The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-08
Gas FOR GREAT FALLS
Indications of a Plant, as Solid
Men Consider the Matter.
ANDREW JENSENS SCHEME
Capitalists in the East Looking in This
Direction for Profitable Investment
of Their Wealth = The Plan
Favorably Received

Great Falls, Jan. THE city council
will be asked, probably at its next meet
ing, on Monday evening, to grant a
franchise for a gas plant and gas COM
pany to Gen. Andrew Jensen and his
associates. The protector of the new
company was seen this afternoon and
asked in regard to the proposed COM
pany and its purposes. He said:
The scheme is not new one. Away
back in 1892 l had the matter under
consideration. having at that time
talked it over with New York capital
lists who were anxious to take it up
and put in a plant We were in the
course of our Investigations when the
financial panic came on and that put
an end to our plans. as it did to many
other projects in this and other cities
of the West
Il had nearly forgotten the matter
until | was in the East short time ago
and the gentlemen who had been inter-
ested before brought up the matter and
suggested that when ] returned to this
JcityI investigate and find out what
chances such a scheme would have.
Accordingly when | got back to this
city. some two weeks ago. 1 went to
= work. and with the aid and advice of
Paris Gibson. obtained and forwarded
To New York all of the necessary data.
While everything that | learned in
clined me to look with more and more
favor on the proposition to put in gas
plant, ! was still somewhat surprised
to have my friends wire me to go
ahead and obtain a franchise from the
city.
The fact that the Boston e. Montana
Smelling company has been so success
full with its gas plant and the eheapness
of slack coal, which can be had here at
about S1.25 per ton. no doubt had much
to do with my friends decision to enter
the field. You know ii has been the ex-
perience in the East that while the
coming of the electric light had a ten
dency at first to drive the old gas COM
panies out of business. the invention
and manufacture of new and improved
gas burners has put them back where
they were and they are now competing
successfully with the electric light COM
panies.
II shall ask for a 20-year contract,
and the council. il it sees fit to grant it.
may impose such time restrictions as
are proper to subserve the interests of
the city The plant in itself, exclusive
of mains and the rest. win cost at least
100000, and altogether the plant Will
mean an expenditure of probably
800. 900.
IF we get a franchise we propose to
start work in the spring, just as soon
as the frost gets out of the ground.
While do not care at the present time
10 give the names of the people backing
me. l can assure you that they have
plenty of capital and mean business,
and If we get a franchise from the
council you will see plant here and in
operation before a year from this
time"
Mr.. Jensen is one of the early set
tiers in this city. having come here from
the East in 1886 He has always been
one of the leading business men of the
city and is commonly credited with
more than the average amount of en-
terprse and push. In September, 1890,
the city granted a franchise to the
Great Falls Electric Light & Gas COM
pany. but the same was not used and
lapsed by limitation in the following
year. 1t was stated at the time that
the franchise was obtained for specu-
latiVe purposes. OF late years it has
been the custom of the council to re-
quire cash forfeit to insure good fat h
so that the present move cannot be
speculative in its nature.