The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-25
THEY ARE IN NO HURRY
The Judiciary Committee Dis
cusses the Gas Franchise.
THINKS 1T TOO Indefinite
The Council Desires Further Informa-
ton as to the Kind Of Plant MIR.
Jensen and His Associates
Propose to Put In.

Great Falls, Jan. 24.-After week of
work uRon the proposed franchise
granting to Andrew Jensen and his as
sociates. the judiciary committee of the
city council was unable this evening
to make any definite report. The fran
chise, as 1t now stands. they consider
too indefinite for granting. One of the
members of the committee said to-day
in regard to the matter: There Is not
a member of the council who is not
heartily in favor of granting such a
franchise that would bring a gas plant
to this city. While its existence here
would undoubtedly tend to restrict the
price of other methods of lighting to
reasonable amounts it would not neces-
sarily come into active competition
with the present or any other electric
light plant. Many prefer gas for do
mestic uses to any other form of light
or heat, and the establishment of a
plant of this kind in the city would lead
sooner or later to the use of gas in the
kitchen range and for heating purposes.
$50 far as / can judge the object of
the city council in taking time to con-
slider the granting of the franchise Is
the protection of the taxpayers and cit
liens of Great Falls. In the past fran
chises have been granted by the pre-
ceding councils without thought for the
future. In consequence some were used
merely for speculative purposes and
some never went into effect. 1t is for
the purpose of entirely shutting out
such abuses that the council in the past
two or three years has exacted a for
felt from persons and firms to whom
franchises have been granted, and so
far the practice has resulted well. 1t
will undoubtedly be adopted in this
case.
THE present difficulty in the way of
tat.
mittee and the council is that the fran
chise as presented for granting is alto
gether too indefinite, as | have said.
There are many different kinds of gas
plants and the council would like to
know just what kind of plant 1t is
proposed to put in. When that has
been determined then the terms of the
franchise can be made. On that one
thing rests the matter of location. the
length of time necessary to put in the
plant and have it completed and a
dozen other matters. But you may rest
assured that just as soon as the
grantees state plainly what they intend
and desire to do and comply with the
conditions named by the council they
will get a franchise. At the present
time we can only correspond with other
Western cities where conditions are
parallel or nearly so with those that OBJ
tain in Great Falls, and in general post
ourselves fully on the subject
Saturday evening Andrew Jensen tel
egraphed his attorneys, Stanton &
Stanton, that he had met his principals
in New York, and everything looked
well for the building of the plant. A
company was being organized for the
purpose and so far as capital was con-
cerned there would be no lack. George
H. Stanton stated that Mr.. Jensen was
in no hurry for the granting of the
franchise, and had advised the council
10 look into the matter thoroughly be-
fore acting.