Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1939-12-21
Districts Start
Condemnation Suit

Condemnation suits were begun
simultaneously this week to acquire
various electric properties Of the
Washington Water Power Co. by the
public utility districts of Okanogan.
Douglas, Grant and Lincoln counties
The move followed intensive surveys
of the properties which the districts
have made in the past two years. 1t
is the first such action directed a.
gainst the Washington Water Power
Co.
Plan and system resolutions adopt
ed bv the commissioners Of the Lin
coin County public utility distrlcs
| calls for issuance of revenue bonds
of not more than 100000 to finance
the acquisition of the properties and
to provide betterments, extensions and
other items. The sums provided fol
similar purposes for Okanogan are
s2,OOO,OO0; Douglas $150,000 ano
Grant 100000.
Under terms of the plan and sys.
tenn resolut ions adopted by the dis.
tricts, the bonds are to be secured
solely by the revenues from the cleo
trfc system to be acquired.
| THE Douglas county public utility
| a;.n;,. mould eacura oil diSt ri h1tt ion
lines of the company in that county
except the high voltage lines from
Coulee City to Chelan and the line
extending west from Coulee City and
the distribution lines now served di.
rectly from Chelan Falls satisfaction.
The Grant county district would
secure all distribution lines in that
county and those extending into Doug.
las county from Cou1ee City and those
entering Lincoln county from the
STRAIT ford substation. Excluded by the
Grant county district plan and sys-
tenn resolution are all 1O,O0O-volt
lines and apparatus and certain other
properties not used or useful to the
district, or which are more adapted
to operation by an adjoining district.
The company's hydroelectric plants
at Long Lake and Little Falls on the
Spokane River, and the distribution
and transmission lines served by them
are excluded by Lincoln county.
Decision TO begin proceedings was
reached by the commissioners of the
various districts after series of join,
meetings in the past year, at which
mutual problems were worked out
ard comprehensive plan of opera-
| tion of the properties was developed
1t is planned to continue such coop
erative action after acquisition.
"This action the elimination OF
almost Two years intensive study ano
investigation, in which the commits.
sioners were aided by the employment
of competent engineering and lega,
assistance,' said Philip D. Terry,
Douglas county public utility district
commissioner.
"The development is the logical and
inevitable solution OF the problem that
was raised by the disregard for the
public interest that has CHARACTERIZED
the promotion Of the large utility
holding companies. This represents
the first step toward freeing the
people of the State of Washingto,
from the payment of perpetual tri
butte ITO Eastern holding companies TO,
the enjoyment of this great and in
dispensable natural resource
The suits, filed, in the superior
courts of the various counties involv
ed, name as respondents, besides the
Washington Water Power Co., the
City Bank Farmers Trust Co. of New
York and Ralph E. Morton of Con-
necticutt, mortgage trustee.
The Washington Water Power Co
is Subsidiary of American Power ans
Light Co., which in turn is controlled
by Electric Bond and Share Co. oil
New York, one of the largest utility
holding corporations in the nation.