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Show MORGAN : IT RATE BOOSTED Permission Given to Increase Schedule By Utilities Commission SAIT LAKE, April 11 Permission was given yesterday by the public utilities util-ities commission of Utah to the Morgan Blectrlc Light & Power company, which al one time built a plant on! Hardacrabble creek, but later aband-mied aband-mied it and since has purchased all Its power from the Utah Rower & Light ompany. to raise its rates to the level rf rates charged for similar service h ire d hy the larger and supplying, company. The company showed that It had been operating at a loss, win- h in 1921, amounted to about t30u, al-, owing nothing for return on tho prop-, rty .NO Mltl.ll lUWJUUl TTie contract held with the Morgan Canning company was an Issue In this hearing. It was a 50-year contract, signed in 1914 and promised that the company should have Its power at cost. The decision of the commission is signed sign-ed by A R Heywood of Ogden, president presi-dent and Warren StOUtnOUr and Joshua Josh-ua Greenwood, members, and con-' eludes In part as follows: 'This property is devoted to public service, and as such must be kepi from confiscation, and Is entitled, when used, for such purposes to a reasonable return re-turn vipon the fair value of su h prop- erty. This principle has been laJd dosn. so far as we are aware, by all courts of competent Jurisdiction, including in-cluding t lie supreme court of the United Unit-ed States. "Under conditions shown to exist, and however reluctant the commission; may be to increase rates to consumers. : at this time, there remains no other remcd than to authorize Increased rates To render adequate, continuous service revenues accruing from said' service must co-er the reagona-Me costs thereof 'Ihe evidence clearly shows that revenues heretofore accruing are not sufficient to carry on the business. ; Present rates are inadequate, as well as preferential, and. under the public utilities act, are unjust, unreasonable.' and Illegal " Since this case was heard applicant has requested that meter rates for rest-1 dentlul lighting and commercial light-j Ing be not increased. Otherwise ap--j pllcant may initiate rales not greater than iho.-e asked tor. and to the 1--vol of the Utah Rower It Right compan rates for Mice service, effective In this or similar localities. The contract rate, named In the contract with the Morgan Canning company should be brought. to the general level of rates of peti-j tionr fdr like service of th-- Utah Power & Right company. TO do other, wise would bo clearly discriminatory j and illegal "Wo find nothing In this contraol which would Justly p.j it in a Clasi i i emptlng it from modification of the rota 1, , nloavl.. t itVitn Mm uer.no I lof decisions heretofore made by t"hlsj 'commission covering like cases, and Iconflrmed by OUT slate supreme court, j j In order that the burden of maintain-1 'lng and rendering said service be not i least unjustly upon others, each and every consumer should pay a:, nearl: as may bo the cost of service lo him, I and not al a rate les than the cost of giving such service ' OBJE47T8 T) WOR1 JSE James H Anderson of the canning! company, had objected to the propos- j ed Increase on the ground Of Incrc I ing the costs of the canning busin 88 and of altering the contract Valuation engineers had placed the 'organized value of tho Morgan com-, pany's plant at jso.oon. the actual replacement re-placement value, based on normal limei prices, being 27,408.62. This fnade no allowance for develppmcnl costs, and the Increase in prices w.ib thought i to take care of any depreciation thai might have taken place. The commit slon however in view of the ppi r tins, statement did not find It necessary I pass on the value of the plant for ruto-iiriKin- purposes. The Clark Electric company yesterday yester-day filed application with th" p i II utilities commission, which. In addition, addi-tion, to making somewhat extensive changes In the rules and regulations governing the company's service, would also abolish the fiat rate i or electric service now existing In Tooele City, and also ii tint rate for water.! heating purposes. |