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1^ Assessment West Riverside Canal Company. June 16, 1917. Mr, p| C. Hutt, General Manager. Dear Sir: My delay in answering your letters of April 21 and March 1}I- has been due to an effort to obtain a full' statement of the facte. I have now learned through Mr. McFarland,' our attorney at Riverside who is also attorney for the West Riverside Canal Company, that the' latter company being under the ..jurisdiction of the Railroad Commission of California made application to the Commission for certain authority to issue notes, bonds, etc., for the fixing of rates. The Commission, by a decision rendered January 20, 1917, has determined that the company is a public utility and has prescribed rates to be charged for carrying water in the canal. These rates have been fixed by the Commiesion at $$,00 per inch per annum. The effect of a public utility coming under the jurisdiction of the Commission is to abrogate any contracts with respect to service, eo that in my judgment the contract entered into by our company with Rogers, providing for a charge of tlgUOO. per inch per annum, is no longer in effect and we should therefore pay charges prescribed by the Com­mission . I return your file herewith. Very truly your a,