The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-08

It will be seen that the ordinance diff fers quite materially from the existing franchise Of. the company for the sup ply of gas.
 City Attorneys Statement.
 City Attorney Steiner in talk with an Advertiser representative yesterday gave the following summary of the ad- vantages of the new franchise over the old one:
 Tn addition to the requirements of the old ordinance, the new has these advantages to the city:
 70 When a change of grade in the streets necessitates a change in pipes, the Light Company must do this at it's expense. and such change is left t. the City Engineer to determine.
 "t2) The Light Company is liable for damage resulting from laying of pipes and excavation and agrees to hold the city harmless from these.
 "(3) It is required to furnish gas for heating also
 20 It limits the right of the com pany to charge for gas. The other or dinance did not. This ordinance lim- its the cosl of gas for lighting to $l.62 per 1000; for heat to $1 .08 per 1000.
 "(5) This ordinance is not exclusive. The Council can grant any other com pany the same right.
 '(6) The old ordinance did not compel the company to furnish gas to build ings not in reasonable distance of mains. This ordinance requires the company to lay mains to all houses in the city limits. regardless of distance.
 co This ordinance requires the com pany at once to begin replacing old pipes and extending new mains and to continue as rapidly as possible.
 he pany to deposit money with the City Treasurer in advance of disturbing paved streets, to be used as a guaran- tee to replace.
 "(s) It limits the franchise to fifty years, just the same as the old one."
 Power Company Official Talks.
 A representatives of the Montgom- cry Light and Power Company was seen, and asked to make as full statement about the matter as he de- sired. The following is his statement:
 The reasons given by the Montgom- cry Light and Power Company for de- string action on the gas franchise in advance of the expiration of the old franchise Is because 1t Is now losing B Ia per cent of the gas made. from leakage due to old and rotten pipes, and 1t is desired to renew these and make large extensions and costly inn provements.
 The cost of these will be in the neighborhood of $60,000, and the com pany is now in position to get this money on favorabl terms, but cannot get it. unless the lenders know that new franchise would be granted, ana in addition, the company could not af- ford to spend this amount of money un- der franchise lasting only fourteen months.
 "If the ordinance passed Monday night is approved by the Mayor, as doubtless it will be. all restrictions nec- essary having been thrown about 1t, the company is pledged to begin this work of renewal and extension at once, and the policy of the company will be forced to be an extension of its mains to those who now have not the benefit of gas."
 As to the Councils Course.
 The allegation that the franchise ex- tension was put through hurriedly and without sufficient knowledge on the part of the public. was inquired into.
 It is stated that the ordinance was introduced at the last regular meeting of the Council on the 3rd of July, and that it appeared in the official pro- ceedings of the hody as printed in The Evening Journal.
 Examination of The Advertisers news account of the Council proceed ings the morning after reveals that no vote of it app cared. MT. D. W. McIver. who reports the Council pro- cee dings for The Advertiser. states that it must have been an oversight on his part. He heard nothing of tho ordi- nance that night or since, until the meeting Monday night when the conl- mittee nls de its report.
 Alderman Fleming says 1t was con sidered at several meetings of the Committe on Franchises. MesSrs. Elem ing, Ruth and Hartley. It was finally considered at a joint meeting of the Committe on Franchises and the Com nittee or Streets on Monday night lust h.fn Ah