The Cordova daily times., 1921-04-02


 the flVe year period from the rates fixed in the franchise which it now holds, and the statements made in the bulletins to the effect that if would do so are utterly false and without foundation. It is true that 1t has not made per cent on it's in Vestment and it is also true that if has not paid any dividends on it's common stock, and it is further true that Tn it's effort to give the people Of Cordova the best possible service It has relnvested all it's net earnings in the betterment and improvement of it's plant.
 It seems that the writer of these bulletins is not altogether satisfied to make false statement by suppress. sion of portion of the truth but in Bulletin No. he makes a positive ly false statement wherein he states that the minimum price for electric light in the Town of Cordova is $Z.oo and in truth and in fact the minimum is $100, the same as it is in ketchikan, Skagway and Valdez. We quote the following from Section z of the light franchise:
 "Flat rates for lights may be granted by the Cordova Power Con- pany at its option, at not to exceed One ($1O0) Dollar per month for 20 watt light; other lights on the same basis. Where meters are in stalled for lights, a minimum charge shall be made for each meter of One ($1.00) Dollar for each calen- dar month, where five or less lights are connected, and Two ($2.0O) Dol lars for each calendar month where more than five light are connected"
 He also makes the direct false statement that the cost per 250 k W hours for cooking in Cordova is $20. There is no rate fixed for this item at all in the franchise. He has taken particular care to quote rates for hydro electric plants which the Cordova plant is not. It is partially hydro electric plant, but a greater portion of the winter months it is operated by oil burning Diesel en- zines. He took particular care not to quote the rates of the towns of Seward and Anchorage. In the town of Seward the rate is 12B cents for the first 100 k hours and 10 cents for the second 100 k w hours: while in the town of Anchorage. where the plant is government operated the price is 15 cents per k W hour for the first 100 kilowatts and 12 cents per k W hour for all over 100 kilowatt but however, the rates for electric light in Cordova are not an issue in this election. When the Alaska Public Utilities took over the properties of the Cor doVa Power Company in 1917 fuel oil was selling at $1.75 per barrel. Today we are paying $395 per barrel and labor and all other commodities have advanced in proportion, but the peo- pie of COrdOva are DOt paying any more for light or power today than they did in 1916 when the franchise was granted. This is to assure the people of Cordova that the Alaska Public Utilities are not going, or did not at any time even consider asking for an increase in light or power rates. The rates are fixed by the franchise issued in 1916 when Henry Slater was mayor and Edward F. Medley was town clerk, both of whom are the avowed supporters and friends of Charles Goodall, and not Withstanding the false statements contained in these bulletins the Alas ka Public Utilities pledges itself that it will not make any application whatever to the common council to raise the rates for electric light from those already fixed in the ordinances and that it never had any intention of doing so and the writer of these bulletins could easily have ascer- tained this fact by inquiring of the officials of the company.
 Messrs. Goodall and Medley have devoted considerable time to circulat- ing false statements about this com pany We have been told a state ment has been given wide publicity that the Alaska Public Utilities has monopoly through its franchise of the light, water and telephone privi- | leges in the town. This report has as little foundation as the charges con tained in the bulletins. This com pany has no rights or privileges that any other person or company cannot obtain if they so desire. Section II of the light franchise reads as fol-