Show information ON THE ELECTRIC SITUATION editor progress fillmore utah dear sir will you kindly publish the following letter so that the taip taxpayers ayers ot of this city may more intelligently 1 give their opinions on oil tile the questions raised by harrison arrison II anderson in ill his letter published in tile the progress of last week each and every parcel of 0 property inthe hinline city of 0 fillmore filimore was bonded for the purpose of installing an electrical distributing system to be owned and operated by the city of fillmore tor for the purpose of supplying ELECTRIC LIGHTS to the inhabitants thereof and is still bonded ded tor for this purpose the city was originally igi nally bonded tor for for this purpose going over the city records we find that in all a twenty three mill tax has been paid by the taxpayers of this city into the electrical department of the city treas jurers office or a little over in addition to this amount all the earnings of the system have been turned into the same account we find that there is to show allow for it a little less than this amount represents the money which was in the working fund and the money in the sinking fund from the sinking fund has been paid on tile the outstanding bonds so that there is yet owing on the electrical bonds we can readily see that it has not been a paying proposition tor for the city to operate their system in the past and that it has taken abou from direct taxation besides the earnings of the system to make ends meet now during the greater part of tile the past the rates on electric lighting was ten cents per kut kit hour in 1923 tile the rates were raised by the telluride power co and the city of Fil filimore linore thru application to the public utilities commission of utah to 12 cents per lewt hour as they are now it is possible and we are oft off the levy which has been on the property of this city and the system will now show allow a small profit from its earnings which we are happy to state it has been the policy of past administrations of ti this ils city and a very good one no hiie one can deny that where application were made for heat or power and the city could use the same transformers tor for this purpose as those which were used tor for lights at night that connections be allowed up to t he point ot of the transformers being able to function properly this has been demonstrated to be good business with which you will all agree the city has taken this view always and will still make connections where transformer service will permit the telluride power company and by the way this is the company is selling electrical appliances for has been intercede ing with the city officials of fillmore to install more transformers so that more ranges could bo be connected up we know that we cannot install transformers for heat load only and come any where near breaking on it on the present price we get out ot of it we have endeavored to get the telluride power co to make us a better rate than we now have so that all the people of 0 this thia city could have tho the privilege lege ot of installing heating healing stoves and ranges and enjoy the modern conveniences ot of the times but this tile telluride has refused to do wo we have some sections of 0 the city which will not lot permit brinit ot of additional ranges because JN d the fact that the transformers are over loaded now the Tell urides argument to us Is that there Is money meney in fit it for tile city to install transformers and sell heat tor for the 3 cents per ewt hour ot of which the city would get 40 percent this would mean that the city would get one and forty tour four hundredths cents for each ewt hour qt of heat load now in th fit erast our records show that wo c could not operate tor for 4 cents per der ewt hour and that we asked that thu the public utilities commission grant us 5 cents per kt hour which they did and with which we now can operate our system without imposing a property tax to maintain our electrical distributing system such argument on the part of harrison Harrl sou anderson and the telluride power co Is certainly inconsistent in view of 0 these facts it if there is money to be made on the basis ot of one and forty four hundredths ca cents per ewt hour why did the public utilities commission of 0 utah grant them their request in 1923 to raise the rate to gj gi cents per ewt hour it was indeed unfair of mr air anderson to make the statement that the city officials of fillmore had refused him connections tor fr his ranges the facts are lie he lias has sold ranges aud and they are installed and operating vi we s have not nor is there any intention of discriminating against harrison Harris anderson or any one else regardless of his politics ills his religion or the color of his hair we have told any and all who are in the business of selling electrical appliances in fit this city that where we had transformer tran stormer service to handle heat loads we would connect them but when it required transformers lor for this service only then would it be impossible for or us IN to guarantee them service thru connection tion this has beon been druied in their ears many times they all must admit and this was told harrison anderson aan the telluride power co long before the rang ranges es mr air alad anderson andersen speaks of were sold or condil sold we as public officials have a duty to perform a trust to maintain and we are endeavoring to discharge tile duties of 0 our office to tho the debt batt ol of our ability and in so doing wo we try to be as consistent consi stanl stant as we can we figure that thai we cannot even breal evil evell on oil the price we receive tor for heat boat loads where we must install transformers tor for this service only fie sides this fillmore city was bonded tor for the purpose as set forth in the call tor for the election namely kled li LIGHTS this does not mt mean all electric stoves I 1 we trust that with tho the daiv da and facts herewith submitted that the taxpayers tax Dayers ot of this city wil be in a better position to understand harrison anders andersons ons letter and tho position of the tell u rade power bower co T respectfully yours fillmore city council by edward nielson nelson mayor |