The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-03-18
GAS coMpANy's PROPOSITION
flakes an Offer of Free Gas to the
City and Agrees on Dollar Gas.

AlakeS an Offer OF Free Gas to the
City and Agrees on Dollar Gas.
The lola Gas Company made a
proposition to the city council We'd
nesday which ought to and will settle
the question of their good faith in the
minds of the people. This step has
been under consideration for some
time and was delayed until after the
election for fear of the misconstruc-
ton of motive which its submission
during the gas fight would have sub
jected it, BY the terms of this propo-
sition the company agrees that the
council through the city attorney, go
before the district court at its next
session, this month, and obtain such
a decree from the court in the matter
of fixing the price of gas as will salts
fly the council This decree to be
binding upon the present company
and its successor or assigns. Further
more as an evidence that it is not
seeking the life blood of the city the
Company agrees to furnish gas to the
city, for streets, city hall and engine
room, free during the life of its fran
'chise.
The chief cause for Iola's recent
strife and trouble was the fear that
the price of gas would be raised after
January 6, 1899. The council now
has the power to bind the company
for all time and 1t owes it to itself and
to the people of lola to bind the Com
pany to dollar gas and forever settle
the much vexed question.
The council referred the proposition
to the Judiciary committee which is
composed of Steyer, Ling and Dunfee.
The proposition, which Is interesting
reading, Is given below.
lola. Kansas, March 8, 1898.
To the Honorable Mayor and Council
men of the City of lola:
The lola Gas Company has always
admitted that the Decree of the Dis
trict Court of Allen County, Kansas,
in the case of the Allen County Gas
Company versus the City of lola, ct al
was binding upon itself and it's sue
cessors during the entire lifetime of
their franchise.
When said decree was made and
entered ii was the intention that it
should be binding upon the gas COM
pany aud its successors for the time
mentioned, and the lola Gas Company
has at all times insisted that the de.
cree as made and entered was and is
in fact binding upon it and its success
sors for the said period.
However, in view of the fact that it
has been suggested thar the said de-
cree so far as it relates to the prices
which the gas company and its sue
cessors may charge for gas, will he OF
no force or effect after January @, 1899,
this company in order to remove all
doubt which may be entertained in
regard to that matter, respectfully
submit 10 your honorable body the
following propositions:
The lola Gas Company hereby a
grees that the city attorney or any at.
torney that may be selected by the
mayor aud councilmen OF the said city
may by application to the District
Court of Allen County, Kansas, secure
such order aud decree rs shall in the
Judgment of said court bind this com
pany aud its successors during the
life of their franchise to the terms -
the said decree as it relates to the
prices to be charged for gas; and We
respectfully request your Honorable
body to instruct the city attorney, oil
some attorney to be selected by you
to secure said order al the next tern
of the District Court of A lien County
which cOnvenes at lola on the 2ls
day of March, 1898, aud We assure yor
that this company will make no OPP
position to the rendition OF said ordel
and judgment, but on the contrary
will voluntarily waive all tormalIties
enter its appearance in the Dlstric
Court of said county, and consent t,
the same.
The lola Gas Company further de
sires to inform your honorable bod,
that it IS willing to furnish and here
by tenders to the City of lola all ga
necessary to light the public streets o
said city and to heat and light the cit!
hall, calaboose and engine house q
said city, free of charge for the full
term of its franchise. The said ga
shall be taken by the city at the main
of this company; the Welsbach lam
is to be used for said lights, and salt
lights to be burned during nights onl.
If at any time this company shall b
unable TO furnish said gas by reason
of insufficiency of gas or other una
voidable causes, said company shall