Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1901-07-11
City Council Discusses Proposed
Franchise of Citizens Electric
Light Co.
Different Views of the Granting of
Franchise Taken by Alder
men.
Contract For Grading GIaspeIl Hill
Road Was Let to Harry
Past.

The adjourned meeting of the city
council held Friday evening was at
tended by Mayor Rose and all the al
dermen. The meeting was an unus-
ually interesting one from the tact
that draft of new ordinance for the
Citizens Electric Light Company was
submitted by the electric light COM
mittee. In the discussion some point
ed remarks were made and past
records ruthlessly dug up. The out
come of all the discussion was that
nothing was done except to order the
auditor to have 20 extra copies OF the
proposed franchise typewriter SO
that members of the council and others
might have an opportunity to read it.
City Auditor Eager read the fran
chise. 1t provides that the city snail
be paid IS cents per pole for all placed
on 5th avenue, 5Ocents for those placed
on other streets and Is cents for those
placed in alleys.
The charges for street arc lights
from dark to a. m. shall be $3.50.
On moonlight scedule the charges
shall be $3.50. The lights to be Of
1000 candle power each. Arc lights
for commercial places to be lighted to
not later than 10 O'Clock shall be ST
for one light, Sc for ten. Over ten
lights soc per month per light. Arc
lights burned until II O'Clock Sl.25,
ten lights $3.50. Over ten at rate OF
Is cents each. All night schedule,
one light 50, eight s1O.75.
Incandescent. Residence one, 70
cents, five for $3.50, ten for So. All to
be of l6 candle power. A proportion
ate charge will be made for lights
used with a-meter.
The company agrees to furnish
water to the city at the rate OF 81 for
100000 gallons, the city to furnish the
pump and 100000 gallon tank.
The city according to the franchise
NAV buy the plant the same to be ap-
praised by one man selected by city,
one by company and the third by the
two already selected.
Alderman Klaus moved that the
ordinance be given its first reading.
This motion started the discussion
which was prolonged for couple OF
hours.
Mayor Rose thought there should be
a revision of rates every 5 years. lie
also thought the time was not ripe 1or
a new electric light plant. The water
supply question had not been solved
ahd there was question whether IL
would not be cheaper for the city TO
erect a pumping station WIN ah
electric light plant in connection.
Alderman Chapman had noticed
that there was nothing said about
erecting new plant in the franchise.
According to the new rates he would
be paying more than at present. tie
opposed the rushing through OF any
franchise 50 important and noted a
disposition on the part of the electric
light company to do so. Only few
months ago Mr.. Hughes came before
the council and asked for franchise.
Mr.. Masters opposed the granting OF
same and stated that there was not
room enough for two companys, II
would simply mean warfare, cutting
of rates below profit and when one
of the companys was frozen out the
people would pay for it. II it was
wrong then why not now? The speaker
did not believe that it would be a good
plan to give any company a franchise
until the water question had been set
tied. 1t may be necessary to put in
pumping station and if SO a lighting
plant could be operated in connection
Alderman Kurtz expressed himself
as not liking the water clause. He be.
lieved it to be laying the first stepping
stone to a monopoly OF the waterworks
system.
w. B. S. Trimble of the new com.
pany explained that the water clause
was put in at the request Of the com
mittee-that the company would glad
" strike it out.
o. J. Seller of the company said II
would be quite agreeable to all con
cerned to have rates adjusted every
five years. He thought it likely that
aldermen would be honest five years