The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1928-03-30

Wenatchee, Wash. ------------------------ 24.58
Kenewick, Wash. --..-.--.--.-..--..--. 1925
Aberdeen, Wash. --..--.--....---.--.-- 1924
From $500 to $23.52 month more
for electrical service in a home under
private ownership than under munich
pal.
Lowest Rates of All in Ontario.
The most significant and outstanding
example of low rates under municipal
ownership on the continent is in On
tario. In that Canadian province are
PAT municipalities and "a rural COM
munities cooperating in a great, inter-
connected, public superpOwer system.
The results are amazing. The service
is the best and the rates are the low
est of any on the continent if not IN
the world.
According to ''The Electrical World"
of January End, 1926, the average
price paid for electricity by the DO
mestic consumer in the United States
in 1925 was rs cents per k. w. h. The
corresponding cost in Ontario in the
municipalities served by this great
publicly owned hydro-electric power
sytem was 81 cents per k. w. h. In
other words, the average cost of cleo
trio current for domestic use is over
three times as much under private
ownership in the United States as it
is under municipal ownership in On
/ tariO.
More than so per cent of the cleo
trical energy used for domestic SER
vice in Ontario, we are told, is sold in
municipalities where the average
charge is less than &c per K, W. h.
For commercial lighting the Ontario
rates are also extremely low. More
than so per cent of the commercial
lighting service is similarly sold al
less than &c per k. W. h.
And so with Seventy five
per cent of electric power is sold al
an average charge of less than $500
per horsepower per year.
In each of the above cases the con.
sumerS cost mentioned includes al
charges and costs.
These are astonishingly low rates
; Private companies have at no time at
. tempted TO give such rate or to ever
, approximate them.
In a bulletin of the National Popu
lar Government League, Judson Kin}
makes the statement that on the basis
| of the CAT 1897, 100000 k. w. h. of cleo
, trical energy sold in the United State
! during 1925 for which the American
: people paid to power companies 81,
389,000,O00" the average cost for ALI
current purchased was 29 cents. Oh
the same basis in Ontario the aver
, age for ALL current is 1.65 cents
Almost twice as much under privat
as under public ownership.
Unquestionably the Ontario rate
under this great publicly owned sys
tenn are the lowest on the continent
If not in the world. And this apple
to power" rates as we'll as to "do
nestle" and commercial" rates.
J Power Rates Also Low. Powe
rates in Ontario under public owner
ship are also very much lower thai
similar rates under private ownership
| On the basis of the actual bills PAL
: for electric power by month and b
: year the cost of current for powe
E users is from 81 to 100 pc cent high
er IN the cities of the United State
r than in the cities of Ontario unde
:. conditions that are nearest compal
o able. III
) h Actual Bills, Compared. When W
S come to compare the actual bills pai
/. for current in the Ontario cities an
S towns with those in the United State
e under private ownership, the advant
r ages OF public ownership come on
e even more clearly. We have mention
Gle above the cost of 40 k. w. h. q
S current in some. of our America
e cities. A charge of from $500 /
e $4;OO for 40 k. W. h. per month
c quite common for the private powt
e companies in the United States.
There are 80 towns in Ontari
: where the cost of 40 k. W. h. amount
TO Sl.O2. Contrast with with the 70
i lowing actual bills paid for a simils
: amount of current to private comp;
i mes IN some of our American cities
e Here, for example, is the electr
: light bill of Mr.. Harry Webb, ESQ
C OF 4S2 Mcleod St., Ottawa, Ontari
one OF the hydro public ownersh
u cities. This bill is for 81 k. w. h. al
y cost exactly $1.00. In comparison. v
u nave bill paid by Mr.. A. Frederick
e 1856 Douglas Ave., EIgin, Ill, for !.
IL k, W. n: I'll XIV. h. less than the d
!. Iarlo blll), and it is exactly $500.
y Tour times as much for considerab
J. less current.
Low Rates Going Lower Still
l" this connection, it is imnortant 70 NO
20 That although the public projects
~ mentioned above have given great
. reduced rates, there are still low
- rates and greater advantages to com
Il Low as are the rates which have p
- suited from municipal and public ow
- ersmp In the cases mentioned. tn,
- are steadily going lower. This is d
~ 10 the TACT as pointed out above. tn
~ under public ownership the capital J
o. count is gradually reduced and fin,
~ ~ eliminated by amortization. a,
- as the capital account SIS reduced +
co ntteress charges are reduced, the co
% OF production goes down and the rat
go down accordingly In Seattle. T
70 example, the charge for electric ~
20 rent before the municipal 4plant W
10 started was Zoe per k. w. III maximr
70 IN 1SO5, when the public plant bec
OO operation the cost had gone down
30 o7sc. The company then reduced
IL rate to 1Oc. In July, 1911. tha mn;
SO clpal plant reduced rates again -
maximum. In 1912 1t a9ain s,,sd sU
90 them to &c and in 1915 to 51bc g f e.,
90 larry In Winnipeg, the municineI H.
If reduced rates from zoe per k. w h
" !Oc at first. Later to sic and fina
~ in 1921 to Sc. = anu Ina
~ In Ontario when the great nubl;,