Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-06-15
GAS QUESTION.

The City Couacil and Gas Company's
contract seems to be misunderstood. We
copy from the charter of the Nashville Gas
light Companyi
Sec. 3. Il shall be the duty Of said Com
pany TO establish, within three years from
the first day of January, 1850, gas manu-
factory within the city of Nashville, of suf.
ticient capacity to supply its corporate su-
thorities and inhabitants with such public
and private gaslights IS may be required.
Sec. 3. The said Company shall. have
the privilege OF erecting, establishing and
constructing Gas Works, and manufactur-
ing and vending Gas in the city of Nash
vile, by means of public works, for the
term of fifty years from and after the date
of this act. A reasonable price per thous-
and feet for Gas shall be charged in the case
Of private individuals, to be regulated by
the prices in other Southwestern cities and
for pub ic lights such sum as may be agreed
upon by the Company and the public dlt-
thoritieS of NGShUILe.
Sec. 10. That if after the expiration of
twenty years, from and after the first day
of January, 1850, the Corporation of Nash
vile should at any time resolve to purchase
said Gas Works from the said Gas Light
Company, which they hereby shall have a
right 10 do, the price shall be fixed by arbi-
traitors, one or more TO be chosen by the
President and Directors of the Seenpany
and an equal number by the BqS Mayor
and Aldermen Of the cityE arbi-
traitors shall not be Stock "a in said
Company, nor members of Municipl
Board. They shall take into Consideration
the value of said Gas Works, and the
lanIo hniIIin0S mi oilu riohfS IN
and everything theTeqntO sppertSining;
and, if they agrse, and so report il writing,
their award shall be binding on the parties;
but if t tsav should not agree, then the said
arbitrators shall seleCs some eredlta0le and
disinterested person as umpire @ehWeen
them, whose decision and award, in writing
reported to the parties above, shall be bind
ing and conclusive, any law TO the eontfsrE
notwithstanding.
The reader will see from section 3 that
the Gas Company is compelled to keep up
and run gas mandatory Of sufficient ca
pacity to supply the corporate authorities
and inhabitants. In other words, hef pipe
extensions must, under her charter, keep
pace with the growth of the city.
Section fixes the price OF gas. II says
that "a reasonable price per thousand feet
for gas shall be charged N the case of pri-
vate individuals, to be regulated by the
prices in other Southwestern cities, and for
public lights such SUN rs may be agreed
upon by the company and the public author
tiles of Nashville
This is as plain IS the Legislature could
make the matter, and we have no doubt but
that the Gas Company are ready at any
time to confer 9Th committee of the City
Council, az be governed by the prices
charged by the three nearest and largest
cities situated Southwest from the capital
of the State in which the legislature was III
session st the time this charter was granted;
Memphis, st. Louis, and New Orleans for
instance.
Section 10 gives the corporate authorities
after the first twenty years, the power of
buying the Gas Company out. When read
carefully, all may understand that it is not
thu works grounds, pipes, ie c., alone that
are to be valued, out her rights ard inter-
ests, and everything thereunto appsrtain ng,
are to be taken into consideration. We
think the city acted wisely in making the
trade, by which the city becomes a stock
holder to the amount of $4,000. She is now
or will be in few days the third larges.
stakeholder. With her GOO votes and the
reading ofthe charter of the Company, she
can to q great extent regulate the price of
gas; and with her gas at half price and the
taxes of the Company with the dividends
on her thirty thousand stock, tie streets
will be lighted free of charge and hand
some revenue accrue TO the city from the
Gas Company.
1t seems to me that any business iran
who is property tax payer, and looks to
the interest of the city, understanding the
facts ashley really are, must be blind to his
interest," and the interest of the city, if he
does not applaud the prompt ,tion of the
committee and all who voted for this con-
tract.
Since writ ng the above have been as
suFed by one of the Directors of the Gas
Co., that the result of this ma ter will be
large extensions of the pipes of the compa.
ny and speedy reduction of the price of
Gas, TAX PAYER.