Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-04-29

dinance passed Feb. 25. 1895. granting
a tif.y-year franchise. subject to all
general ordinances regarding gas com.
panics then In force. the company
agreeing to charge a fixed maximum
price of so cents per 1000 cubic feet
to general consumers and IS cents to
the city, or $40 per annum for each
street lamp consuming four cubic feet
per hour, including the labor of light.
ing and extinguishing the same. the
city expressly rescrving its require
ments of this labor as part of the con-
sidcration for the ordinance; also that
| the company shall pay the city not less
than 31a per cent. of Its gross receipts;
make statement annually under oath
of It's gross receipts to the Comptroller,
who shall have free access to Its books
at all times; submit its meters to In.
spectOn and quality of gas to test. as
prescribed: eXpend on its works at least
100000 within twenty.four months
from acceptance of ordinances: manu-.
facture and distribute five million feet
| of gas every thirty days within three
years from date of acceptance: and the
ordinance prescribes as accepted that
the price to consumers shall never OK.
coed the rate prescribed by the ordin.
ancc; that the company shall not
charge any person for service pipe. but
shall lay the same ut its own expense.
and the company agrees and did give
bond of 100000 as surety that all the
provisions of the ordinance shall be
faithfully carried out. under unlimited
liability for damages, and that at the
expiration of the life of the ordinance
the city shall have the right of fran.
chlse Mt an agreed appraised value.
CHICAGO ECONOMIC FUEL GAS
COMPANY.--An ordinance passed
July II. 1891. conveying franchise for
fifty years for the supply of both man
ufactured and natural gas. upon the
same general provisions and require.
ments governing the other companies.
especially the provision of Section IL.
which provides that in ease the said
company should at any time in any
manner enter into u combination iii.
rcctly or indirectly with any other gas
company, its ordinance and privileges
should become null and void and all
rights revert to the city without refer
cncc to any court or legal appeal. The
| company agreed to charge for illumi-
mating gas Sl.1O per 1000 cubic feet.
with 10 cents reduction per 1000 feet
for prompt payment, and 90 cents per
1000 for natural ana fuel gas. with
10 cents reduction for prompt payment:
agreeing and contracting also to pay
the city . per cent. on gross receipts
from illuminating gas and 3 per cent.
on gross receipts from sale of natural
or manufactured fuel gas. ana to fur
nlsh gas to the city for Sl1.50 per street
lamp post per year.
on THE GOTH DAY or FEBRU.
AIRY. 1892. u preamble and resolution
was passed by the City Council. re-
pcaling the above Chicago Economic
Fuel Gas Company ordinance. and
declaring all pipes ana connections In
the streets Of the city to he city proper
~. In accordance with the provisions
of the ordinance regarding forfeiture.
and upon the ground that II majority of
the stock Of said company had passed
into the hands of the Gas Trust.
THE OGDEN. 1t Il now currently
reported, ana there are grounds for be-
lief. that the Ogden Gas Company has
entered upon u contract with the Gas
Trust agreeing not to extend Its plant
or pipes any further for u period of
three years.
ALL EvADII THE LAW. All of the
above companies ana corporations
have cvaded the plain letter and legal
requirements OF their franchises ana
by the terms OF said franchises have
forfeited every right and privilege con-
tracted for with the city and conveyed
professionally by ordinance.
VIOLATE FRANCHISES. 1t IL pro.
vlded In m ACT regulating the condi.
tons for the granting OF rights and
privileges for lighting and heating pur.
poses by cities, also passed by the late
40TH ASSEMBLY. mat no gas COM
pnny In future shall be granted privi.
legcs Of building or extension OF mains
and pipes, except they secure petitions
signed by owners Of more than one.
half the frontage Of each mile nnd frac.
ton of mile Of any street or alley.
which requirement. Is designed to pro.
tcct the merge companies In their ille-
gal evasion Of contract obligations,
ana prevents any competition, through
the organization and operation OF new
companies. now and forever In the fr-
ture. ana sold ACT IL directly In con-
filct with the ordinances passed ana
franchise contracts mutually entered
into by the city ana gas companies,
which latter gained valuable rights
ana privileges thereby. and whose d,i.
ties ana obligations, rs well as the
rights Of the city anu Of Its citizens, are
therein specified, Reserved and pre-
scrbed.
CAN RAISE THE PRICE. The IN
FAMOUS "GAS CONSOLIDATION"
ACT provides that after one year the
GAS TRUST may charge any rate
charged by any company with which
merger or consolidation Is made. as.
for instance, with the PEOPLES GAS
LIGHT AND COKE COMPANY,
which has perpetual franchise from
the State ana may charge as much as
S2,I5 per 1000 cubic feet to the city
and 81 per 1000 feet to general con-
sumers, thencefOrth and forever.
PREME COURT AGAINST
si,U