The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-04-22
ASKS COMMISSION
TO ACT ON GAS
Mayor Sends Telegram to
Commission Asking Ac-
ton on Gas Bills.
KICKERS ARE INVITED
BULLETIN.

DOALE A4Ns
Mayor Joachim was notified by
the Wisconsin Railroad Commits
sion that the entire morning ses-
sion would be given over to the
hearing of protests against the
gas bills, and that the hearing on
the proposed change in the water
rates would be postponed for one
week.
Mayor John G. Joachim on Friday
evening telegraphed to the Wisconsin
the gas bills made by the Wisconsin
Gas & Electric Co., in recent weeks
and asked that the commission call a
special hearing to be held on next
Monday morning at ten o'clock to give
the people of Kenosha a chance OF pre-
sent to the commission protests
against the bills.
While no word has been received
from the commission formally setting
this date for the hearing Of these pro-
tests, the city officials today sent out
call to all protesting customers of
the company to be at the city hall
Monday morning with the new bills
and old bills, ready to show them to
Commissioner John S. Allen, who is to
be here to hold a formal hearing on
the proposed increased water rates.
The mayor and Alderman Donahue,
chairman of the council committee on
gas and light, held long conference
this morning and Alderman Donahue
declared that he would have his case
against the company read to present
to the commission on Monday morning.
Complaints Pile Up.
Complaints have been piling up in
the Office of Alderman Donahue for the
past two weeks and he told the mayor
this morning that he had an abund-
ance of evidence to convince the com
mission that there was something
wrong with the bookkeeping methods
o fthe gas company or in the methods
followed in reading meters.
The officials of the company have
been notified that the mayor has asked
the commission to make the investiga-
ton on Monday and it is expected that
the company will be on hand with a
full defense against every complaint
made.
Must Have Cooperation.
"We must have the cooperation of
the people if this complaint is to get
anywhere said the mayor this morn
ing. eve have been given to under
stand that there are lot of protests
against the size of the gas bill for the
past two months. We have been told
that the bills have grown to large pro-
portions regardless Of the fact that
stoves had been taken out of houses.
We have heard of bills which doubled
and tripIed in the single month. What
we want, is to have these people come
right up to this hearing and bring
their bills with them and let the mem
bers of the commission know Just
what they are protesting against the
methods of the company. There should
! be a sufficient interest in this hearing
to bring a lot of people to the city
hall. The people are assured fair
treatment by the commission and their
coming to this hearing is not going to
get them "in bad" with the company OF
anyone else. We want to understand
just how these charges are made and
the commission is the body which can
| get the information for us
Water Hearing to Be Short.
It is not expected that the hearing
on the proposed change in water rates
will last more than an hour, as there
is no protest against the proposed
| change in rates. The commission will
start promptly at ten o'clock and il
! should take up and dispose of both
matters before the time for the noon
/ adjournm