The Saint Paul globe., 1903-10-04
Increasing Business With the
Globe Increases Business
for Business Men.
SUNDAY, OCT. q, 1903.
THE PEOPLE AND THE GAS
FRANCHISE

There has been surprisingly little
public discussion of the proposed
franchise to the st. Paul Gas Light
company. Probably this is because
the subject was so thoroughly
considered by the franchise COM
definite was reached. Most people
have accepted these as the final word
on the subject. Yet nothing has been
done, and the ordinance that will de-
termine public interests of vast mag
nitude for nearly a generation to come
is now pending before the city coun-
Gil.
The situation, briefly, is this. The
franchise of the present gas company
expires Jan. 1, 1907. The city
charter provides strict conditions,
IN compliance with which only
franchises may be granted here
after. The ST. Paul Gas Light COM
pany agrees to a franchise within
these lines. 1t offers to furnish gas to
the people of st. Paul after Jan. 1,
1904, at $1.15 per thousand, for the
year following at $1.10, for the next
year at $1.05, and after Jan. 1, 1907, at
$1.00 per thousand feet. In addition
it agrees to pay per cent on its gross
earnings as license tax to the city. e
1t agrees to extend its pipes as rap
idly as possible to st. Anthony Park,
and the common council is to have the
right under the new franchise to regu-
late. the charges of the company, pro-
vided that all rates must be reason
able. 1t is provided in the franchise
that the company shall be allowed to
make a minimum service charge of
$1.00 per month upon each user of gas,
without regard to the quantity con-
sumed.
The city must either establish a mu-
nicipal lighting plant of it's own, for
which authority must be secured
from the legislature and funds
raised; or it must make such
terms as it can with the ex-
new franchise to some competing COM
pany, in order to have public lighting.
BY no arrangement except some agree
ment with the st. Paul Gas Light com
pany can any relief from the present
scale of charges be secured prior to
Jan. 1, 1907, to which date it's franchise
extends.
What ought the community to do?
In answer to this question T h e
Glob e desires to solicit the freest
possible expression of opinion from
the people of st. Paul. They are all
individually interested in this matter.
Their representatives in the city coun-
ell may or may not know what views
they hold, but it is certainly due to
them and to the community that there
be fuller discussion than has vet talk
en- place. T e Clio e has no specific
course to urge upon the public, but it
has certain views about the franchise
which it will state plainly.
We believe that the first alternative
that of a municipal lighting plant
should be dismissed abruptly and for
good. We think this not merely be-
cause there are legislative and. finan-
cial difficulties to be overcome, but be-
cause we disbelieve utterly and totally
in the principle of municipal opera
ton and ownership of public utilities
Where mere service is to be rem
dered, as in the case Of the water sys-
tem' where public supervision only is
required, municipal ownership is in
place and is successful. Where a busi
ness Is essentially manufacturing, as
1lat Of the gas company. municipal