The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-04-29
C0MPLANANTSW WIN
FIRST VICTORY IN
GAS RATE HEARING
CONSUMERS COMPMY ORDERED
TO REVISE RATRs BEGINNING
WITH APRIL ACCOUNTS; HEAR
ING PROBABLY MAY u.

The complainarts in be/case OF the
Ardmore Chambef OF Commerce versus
the Consumers Light and Power Com
pany won a temporary victory during
the afternoon session of the hearing be-
fore the corporation commission Thurs
day, when Chairman Russell ordered
that the last order which the commits.
sion had handed down permitting the
gas company TO raise it's rates ten cents.
(from 80 cents TO GO ccnls) be rescind.
cd until the case is finally disposed OF
and all bills, commencing with those
for the mouth Ql..April to bear the re-
vised rale+l Attorney Lydlck, for the
>E.ls.-eer1Dahy, 'pslya-nuricc of- appeal to-
the supreme court. and asked that the
commission fix the amount Of a super
scdeas bond. This, Chairman Russell
refused to do, stating that application
for the fixing Of supcrscdcas bond
be made to the supreme court. To which
the gas company excepted.
Chairman Russell handed down the
resembling order after testimony OF the
Manager Saubert, of the Consumers
company. had revealed that the gas
company had not been forced to pay
for more gas than they had used. Mr.
Russell stated that the last increase OF
ten cents had been granted To- tho COM
pany to safeguard Il In case Il was
forced To pay Tor more than IL used.
but that since such had not been the
case. there was no reason Tor the cX-
istcncc OF the order.
The attorneys Tor the company stated
that the increase had not been granted
Tor that purpose. hut FOR the purpose
of exploring Tor gas iu the fields. Mr..
Potter Tor the company said that when
the company had originally made appll-
cation Tor the Increase, the corpora,
ton commission had at first refused To-
grunt 10. Tor the reason that u would
De- specializing with the peoples money
However. said Attorney Potter. the
citizens present at the hearing at that
time stated that they were willing to
pay more if au adequate supply VI ras
was furnished them and'tho corpora
ton commission then granted the In
crease. The company. he stated, pur.
chased leases which they now hold,
and also drilled one well. later. some
big gasScrs came In TO- which the COM
pany connected. However. s,id Mr.,
Potter. the company may be- forced to-
drill soon again Mr.. Potter stated that
the raise Tor the exploration purposes
WAS granted before the last raise Of
ten cents. and that the lust raise was
Tor the purpose ct permitting the COM
pany to meet the raise of four cents
which u was forvcd To- pay at the we'll
Chairman Russoll. In uply to MIR
Potter. stated that h. distinctly rsmem-
bcrcd that the last increase was grant
cd when the gas company stated tO the
commission that it would br forccJ-toI
take 81 per rput uf the gas ~ wells l,
which 10 was connected and pay IA
Il whether It wis all used ur mot
Testimony revealed that there were
no contracts in effect which required
the gas company To- pay fOr IS per
cent 1t the production ut the wells
whether 10 used II ur not. Writ Frank.
lin. who was present stated that he had
q temporary arrangement with the Con.
suinorH Company whereby they had
agrcd TO take % per cent uf the out-
put but that they werc. unly paving for
what they usnsls
r.a- -Es-cifidnE order of the commits
sion took the attorneys of the COnsuni-
Crs company by surprise.
Guy Sigler. prominent lural attorney.
brought cut the information W.
caused Chairman Russell to issip jfsI
order. after sislcr had questioned a,ai-
arer Sauhert ON the witness stand.
In the opinion of n local attorney.
" the supreme court fixes the amount
pany gives It, the company will CON
tinue to collect at the GO cents rate
Until the case j. concluded.
Through the entire day, Judges I'D
t-cntlnued on Page Three)