The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-08-26
GAS RAT E is
EASED BY
NEW SURCHARGE
Bismarck Gas Company Author.
lied to Add rs Per Cent to
Bills After Sept. l
ORDER OF COMMISSION
Loss in Operating Plant Under
Present Rates Is Shown,
Company Claimed

A surcharge of 25 per cent on gas
bills in Bismarck, effective Septem-
ber 1, is authorized by the state rail
| road commission, in an order issued
today.
| The action was taken by the com.
mission on the petition Of the gas
company, on which hearing was
held several weeks ago.
| The present: rates of the company
on which the 25 per cent surcharge is
authorized, are as follows: First 1O,'
| 900 cubic feet, $2.45 per thousand;
10000 to 10000 cubic feet, 1920 pei
| thousand; 10000 to 10000, $500 per
thousand; 10000 to $4,000, $1.6O pei
thousand; $4,000 to 10000, $1.60 per
thousand; over 10000, $1.30 per thou
sand.
| A discount of 20 cents per thousand
cubic feet is allowed on bills paid by
the tenth of the month, following
that in which gas was consumed. The
minimum service charge is $500.
y For Four Months.
| The commissions order provides
that the surcharge authorized shall
remain in effect for period of four
months from September l and further
states that "at the end of which four
months period the commission may
| further order continue Of said rates
and surcharge for a further period, or
may change or otherwise modify the
rates and charges of the Bismarck
Gas company"
| The commission requires the Bis
marck Gas company to keep record
Of it's revenues and expenses and file
monthly report. The company is
required to install on or before Oc-
tober l, 1920, a suitable calorimeter
outfit for testing tho heating value ii
the gas. and the gas shall be tested
in laboratory to be designated and
dequipped to meet the approval of the
commission. The company is further
required to make tests of its gas man
ufactured for the amount of hydro
gen sulphide contained in it.
Meter Record Required.
The company is required, after Oc-
tOber /, upon complaint filed with ii
questioning the accuracy of any me-
lCi W uldhc d IcSL VI Lllc IlctCI dllu
keep a record. The company is re-
quired to purchase and install suit
able recording pressure gauges. The
purpose of these installations, it is
stated in the order, is to aid in max
ing study of costs and efficiency.
The commission on May 26, 1919, in.
creased the rates of the company
above the franchise rates to maxi
mum rate of $2.45 per 1000. Near the
expiration of the time of this order
the company petitioned for further in
creases Representing the company
before the commission was Franz b.
.Ployhar, president, of the Valley City
company, and c. B. Hawley, superin-
tendent.
Says Company Lost Money.
The commission states that a check
of the company's finances showed a
loss for the year ending May 81, 1920
of S712.O7. Seven per cent is consid-
cred by the commission as reason
able return on the investment.
The history Of the case, as set out
in the records of the commission, says
that there is great increase in the
cost of manufacturing gas. In its
formal request for an increase in gas
rates the company had asked rate
of SO per thousand for the first TO-
900 cubic feet, and corresponding in
creases for other quantities, the rec
| ord Satc Ouf