St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-18
CONCERNING CITY GAS.
Committees of the Chamber of Com
merce aud Council Confer with
the Gas Company,
And a General Discussion Ensues Regard
ing the Advisability of Lighting
All Night
A Very, Plain and Business Like State
ment Submitted by Gen. Sibley,
President of the Company.

bers of the board of directors of the chamber
of commerce, at the meeting of the board,
made certain structures upon the manner in
which gas is supplied to the city, the price Of
the same and the accuracy of the meters.
These structures were couched in such
language and were made with such an ap-
parent lack of knowledge in regard to the
facts of the case that it was thought best to
have q conference Of the committee
Of the board of directors of the
chamber of commerce, the city council
committee on gas and the officers of the gas
company. A meeting was accordingly ar
ranged TO be held at IL o'clock yesterday
morning at Gen. Sibley's Office On Third
street. The gas company was represented
by Gen. Sibley and Mr.. Goodrich, the cham
Der of commerce by Messrs. H. A. Castle, j..
D. .Ludden, Conrad Gotzan, P. II. Kelly and
d. r. Noyes, and the council by Aid. Otis,
OConnor. Van Slyke and the city attorney.
Mr.. Noyes who in the chamber of COM
merce last Monday declared that the charges
for gas were Outrageous" did not come in
very promptly, and there was some ques-
tons asked as To whether or not he
was coming. Mr.. Luddan stated that
he had just seen Mr.. Noyes, and that
it was doubtful about his being
at the meeting at all, on account of business
engagements. This being the state of the
case it was concluded to proceed with the
business for which the meeting was called.
GEN. sIBLEY's REMARKS.
Just as the conference was about to begin
Gen. Sibley stated that before anything was
done he had few remarks that he desired to
make to the members Of the conference. He
then read the following statement, and
while he was reading it Mr.. Noyes came in {:
ST. PAUL, Jan. 16, 1855.
To the Joint Gas Com mittee of the Com mon
Council and of the Chamber of Com
merce:
Gentlemen: The st. Paul Gas Light COM
pany has been made the target for assaults
in the meetings of the chamber of commerce
and in some of the newspapers, and charged
with unfair dealing and eXtortionate eXac-
tons in carrying out its contracts with the
city, and with individual consumers of gas.
1t seems to be assumed that gentlemen of
character and established reputation for in
tegrity, become perforce, little better than
swinders and robbers, so soon as they in
vest their money in gas stock.
/ propose in this communication, by
brief array of facts and figures, which cannot
be controverted, to demon strate that the crit
icisms so largely INDUCED in are not only with
out foundation, but that If there is Just cause
for complaint against the management of the
st. Paul Gas Light company, 1t should ema-
nate from its own stockholders, Oh the ground
that too many concessions have been made
to the city in former contracts for street
lighting, etc, etc., and that the price of gas
furnished consumers has been reduced TO
too low point to make the stock even fairly
remunerative. In 1867 the price per 1000
cubic feet of gas was Sc, with 10 per cent.
discount for prompt payment, aad it has
since been reduced from time to time, until
il has been fixed at 81 so net.
RELATIONS WITH THE CITY.
Former contracts provided that the Gas
Light company should supply gas for stipu-
lated sum, that the gas furnished should not
be of less than eleven candle power and
that burners in street lamps should consume
four feet per hour. The lamps to be kept in
good order and subject to inspection by the
gas committee of the council or other author
lied agent. The city to pay one-half of
the cost OF lighting the lamps
and to pay all bills monthly,
or In default Of such payments, TO allow In
terest at bankable rates, after the expiration
of thirty DAYS. The city also obligated itself
In all these contracts, to pass ordinances,
placing the posts and lamps under the
special protection of the police, affixing
severe penalty upon any person or persons
injurng, or lighting,or extinguishing lamps,
A..
viding for the summary arrest by tue police,
and punishment Of such offenders.
The lamps to be lighted each night, except
when there was moonlight, unless there was
an observation thereof by clouds.
By the ninth section Of the charter Of the
Gas Light company, the city is obligated to
pay quarterly TO the 81, Paul Gas Light
company, an interest of s per cent. per
annum on thS amount OF the sum OF the
original cost Of said street lamps and lamp
posts, gas meters, and gas pipes, and the
cost OF laying and erecting the me" Such
were, ia brief, the obligations assumed by
the city in the contracts referred
TO except that In lieu OF the
entire interest provided for in the section
quoted, the sum was voluntarily limited by
the company TO a much less sum per annum
during the continuance of the contracts,
whereby the city was saved thousands OF dol
lars, which, but for the liberal concessions
of the company, It would have been compel
led to pay.
claim that the company has not only
piled with the stipuattons Of the several
contracts, but that in many Of the particulars
It yielded more than II was obligated to do.
In place OF gas OF eleven candle power, that
furnished has never been less than thirteen
and oftener fourteen and fifteen candle
power Instead of four feet burners, many
Of the street lamps are equipped with those
consuming more than five feet per hour.
The requirements Of the common council,
in the placing OF new lamp posts and lamps,
have been met with prompt attention, as well
as ir their transfer from one location TO an
other.
The company has been put 10 great incon-
venience by the delay in the payments OF its
bills BY the city, most of them being post
poned for the convenience Of other credit
ors, for q period Of six, eight and ten
months, in some cases compelling the com-
pany to borrow money from the hanks 10
fulfill its obligations, when prompt payment
By the city weuld have rendered it unueees-
sary. Notwithstanding all this, the relations
Of the company with the city authorities.
have been uniformly courteous and friendly.
In case Of renewal OF the contract the
company viii respectfully ask, that the hon
orable common council will promptly pass
the ordinance for the protection Of the street
lamps, and lamp posts by the police force,
aud for the arrest, and punishment Of par
ties in Turing, or in any wise interfering with
the property Of the company.
While the officers Of the company do not con
eede the right OF the city authoriIies,or Of the
chamber Of commerce TO intervene between
the company, and its contracts with private