Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1898-02-12

" 4hL' w dlSoI W pItpdIO d
plat of the town were looked up and
they showed that the price for doing
so was to be $50. Mr.. Watson, how
ever, had presented bill for $75.
Watson was asked to explain. He
SAID that Council had agreed to allow
him his expenses in addition to the $50.
After some controversy between
Councilmen Nickel and Mr.. Watson,
Mr.. Nickel moved that the map be
accepted at the price named-$75.
Carried.
Bailiff Bowen stated that he had
taxes amounting to sos against the
Llewellyn estate, which was in such a
complicated condition that he hardly
knew how to proceed to collect.
DR.. Griffith moved that the matter
be placed in the hands of the Attorney.
Carried.
The reading of bills then proceeded.
All were read that had been approved
by the Finance committee, when the
Mayor asked if there were any bills
that had not been approved
DR.. Griffith, of the committee, said
there was one-that of the Gas com
pany, which was on the same order as
the one that had been disputed at the
last meeting. He objected to APPROX
ing it because no one seemed to know
whether the gas had been used or not.
The superintendent of the Gas com
pany did not know, and the firemen
stated that they had used lanterns
He also wanted to know why the Welsh
Baptist and Episcopal churches should
be favored with lights when the others
were not.
Mayor said that he objected to the
price. He had refused to sign the bill
that was passed at the last meeting
until to-day on that account, and if
they were all of his opinion the Gas
company would furnish gas at their
price--$l 40 per month for each hose
house. or put in Il meter, which they
had refused to do only on certain con-
dltions, stating further that he had
some correspondence with the Super
lnlendent of the Gas company, wherein
conditions We're imposed before they
would consent to place meters in the
hose-houses, and called for the cor
respondence.
The Superintendent of the Gas com
pany asked permission TO explain his
company's side of the case. but was
summary raped down by His Honor,
who ordered the Clerk to read the
correspondence handed him by Mr..
johnson.
The Clerk then read the two letters
the Mayor had received from the sup
erintendent of the Gas company, In
synopsis as follows:
IN fc firStr 70 f,,r
nish gas in Hill street hose-house lat 40
per month, or put meter in we would
respectfully remind you that we reserve the
right to fix our own prices for our own mer-
chandise. As to the alternative order, put
a meter ill.," we will do so if YOU will insure
us that you will use the gas long enough to
justify us in mourning the expense Of a meter,
pipes and cost of placing
On the 18th inst. superintendent
Smith again wrote as follows:
Owing to the small amount of gas used by
the town we will want assurance that the
gas will be used in hose-hOuse on Hill street
so long as the current contract with the other
light company exists before we can place
meter.
After the reading permission was
again asked by the Gas company's rep
resentative to explain his side of the
case. The request was granted by His
Honor with seeming reluctance, say
ing if there are no objections he can
speak. He (Smith) stated the condi-
tons under which gas was furnished
the hose-houses how, during the pres
ent Mayors former term he (the Mayor
had made arrangements with the Gas
company to light the hose-houses when
the other light company had refused
to extend their wires; that his CON-
pany had, in the dead of winter, dug
the frozen ground and laid pipes to
accommodate the Mayor and Council,
the terms to be at so much per month,
and the light to be attended to by the
tiremen. That was the reason he did
not know whether it burned or not.
He had been informed by Councilman
T. M. Price that the light did burn in
the Bowery street hose-house and the
committee from the Fire Department
had stated here this evening that gas
was used in the one on Federal hill.
Councilman T. NJ. Price stated that
he knew that the gas was used on
Bowery street.
d. d. Price objected to the payment
of the bill on the ground that there
had been an electric light placed in
the Bowery street room.
The Mayor again took the floor and
complained about the price, saying
that it used to be $1.4O per month,
whereas this bill was So. He went on
to explain that the Electric Light com
pany was negotiating for machinery
so that they could light Federal Hill,
and as quick as they could do it they
would put a light there. He did not,
however, refer to the fact that pre-
vious to the letting of his tive-year con-
tract he had heralded over the town
the statement that the town hall and
hose-houses aoere to be lighted free!
Mr.. Nickel said that he saw no
reason for all this controversy. If
they did not want the gas at the Gas
company's terms and prices, shut it
off. 1t was not reasonable to expect
the Gas company to furnish one light
on the same terms that they did when
the town was using 30 additional street
lamps, and he asked the question
whether the Electric Light company
would furnish one arc lamp for the
same price pro rata that they now fur
nished the whole town? "Besides,'
said he, 1.-THE contract with the Electric
Light company called for the lighting
of the hose-houses free, and because
their facilities did not allow them to
reach this particular place they could
not compel the Gas company to fur
nish light at Councils termsn' He