Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-13
NEW RATES FIXED
BY COMMISSION IN
LIBBY LIGHT CASE
State Not Only Denies Request
for Higher Charges but
Lowers Present Rate.
(Tribune's Helena Bureau.)

Helena, Aug. 12.-In al order issued
Saturday by the public service commits
sion of Montana, a new schedule Of
rates is specified for the lighting plant
of the Libby Water & Electric COM
pany in which not only is the request
of the company for increased rates
denied but rates are ordered which
are even lower than the existing sched-
ule.
The commission. in its investigation,
found that in the past the residence
rates have carried the burden, with
business houses and other commercial
institutions enjoying a lower rate, and
it now orders these put on an equal
and decreased footing. 1t also fixed
the value of that portion of the COM
pany's property utilized in the lighting
business, including only used and disable
property and excluding the value of
property destroyed by fire in 1919.
Use Meter Plan
The Libby company is now, pursuant
to the commissions suggestion of last
spring, proceeding with the metering
of its service and all will be metered
by October I, after which the commits
sion will be able to determine exactly
what the earning power of the plant is
The order provides that tariffs which
become effective September 1. 1892.
shall be filed with the commission by
August %, 1922, as follows:
General lighting rates: First %
XIV. hr. used per month. Is cents Der
XIV. hr.; next % XIV. IL cents; next
30 XIV, II cents; next 100 XIV. Q cents;
next 300 XIV. Z cents; additional XIV.
6 cents. Minimum monthly charge.
$50. Discount 10 per cent if paid
within 10 days after close of month.
Power rates: First 100 XIV. hr.
used per month, s cents per XIV; next
200 XIV. 6 cents; next 100 XIV. 4
cents; all additional XIV, ga cents.
Discount 10 per cent.
Heating and cooking rates. 4 cents
per XIV. hr., with a monthly minimum
charge of S1.5O and a cash discount of
10 per cent.
No Free Service
For water heaters, a charge of $3.50
to 81 per month is provided. while for
sign and decorative lighting S cents
per light is ordered for 4-candle power
5 watt Mazda lamps or equivalent for
all night service. or 6 cents per Iamp
per month for dusk to midnight serv-
ice.
Municipal lighting: For buildings
all consumption at 4 cents per XIV. hr
For street lighting, $50 per month
for 2.OOO-candle power lamps. 81 for
45-candle power Mazda lamps and S1.5c
for 32-candle power Mazda lamps.
The company is ordered to discou-
tinue all free or reduced rate service
and to maintain all books, records and
accounts of the company in its office
at Libby and to remove none beyond
the boundaries of the state.
Following their survey of the plant
and appraisal of the various factors
entering into the lighting plant. the
engineers of the commission placed its
present value at S60.235 anssNin' the
consideration of proposed rates allowed
a return of 5 per cent on this invest
ment. The commission reserves the
to reopen the case at any time
the completion of metering to
determine the force of the results
exhibited.
Investigate Schedules
In April. 1921, the commission began
inquiry into the reasonableness of
the Libby lighting rates, and in Sep
TENDER, 1921, the utility submitted ,
proposed schedule generally modifying
the rates.
On November Ia. 1921. the CITY Of
Libby filed a protest against the sched-
lle on the grounds that the existing
rates furnished sufficient return upon
he value of the plant. The commits
sion then instituted a physical valuation
IF the property, report of which was
lied December "a, 1921, and on Janu-
zedary %. 1922, the commission sub ]
nitted a schedule of rates as a tempo
Try measure. but to this the city of
libby protested on the grounds that
t meant an average increase of rates
# about 5 per cent. A hearing was
leld April %, 1922, and as the result
# this and the subsequent investigation /
COMMISSIONS order is issued. /