The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-02-05

NEW GAS PLANT.

At the adjourned hearing before the
city council, held on Thursday even
ing, the amended petition of the Capt.
tai City Gas Company for a franchise
was granted Those present were
practically the same as at the previ-
Gus hearing
All the members of the council were
in favor of the franchise but did not
want to go beyond their legal rights.
The hitch in the minds of the men,
bers was the last clause in the fran
chise relating to its life stipulation,
that the period of its existence shall be
that of the said company as incorpor-
ated provided that the terms and con-
ditions under which it is granted are
at al. times fully complied with.
1t was held that the Legislature,
not the council had the power to leg
islate and that this council could not
bind its successors so that they could
not govern the operations of the COM
pany.
The corporators held that unless
they were granted the privilege of us
ing any and all streets in the city in
which to lay it's mains the franchise
would be useless to them. If that
right was only given on Main, State
and Barre streets, they might be tied
| up later from branching into other
| streets The council agreed that the
company should have this right except
on Langdon street, which was except
ed because of the conditions made
with the Langdon estate when the
city accepted the street as gift. The
company SHALL however, erect it's
plant and lay its mains on the streets
named, Main, State and Barre, with
in eighteen months of the date of the
permit or all the rights under the
same shall be forfeited or void
Alderman Laird urged that in view
of all the facts that the price of gas
furnished to the city should be re-
duced from 81 per 1000 feet to 70 cents.
Aldermen Galaise and Wheelock
contended that this might raise the
price of gas to the consumers as the
company might not be able to furnish
it at that price except at a loss and the
people would have to pay more in
consequence. That a good gas plant
furnishing gas at fair rate should be
a benefit to the city as a whole and
not to the small degree of city light
ing. Alderman Laird's motion, sec
onded by Alderman Harlow, to grant
the franchise was unanimously car
ried.
Fred Blanchard thanked the council
on the part of the company for it's ac.
ton and asserted that first class up.
to-date gas plant would be the result
with low prices to the consumer
The council then transacted some
routine business. The requisition Of
the overseer of the poor for 800 was
granted Alderman Wheelock asked
if the bill of the Montpelier ant
Wells River railroad for building tn,
crossing at Granite street had beer
presented. 1t was learned that it haC
been handed to Alderman Harlow tina
very evening. Alderman Wheelocl
objected to the bill being referred t,
the committee on claims of which h,
is member, He said the bill hat
been a disputed charge and while h
had opposed the road he was willing
to vote to pay all in the bill that wa
just
Alderman Laird suggestion to Alder
man Wheelock that it was little lat
for them to try and win the railroad
, support for the Office of Mayor brough
down the house and as Alderman
Greene, another of the committee
was i'll, the bill was referred to tn
, committee on claims.