The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-07-15
liberty co.
OBJECTS TO
RATE RAISE
Admits at Hearing, Justice
OF Light Plant Increases,
But Says It's in Class by
Itself.
SAYS IT TAKES LOSSES

:SAIS II lakes LOSSES
The Liberty Light & Power COM
pany, Robert Ashe. Richmond, pres.
ldent, representing itself to be the
largest consumer OF the Richmond Mn
n1cipal Electric plant, filed written
statement Thursday objeeting to any
increase in its own rates and charges
but admitting the necessity of an in
creased revenue for the Richmond
Municipal Plant
| Inc statement of the Liberty Light
q Power company was submitted to
| u. l. Lewis, of the Indiana Public
service commission, who presided
over meeting held at the city council
cnamoer to hear the petition of the
| city OF Richmond for an increase in
the lighting and power rates for the
Richmond Municipal plant it being
represented by the city that the rev
enue the plant has received under its
present rates has been less than the
plants operating expenses, since May
| 1st.
Said He Wash. Informed.
After Wilfred Jessup, attorney for
the Liberty Light & Power company.
| i.ou houHeu commissioner Lewis that
the company protested any increase in
lts existing rates, B. c. Robbins, city
attorney, declared that he had not
been informed that Mr.. Ashe intended
to take such action until 10 minutes
before the rate hearing had begun.
| had been led to believe by Mr..
Ashe that he did not oppose the pro-
posed increase in rates for the Mu-
nlclpal plant, not even an increase in
the rates for his own company" Mr..
Robbins informed Commissioner Lew
is.
/ The city attorney added that the
city would be able to refute some OF
the statements made by the Liberty
company in its arguments against a
rate increase for itself. Mr.. Robbins
briefly stated that the Liberty COM
pany does not have to assume all
transmission losses, for one thing, and
ne denied that the Liberty company
was the city plants largest consumer.
Expert Gives Testimony.
After the statement Of the Liberty
company had been read Commissioner
Lewis called upon the city to submit
its evidence in support of it's petition
for lighting and power rate increases.
and Mr.. Perk, an expert accountant
who has been going over the books of
! the city plant, took the stand and en-
tered into a lengthy and detailed
statement of conditions existing ar
) the municipal plant.
The Liberty Light and Power COM
pany serves the towns of Liberty
Boston and College Corner. in Indiana
New Paris, Ohio. and the Brookville
Ind, Electric company
In CT bo
lie Service commission. the company
represents itself to be the largest Gus
toner of the Richmond Municipal
plant, its bills averaging from approx
imately S1,100 to 1900 monthly
Systems in Separate Class.
1t sets forth that the company does
not deny the propriety of the appli.
cation of the city for increased rates
for its municipal plant and admits the
necessity of receipt by the city of in
creased revenue from the gross sale of
electric energy, but, the company as
serts, it is entirely a separate and dis
tinct class from any other consumer.
, and as such Is entitled to a separate
and distinct classification for charges.
The company AYERS that the rates il
now receives are substantially right.
and that on the rate the company now
- |
. the Municipal plant.
!, The energy it purchases from the
city, the Liberty Light and Power COM
pany sets forth in it's statement, is
delivered and measured in the munic.
ipal power plant at generator voltage,
and on the primary side. 1t is con-
tended that by such delivery the COM
pany assumes all Transformation and
transmission losses, while other con-
: sumers have their voltage delivered
,. and measured at the point of delivery
l and on the low voltage side of the
: transformer, the city assuming all
i i charges and costs of transmission and
transformation, which, 1t alleges
amounts to at least % per cent OF
the total energy.
The Liberty Light and Power COM
i pany represents that it's voltage load
, extends over a "a hour day period
:. every day in the year. whereas other
: rower consumers have voltage loads
:, which average from eight to 10 hours
per day and about five and a half
days each week
y Mr. Perk was to be put on the stand
. Thursday afternoon for cross-examin
= alton by Mr.. Lewis. After he was
q done with Mr.. Perk, the latter said
!. he would call Superintendent James
Dillon. of the light plant.
: There was a possibility that the
hearing might be finished late Thurs
e day, as the Liberty company's peu
a tion would have to be acted on later
l. The decision will be made known
i from Indianapolis after the commits
n sion has had time fully to consider it
l. Mr.. Lewis aid he would indicate al
i the close of the hearing what his
e recommendations to the commission
s would be- He said that Wilfred Jes
sup, attorney for the Liberty com
= pany, was going to try to show tneffi
Il cheney in the conduct of the plan
y later in the afternoon.
s MANY ENLIST IN NAVY
(By Associated Press)
S WASHINGTON, July 15.-The It'd,
n of recruiting for the navy has turned