is 10 advise that have refus- ed to approve the bills of the Public Utl{ties fci this month, including water, lights and gas for the following reasons to-Wit:
 The service furnished by the Public Utilities for many years before, and during the period of the war, was charged for at a price that in many instances exceeded that charged by other cities the same size, and larger than Hot Springs, and against the bitter protest Of man. of our c.ti- zens.
 At the time the ownership of the Public Utilities passed into other hands. there seems to have been d pracilce started pf rncreaang the burdens and difficulties 10 the great inconvenience and discomfort of the consumer for instance:
 A deposit Was demanded on the ,n- stallation of meters, Which, l am in- formed, accumulated to a large amuont which is used for the bene- fit of the Public Utilities; also each person being required to come promptly to the office and settle their bills. or, their service would be in stantly cut off An arbitrary ruling is enforced to the effect that all per- sons desiring installation of serYce must pay for same from the main line with all connection, and bear this entire expense individually. It is a matter of general comment that the provisions of the street railway fran-> chise are being violated daily by the miserable condition of the road Led and tracks.
 "There are many other things l could dwell upon. which. l believe, will develop if the recommendation l make is endorsed and carr-ed out b. this Commission While these meth ods may be clothed in some legal au- Uhority that l know nothing of, they at least differ widely from other busi- ness concerns dealing with the public and are not calculated to encourage 8 friendly spirit and close co-Opera- tion that is 50 necessary between a citizenship and a public corporation.
 If the prices were sufficient for the kind of service being rendered. the public before and during the period of the war. 1 see no reason now that the war $ over that the price of this service should fee increased and the burdens of the public be made al most intolerable.
 The price of gas was increased recently; the price for light service has been increased, and now the pub lie is notified that on the first day of the begiunng f the new year the price of water service will be increased. maintain that even the old price was entirely out of proportion to the k'nd of service that has been rendered the public fer warter service for many years past. In my humble op,nion, if the water company wishes to ia- crease the price for service, they should render a service commensurate with the price they propose to charge.
 It has only been a short while a-o that the people of Hot Springs were not permitted to use water for ord.- nary domestic purposes, the streets and sidewalks being in a ffl,hy con diuon and. the entire city kept in an unsan1ary condition for months caus- od hy the water company not haYins sufficient amount ot water ip their rescr,air being thus compelled 10 con Ferye In every way posso Co meet Che emergency ol confiaslNiioh should another one occur.
 "l believe it the duty of this Com mission to slve the citizenship oI Hot Springs every pruectioa possible in| dealing with puhl'c corporation asI U thc ehil -----u-u~uuuu1 n