St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-08-05
REDUCTION OF 70 PER CENT
Present Gas Light Company
Offers a Reduction to Head
OF Competition.
A PLAN FOR CITY CONTROL.
Whe cling, w. Va, Has 75-Ceni
Gas, Growing Out Of Mu-
nieipal Ownership.

lamp is as dim historically as it it ma
terially, and nearly every householder
is consumer of gas, the question OF
great Importance The citizens of ST.
Paul have been called upon during the
past few weeks 10 express themselves
OH this subject, and during the ensuing
week their representatives IN the munic'
ipal Legislative body Will have an oppor-
tunity to consider the question, as they
will on Tuesday night have submitted
to them an application for a franchise
from a new gas company, which pro-
poses to revolutionize the; business in
great many respects. This application
will be presented by the Twin City Gas
company, and it comes as result of
canvass that has been made of the city
by the representatives Of that concern.
This canvass has demonstrated beyond
any reasonable doubt that great pro-
portion of the gas CONSUMERS of
this city are of the opinion that
the rates charged by the present corpor-
alton, which monopolizes the business,
are too high. Over 5000 citizens have
attached their signatures to document
by which they agree to take gas from
the new company at the reduced rates
proposed. st. Paul is not alone in this
particular movement for lower gas
rates, for in Minneapolis the new COM
pany has secured over 5000 contracts.
The Twin City Gas compan y, as Its
name implies. proposes to do business
In both cities. II it secures the neces-
sary franchises, it will erect two plants
oD the boundary line between the
cities, one on either side of the line.
The object in having two plants is to
give either city the opportunity to
purchase the works within It's borders
at the expiration of FIVE years. How
ever, the two plants, being close to-
gether, can be operated as one huge
concern at much lower proportionate
expense than would be possible were
they separated by several blocks OK
miles.
Rates Proposed.
The new company proposes to make
the following rates to private con-
sumers: Illuminating gas. Sl.30 gross
per 1000 cubic feet, or 81. 10 net for cash
within fifteen days after the 1st OF each
month; fuel gas. s1.1O gross per 1000
feet, or 80 cents net for cash within
fifteen days after the 1st of each month.
The average OF these rates is about 20
per cent less than the prices now
charged in this city.
Besides the advantage OF reduced
rates to consumers, the Twin City COM
pany offers many other inducements. of
which probably the most important is
cash return to the city for the franchise
rights. They will submit two offers TO
the council for the franchise. one being
to pay into the city treasury per cent
of the gross receipts of all gas sold to
private consumers in addition to their
regular taxes, and the other being to
give the city controlling share of the
stock of the corporation. If the latter
proposition is accepted by both st. Paul
and Minneapolis, the two cities will re.
ceive 81 per cent of the total shares of
the corporation, placing the gas plants
virtually under the control of the mu-
inequalities. The Twin City company
will provide all the necessary capital,
and the cities will acquire controlling
interest in the gas works without the
expenditure of dollar.
Another important inducement Of
fered by the proposition of the new
company, ana one OF particular interest
to residents of the fast-growing midway
district, is the proposed provision OF
adequate mains in the interurban ter
ritory, which is at present without
means of securing gas at any price.
The new company also offers TO provide
the cities with gas tor lighting tho
streets and public buildings at rates
much lower than those now charged.
Indeed, there are so many favorable
points in the propositions made by the
Twin City company that the ST. Paul
Gas Light company has already made
an apparent effort to meet competition
by announcing reduction in the rates
heretofore charged. Their announce.
ment that on and after the 1st of Sep
tember the price of ali gas will be re-
DUBBED from s. per 1,000 feet to Sl.15,
with discount OF 25 cents per 1000 on
bills paid on or before the tenth day of
each month, has g grim humor about it
to the consumers of fuel gas. The con-
sumers of fuel gas pay the heaviest
bills AMI use the same quality of gas.
Two bills, before and after Sept. l, as
they will be rendered TO the fuel con-
sumer, are here presented:
Exhibit A.
William Williams, Dr., to st. Paul Gas
Light Company.
Sept. l. 1894.
Aug. to 81. NJ feet fuel gas (a)
Less a5 per cent discount for fuel
gas. .............-...... l 90
Daiauce.. ................. 81 0U
Exhibit Ii.
William Williams, Dr., to st. Paul Gas
Light Company.
Oct. 1. 1894.
Sept. to so. NJ feet fuel gas (a)
Sl.T5. ......... MISREPRESENTATION. so %
Less 25 cents per NJ discount on
1uel gas. .......... "a
balanc9. ...........s ..s......... ~ 0u
Thus it will be seep that the reduction
announced by the st. Paul Gas Light
company does yot affect the price OF