The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1900-04-12

| De Iurnlsned anu paced Dy the grantees
ut their own expense, and they must al
SO furnish each consumer free of charge
a good gas meter to remain the property
of the grantees or their successors They
are allowed to charge minimum rate
of 500 per year, and when any consum-
ers gas-bill for year amounts to less
than 3d. 90 they can add enough to the
bill to bring it up to that amount except
when the house has been vacant during
80 days or more. The right to charge
the minimum 50. 90 is to cease whenever
gas has been used on the premises for
eight consecutive years. An important
clause is that requiring the gas-works to
be so situated and managed as not to
cause complaint or become nuisance to
the inhabitants of the city. The gran
tees and their successors must furnish
gas at all times during the life of the
franchise to any inhabitant or citizen of
Manitowoc at a price not exceeding 81. 80
per thousand cubic feet for illumi
mating purposes, and for fuel, cook
ing, heating and power purposes at a
price not exceeding 81. e5 per thousand
cubic feet; such prices to be sub
ject to discount of % cents per
thousand cubic feet if paid within ten
days after bill rendered Gas for all
purposes is to be furnished to the city at
LOO per thousand cubic feet without
discount, and to the public library free
of charge. The mains must be extended
at the expense of grantees to meet the
demand of prospective consumers wher-
ever at least one consumer for every 100
feet of the extension of mains so made
necessary shall first agree in writing to
take gas from the grantees, but the ex-
tension need not be made until frost is
out of the ground Mains are to be laid
not more than "a inches outside the curb
lines of streets. and ON streets about to
be paved the city can require double
line of mains, each line not more than
"a inches from it's curb, all connections
to be made to the main nearest the prop
erty of the consumer. The city reserves
the option to buy the plant if during the
life of the franchise it is offered for sale,
by offering the same price offered bona
fide by any other person or corporation.
At the end Of the twenty five year term,
and every year thereafter, the city shall
have the right to purchase the plant by
giving the owners thereof one months
notice of its intention so to do The
valuation of the plant is to be determin-
ed, in case the city and the owners can
not agree upon it, as follows:
Three disinterested persons shall be
chosen, not residents nor property own
ers of Manitowoc county, one by the
city, one by the owners and the third
by these two, and in case either the city
or the owners fail to SO select, the judge
of the circuit court on application of the
other party may select and appoint an
appraiser on behalf of such neglecting
party who shall stand in all respects as
if chosen by the party on whose behalf
he was appointed. In case the first ap-
praisers chosen or appointed do not
agree upon "a third, the circuit Judge
may on the application of either party
appoint the third The three appraisers
shall be duly sworn and proceed to ap-
praise the plant, a majority of them de-
Gliding. In case the city decides to buy
at the appraised price, each party shall
pay one-haf the cost of the appraisal,
but should the city decline to purchase
at that price it must pay the whole cost
of appraisal. If the sale is consummat-
ed, the city shall within twelve months
after appraisal pay to the owners the
amount Of the valuation, and the latter
shall thereupon convey TO the city all
their right title, privilege and franchise
in the gas works, the city assuming the
performance of all uncompleted gas con-
tracts. The franchise provides that no
exclusive right to manufacture, distrib-
ute and sell gas shall be conveyed by it,
reserving the right to grant other fran
chises for the same purpose at any time.
The grantees must file with the city clerk
within ten days after the passage of the
ordinance their acceptance of the fran
chise, in writing, otherwise it fails and
becomes of no effect
1t is a first class franchise, and its pass
age insures the people of the city cheap
fuel and light within few months,
which is after all the thing primarily to
be attained 1t is matter for general
congratulation that the council have fin
ally settled this vexing question in Il
way so advantageous to consumers OF
light and heat. The grantees of the
franchise are well known busir IS men
of the city, and they can be relied on to
push the construction of their plant, and
to give satisfactory service when it is
completed