The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-02-07

1t is definitely known that the ordin.
ance awarding a franchise to the new
ly formed Consumers Gas company,
which Is to be introduced IN select
council tonight, will contain no provi-
sion fixing the price to be charged for
gas.
The ordinance will provide that the
company shall furnish gas free to the
Municipal building, station houses and
fire houses for the term of ten years.
but further than this the company will
not go. Its promoters will agree to fur
nish gas at n cheaper price than that
now charged by the present company.
but they Will not agree to have this
price named In the franchise.
This Is the point on which the fight
on the ordinance will undoubtedly be
made. Select Councilman c. f. Chit
tenden and Common Councilman II. Il.
Paine, both of whom were seen by
Tribune man yesterday afternoon, stat
ed that they would not vote for the
ordinance unless 1t expressly stipulated
certain maximum price TO be charged
lower than the present price and un-
less an amendment was inserted Civ
ing the city power to acquire the plant
after the expiration OF term of years.
Mr.. ttenden said that he believed
gas could be furnished in this city at
a big profit If sixty cents per thousand
feet were charged, and he stated that
he would in all probability not vote for
the measure unless the new company
agreed to furnish it at that figure. Mr..
Paine was inclined to think that sixty
cents was little bit too low for a
maximum figure and said that seventy
five cents would be mora like 1t.
ACTUAL COST Is LOW.
There's almost nothing so cheap To
manufacture as gas said Mr.. Chit
tenden, land l believe that it could he
furnished in this city at sixty cents
and give the company great big profit.
The cheap quality of watered gas which
we are at present receiving and which
up to yesterday we have been paying
l.10 for. costs the company consider
ably less than ten cents to manufac-
ture.
There's millions in the gas business
when dollar or more per thousand is
| charged. In certain places in England
| where coal costs just double what it
| costs here in the heart of the greatest
| coal region in the world, gas is fur
| nshed today for sixty cents. If we
don't get the price down low and have
| that price contained in this new fran
| chise there's possibility that the pres
ent company may gobble it up just as
soon as it is granted"
| A. j. Casey. who is one of those be-
hind the new movement. stated yester-
day afternoon to Tribune man that
the new company did not agree to have
a price stipulated in the ordinance.
| I'VE will promise the citizens OF
Scranton" said he. that we will fur
nish them better and cheaper gas than
| they are now receiving"
Just how much cheaper Mr.. Casey
would not say. The reporter suggest.
ed that some of the councilmen We're
suggesting that seventy-hve cents
would be a proper price for the new
company to charge.
AT A FAIR FIGURE.
"Well. now, you know that if gas was
furnished at seventy-five cents that
would be getting it down pretty fine" "
said Mr. Casey. Wen agree to sell
gas at a fair figure. which will be con-
but | won't say whether it will be as
low as seventyfive cents or not. We
will equip "a plant if we get the fran
chise with the very latest devices for
manufacturing gas and we will have
none of the out-of-datc appliances OF
the present company.
I'VE will seek to obtain the fran
chise solely upon its merits, and If we
obtain it there is no possibility Of its
being sold to the Scranton Gas and
Water company. ! think 1t is more
likely that they would want to sell
out to MS. The price of gas was re-
duced today. see. to a dollar a thous-
and. The citizens of Scranton shouh
be thankful to us if it was only fol
the securing of that reduction"
A copy of the charter OF the Con-
sumers' Gas company received in this
city yesterday shows that 1t is capital.
lied at $1,000, fifty shares of 800 divid-
ed as follows: James r. Gallagher, OF
Wilkes Barre. forty-siX shares; +. G
Brown, of Wilkes Barre, one share