Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-06-15
A HEARING Held
On that PaWtuCket Gas
Co. Franchise.
HOW THE TERMS READ
Gen. Wilsea OF Providence Argues
Ably in Favor Of 1t.

Last evening at the City Hall the City
Council Committee on Street Lights gave
q hearing on the matter OF granting the
PawtucketyGas Co. an exclusive franchise
for twenty years. Councilman Philo T..
Thayer, chairman OF the committee, pre-
sided, and all OF the members were pres
ent; also a number OF officials Of the Gas
Co. and other interested citizens.
The terms of the franchise as presented
to the committee, are In brief, as follows
The city of Pawtucket is to grant to
the Pawtucket Gas Co. the exclusive right
for 20 years to lay, conduct and maintain
pipes and conduits, and to erect poles and
run wires and maintain the same from
time to time for the purpose OF distribut-
Ing gas and supplying electricity for
lighting and heating, with all necessary
and convenient appurtenances as may be
required for the conduct OF the said Dusi-
ness Of the Pawtucket Gas 20. In, over,
along, through and under the streets
aud highways OF the city, provided that
the exclusive rights herein granted shall
be construed to include the distribution
OF electrical power, when such power Is
to or shall be used for manufacturing or
distributing electricity for lighting or
heating ,and to include the distribution
of gas for power. For this franchise the
Gas company Is to observe and perform
all the conditions, limitations, obliga-
tions and restrictions imposed by tine
Public Laws; also to Fay into the City
Treasury tax upon the gross earnings,
In quarterly payments, at the rate OF
per cent. per annum for the first 10 years,
and at the rate Of / 1-2 per cent. per
annum for the second 10 years
of said term Git Is stated kthat at the pres
ent rate the city will receive about 81 SOC
per year, The Gas Co. also agrees, In
consideration of the renewal OF the con.
tract for street lighting for five years from
May 1885, to change the 81 full arc lights
to divided arc lights at price $50 less pei
year, thereby saving the city 81 300 pei
year; also the Gas Co. agrees that In al
future contracts that may be made fol
supplying gas and electricity for the use
of the city, the price or prices to be psit
therefor by the city shall, in case OF th'
failure to agree on the same, be determined
by three competent and disinterested per
sons.
Gen. Charles A. Wilson of Providence
appeared as counsel for the Gas Co., anC
opened the proceedings with an address
In which he quoted from eminent au'
thorities to show that the granting o
such franchises is for the benefit OF The
community. He then argued that th'
terms of the franchise are fair. By its
terms the city Of Pawtucket will receive
O,OOO In the 20 years. To refuse such az
offer is to lose $4,000 for the city. Al
there Is no other firm or corporation a
the present time in condition to perform
this service, there must be some weighty
reason for refusing this offer. No
should it be forgotten that As per cent
OF the entire stock OF the company II
held by women and estates, and 63 PEI
cent. is held by residents and taxpayer
Of the city. He also quoted from the re-
port of the Massachusetts Gas Commits
sicn the statement to the effect that for {
town or city TO allow the use of th'
streets by competitive companies Is inde
fensible as matter Of public policy. Il
is the consensus of opinion OF scientih,
writer's that it Is not public policy fol
municipalities to allow competition tt
enter in the matter of gas or electric light
ing, or of electric railroads, as the result
ID uulIormly Cousoiiudtiou anu ComDlua'
tion, the cost Of which invariably falls
upon the poor consumer.
James l.. jerks, ESQ.,, appeared for the
Messrs. Gof of the Bridge Mill Power Co
He gave brief sketch of the "franchise
law"-chapter 975-which, he said, was
passed for the purpose of preventing and
che ecking monopoly, not for encouraging
monopoly, and the attempt of the Paw.
tucket Gas Company to get a monopoly
under the law is psrversion Of the in
tent OF the law. Under this law, but
one exclusive franchise has been granted
In this State-in the city of Provi-
dence-and that city is now very sorry