The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1926-03-18
into.

company Tor electrical {
inquired into.
The company was represented by M.
S. Gum, General Attorney for Mon
tana of the Northern Pacific Railway
Company; the city of Red Lodge by
it's attorney, H. A. Simmons and the
Commission by it's counsel, E. G
Toomey of Helena. The Company's
witnesses were first called to the stand
in response to the Commissions order
to show cause why the rates should
not be reduced. R. D. Scott, Superin-
tendent of the N. W. |. Company tes-
titled that the plant, as a whole, was
worth $289, 900, and that fair appor-
tionment of the generating equipment,
distribution system, etc., as basis for
the service to Red Lodge citizens was
$4,000. Mr.. Scott said that the N
W. |. company recognized as matter
of course that the Red Lodge service
could not be charged with the full
value of the N. W. I. electrical plant
His testimony was supported by that
of w. F. Freakes and John Castagne
The Commission offered testimony
through it's Chief Engineer F. E. Buck
who testified that he made complete
inventory of the light system in REQ
Lodge, enumerating each piece OF
property in it, and assigning values
to each piece. Buck testified that the
Red Lodge rates should be made on 8
valuation of Observation-Disclosures
depreciation of $4,000. Buck differed
with the company's method of appor
tioning boiler capacity to Red Lodge
and also power building. He testified
that 45ao of the present boiler install
lation, or about rs horse power would
be enough to satisfy the 1910 custo.
mers in Red Lodge, instead of the 170(
installed primarily for mining opera
tions. Buck also said the power plant
should not be assigned to the city OF
basis of over Goethe company's
figure being 81%o. 1t was brought Out
that the company netted about $310(
in electrical revenues in 1925, or 4;
return of $500 on the valuation O.
$4,000, after paying expenses, some
of the items of which were CONNER
cial, $4,000; office, $1700; taxes, $24O0
general $375; power about 100000. F
The city put on City electrician D
w. Columbus who testified as to thu
city's bills, kilowatt hour consump
ton, etc. There was no complain
made against the rates when tn,
Commission called for citizens, pat
rons or others desiring to make such
complaints, though several bills were
filed with the commission for audit
| was brought out that the rates il
force today have been continually il
force since 1908. Free service wa.
given to one customer only, the public
library.
In response to questions by Mr.
Toomey, Engineer Buck testified tina
the N. w. l. used Montana Power en-
ergy for the city of Red Lodge jus
once, in 1922, but that rites would b,
much lower here if the Power com
pany served the city directly, o.
through the N. w. I. Company Mr.
Scott, on rebuttal, testified that ter
year study showed that his company
served Red Lodge for less than the
Montana Power Company could, or
the estimated cost of the latter's ne
cessary installation for Red Lodge
1t was pointed out that there was nc
legal authority for the Commission
to compel the N. w. |. to hook up with
the Montana Power under the circum-
stances.
The Public Service Commission of
Montana is holding public hearing
at the Court House today in the mat
ter of the Red Lodge-Rosebud Irri-
cation District. The question before
the commission is the reconsideration
of it's action in approving a contract
made by the district with Contractor
J. S. Haley which purported to term
mate and settle all relations between
the two. The state commission ap-
proved the contract after it was exc
crted hv Haley and the local Roard of