In the summer and fall of 1931 the heated and controversial topic  was the formation of a public utility district-Lassen Municipal Utility District. Robert Cook, editor and publisher of the Lassen Mail newspaper was an ardent supporter for the district. The Mail used a lot ink on the subject. In the September 21, 1931 issue a front page article titled Electric Prices for Bieber Half Susanville Rates:

“The Pacific Gas and Electric Company is rushing the construction of its line from Fall River Valley to Bieber.. The new line is 20 miles in length and will serve about 400 hundred people. The rates that will be in effect as soon as the line is established has been announced as follows:

“For the first 30 K.W.H the rate is 5 1/2 cents per K.W.H. and 3 cents thereafter. Greater reductions are made for large users of power.

“Susanville with its population of 4000 is paying 10 cents per K.W.H. and eight cents thereafter to the Lassen Electric Company.

“Just across the Susan River the employees of the two mills enjoy a still lower rate than the people of Bieber. The same condition prevails in Westwood. The only users of electricity in Lassen County that do not receive a decent electric light rate are the residents of Susanville and the Honey Lake Valley.”

Notes of note; The Cady family not only owned the Lassen Electric, but the water company and had an financial interest in the Lassen Advocate newspaper. That publication opposed the formation of a public utlity district.

Tim