Omaha daily bee., 1893-12-09
REFUSED Gas oRprNa,cr.


OMAHA, Dec. S.-To the Editcrof TuB Bee:
The proposed new gas ordinance introduced
In the city council Monday evening, Deccm-
Der 4, and heralded by q letter from the
president OF the gas company describing 1t
as an ordinance far to the city, is indeed
much more reasonable than tho ordinance
recently enjoined, but it nevertheless CON
tains very Objectionable provisions and omits
valuable safeguards in favor OF our citizens
which existed in the ordinances under
which the gas company has heretofore been
acting, and ought not TO pass in its present
form:
The following are a few of the principal
objections to tho now ordinance as intro
duccd.
tirst-TEe ordinance fixes y maximum
price of 81. ~ for both Illuminating and fuel
gas, Notwithstanding the fact that gas can
be- furnished TO the burner in Omaha by the
process now used by the Omaha Gas Manu-
featuring company at Sl25 per 1000 cubic
feet, which price includes a large net profit
on the investment aud a wide margin for re.
pairs and extensions The maximum price
should be Sl,25 for Illuminating gas aud 81
for fuel gas.
Second-rhc ordinance barters away for
twenty-five years the right of the mayor and
city council TO fix and regulate tho price of
gas. Any decrease in the cost OF production
of gas will inure to the benefit of the gas
company and not of the city.
Third-1ho ordnance does not provide Of
fe~ctirely by contract that the city may buy
the gas works ana plant ut any time at an
appraised valuation and does not provide
that the value of the franchise itself should
be disregarded in arriving ut the value of
the works and plant for purposes of appro-
priation or purchase. The ordinance does,
indeed, provide that the city may exercise
the right given by its charter to buy or APP
propriate the works, but the gas company
mas only TO secure the repeal of that section
of the charter, and the city's power to pur-
chase the works will then be- destroyed.
Fourth-The ordinance does not provide
for Il proper repeal of all former ordinances
governing the gas company nor for the re-
linquishment by the gas company and its
assigns, If any there be, of all rights ac-
quired or claimed under any of the former
ordinances or contracts with the city us n
condition precedent to tho ordinance taking
effect.
Ftfth-Theo ordinance provides that the
sworn statement of the gas ompauy of,
ficials shall be conclusive as to the number
OF feet of gas consumed per annuln This is
wrong. There should be some means pro-
vided by which the city may investigate the
truth of such statements.
Sixth-The ordinance does not provide
that the gas company shall make connec-
tons even TO the curb line. 1t does not pro-
vide that they shall lay mains on ungraded
streets, If required, and it rcluires too many
signers for gas per given distance as a pre-
requisite to further extensions.
Seventh-The ordinance should also pro-
vide that the franchise should not be as
signed without the consent of the mayorand
council, or at least not until after notice TO
them in writing.
Eighth-Ihere should also be a provision
OF forfeiture in case the gas company fails
TO discharge tho obligations imposed upon it
by the ordinance.
WILLIAM S. PorPLEToN,
j. l.. KENNEDY.