Show AA the Editor dk r Replies to JJ Utah ah Gas Letter Dear Dear Mr Wallis In a recent letter leUer to your newspaper Mr Loran L Laugh Laughtin tin lin complained at length about Mountain Fuel Supply Company and the Utah Public Service Con Commission The substance of l his s complaint is l his s contention that In 1956 his bis company was given all of Uintah County as Its ib exclusive territory and that Mountain Fuel Supply Company is now engaged d in a raid of that territory terri ory by offering to serve natural gas to the re real lI deals enis of Bonanza Utah Mr Laughlin states the Utah Commission knew of Bonanzas Bonanza's desire for gas but didn't tell teU Ms IlIs- company lie He doesn't ex ax plain that the Commission didn't tell Mountain 1 Supply Con Com parry either he ex ax plain why his company wasn't aware of the need of Bonanza when its office Is a law mUe miles away In letter didn't tell you either that neve nev el gone over over to Bonanza Bonanza to see if they wanted service or that thata a witness from Bonanza I I fled fied that the people there have wanted g gas s service for many years Jf If as he be claims Eon Bon anza is the exclusive territory I of his then it seems strange indeed that he never explored this portion of the territory to ascertain its needs and wants If this was his corn com pany's territory the obligation was on him and his company to know and to act not on the commission Mr Laughlin acknowledges s this fact in his let ter to you which states It was our understanding from the Commission action actton that this was to be our our territory and that it wa was our obligation to serve any city town village area or in in- in industry where a feasible opera tion could be established in this territory Mr Laughlin also complains that the Commission didn't not him until December 6 1965 that a hearing bearing would be held January 25 1966 on on Mountain Fuels Fuel's application to serve gas gasto gasto to Bonanza Bonann lie He doesn't explain why his bis company did nothing I about the matter until seven days before the hearing of I January 25 1966 By his own I I letter he admits that for almost one and one one half half months after his company admittedly reedy ed notice it did absolutely noth ing Surely a company anxious to serve an area it believes was its exclusive territory could reasonably be expected to have acted more promptly than that We are are sorry Mr Laughlin chooses to try hlll his case in the newspapers Instead of before the Public Service Commission All As a matter of fact he asserted much the same complaint be fore fame the Utah Public Service Commissi Commission n at the hearing bearing on Mountain Fuel Supply Corn Com pany's application and the Com mission said Neither the Commission nor northe northe the court should protect a util ity company in its attempt to toI reserve a certain area unto it self as its exclusive territory unless the company is willing and able to promptly furnish Curnish adequate service to consumers in that territory within a rea time and at fair and reasonable rates for the type of service required The Commission then granted authority to Mountain Fuel Supply Company to serve Bon Bon- Bonanza anza We do not believe It Is a raid irald to serve serve an area anti I er company claims but has not notI served for ten years Mountain I Fuel Supply Company does not believe the t territory is or ever was exclusively the territory of I Mr Laughlin's company How however ever even if It was we believe the circumstances fully warrant permitting another utility to render service there The Utah Public Service Commission so found after giving Mr Laugh Un and others representing his company ample opportunity to present their c case se Yours very truly M M FIDLAR |