Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-10-11
FEEL SURE OF
ORDER TO Give
CITIES SERVICE

What will be the result Of the
concerted protest before the ILL
nois public utilities commission of
the cities OF Alodo, Joy, Keiths-
burg, Viola and Woodruff regard
ing light and power service as fur
nished by the Northern Illinois
Utility company OF Dixon, hearing
OF which was had before Commits
sioner Shaw in Springfield Wed
neslay?
Il am confident that the commits .
sion VIII enter an order command
ing tho company 30 render ser
vice" declared Robert L. Watson.
city attorney OF Alado and leader
OF the delegation representing the
1--WE cities in presentation of their
case before the state body, in
speaking yesterday of the hearing,
but how soon will the relief be
ordered and complied with remains
10 he seem
1t Wednesdays hearing were
Mayor c. A. Beers and City Attor-
ney Watson of Aledo, NJ. +. Bridg-
Ia ht ~ DbEH L. ~ meyer Vi AGtlAlh-
burg, Il. Z. Terry OF Viola and ".
\. Houghten OF Woodhull Repre-
se1tilg the company were Z. D..
Alexander, Vice president Of the
Illinois Northern, and Attorney
Ralph ID. Stevenson OF Chicago.
Superintendent OF Operation Rich
ardson was also called upon the
witness stand by Vice President
Alexander and Commissioner
Shaw.
Ties Up Factory.
Representatives OF the cities tes-
titled TO the poor service given
during the last three OF four years
by the company. Mr.. Mayer OF
keiths9urg, one of the proprietors
of the Cannon Oiler company. en-
ploying a considerable force OF
men, cited figures showing how the
frequent suspension OF power
meant a big monetary loss to his
business. Mr.. Mayer is highly con
versant with commission hearings,
having been connected. from the
state side, with this body for many
years in Kentucky. Arizona and
Oklahoma, and proved a valuable
witness.
Mr.. Watson cited the contract
under which the company was
granted its franchise to operate in
Aledo. Because the rates stlpulat-
ed therein are changed, Mr.. Wat
son held that the contract is in
valid and that the injunction hang
ing over the company's head re-
straining It from operating here
is automatically in force.
Commissioner Shaw asked Vice
President Alexander IL he remem-
bered order No. 20 which the COM
missioner entered about two years
ago. The witness declared some
what vaguely that he believed ne
did. He failed to recall its terms.
however, and the commissioner
read it to him 1t called upon the
Illinois Northern company to bet
ter it's service. but evidence OF the
delegation from the FIVE cities
proved that no effort had been
made since that action was taken
to carry out its mandates.
The company admitted that its
service was poor, but attempted to
shift the blame TO the source OF
supply, the Edwards river power
plant.
superintendent Richardson testi-
fled that the two sub-plants. locat-
ed in Aledo and Keithsburg, re-
spectively, could furnish only 300
900 watts of total load OF 100000
necessary for district f. including
North Henderson, Rio, Alexis, New
Boston. Seaton. New Windsor, Al
pha, Aledo. Joy. Keithsburg, Viola
and Woodruff.
Outage charts OF the company
introduced as evidence showed tina!
an average of Que outage a day,
from two minutes TO Ave hours IN
time, occurred in supply OF power
The utilities company declares that
% per cent OF this is caused By the
inadequacv of the Southern power
house at Edwards river. Superin-
tendent Quackenbush OF the South
ern informed Mr.. Watson yester-
day that this was not true and that
about 90 per cent OF the trouble
arose over poor transmission ia
cilities provided by the Illinois
arn.
Come to Tri-Clties.
The utilities company officials |
declared that negotiations are I'M
der way whereby power may be |
secured under 4 new contract with /
the Milan & Moline Power com !
pany. According to their estimates !
such procedure would cost approx /
imateiy $40 600 and take six weeks /
10 complete connections.
The Cit.es have been given one
week in which 20 Gle additional T
evidence. After this time the util- I
ties company has similar period /
IN which 20 f'e aceWcr lnhgttaf +
~ several lays is offered the s'f'es. +
after which .ae stata 0oWulssl1r
viii Jehe The matter under advise
nent ana a decision be reached.
An order Is expected about Oct. 25. +
Should action OF the commission /
be uTsatisIas story, the matter will /
he taken into the circuit court and /