The Electric Company Said It Couldn't Power the Mill. Newport Said It Had Better.
When Northern Electric refused to supply power to the Pend d'Oreille River Lumber Company's planing mill, the town council declared the franchise violated and ordered service restored—or else forfeiture.
A complaint was entered by the Pend d'Oreille River Lumber Company that the Northern Electric Company is violating the terms of its franchise by refusing to furnish power for the operation of their planing mill in this city, and praying that the council require the company to live up to the conditions of the franchise or forfeit same. Mr. Beckwith, superintendent of the Electric Company, was present and made the statement that the company was unable to comply with the request for power because their plant is inadequate and unable to furnish the power requested. Councilman Caldwell introduced the following resolution, which was unanimously adopted: 'Whereas, It appears to the Council [of the Town of Newport] that the Northern Electric Company, in refusing to continue the service of electric power to the Pend d'Oreille River Lumber Co.'s plant within the corporate limits of the Town of Newport, have violated the terms of their franchise. Therefore the clerk is hereby instructed to notify said Northern Electric Co. to comply with the terms of their franchise by immediately resuming the service of electric power to the Pend d'Oreille Lumber Co. under penalty of forfeiture.'
“The clerk is hereby instructed to notify said Northern Electric Co. to comply with the terms of their franchise by immediately resuming the service of electric power ... under penalty of forfeiture.”
Franchise obligations were supposed to protect the town from a utility that cherry-picked its customers. More than a century later, Newport and other small Washington towns still wrestle with the same question: when a private utility holds the monopoly, who makes it serve the local employer that keeps people paid?
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