The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-20
Immediate Benefit.

The commission, therefore, con-
Guided that in addition to the advan-
| tages reserved in the charter the city
ought to be able to exact from COM
-pany receiving gaSiight franchise a
| cheaper rate and the necessary extern
| s1ons OF the service, these advantages
to commence at once instead of being
| postponed until after Jan. 1, 1907.
I There is only one company that is in
position to better the gas lighting
conditions in st. Paul until after Jan.
| l, 1907, and that, of course, is the st.
Paul Gas Light company. That COM
pany appears to be in a position to
underbid any other company that may
| come into the field; for not only can
| it offer to accept a franchise to take
| effect in 1907, upon terms equally IA
vorable to the city to those which could
! be made by any other company, but it
can offer, if it sees fit, during the next
| three &Years the additional considera-
| tons in the way of cheaper rates and ]
| the necessary extensions, things which
| 1T is not Within thef power of any other
person or company to give. These
| considerations made it clear to the
commission that the most satisfactory
I arrangements might be made with an
| established company! 4
i The commission. accordingly, early in
| the month of March of this year, in
waited the officials of the st. Paul Gas
/ Light company to appear before it and
state the position of that company with
regard to it's franchises, and whether
orr not the company desired to enter
| into negotiations with the city for adj
1 ditional franchise rights. The officials
Of the company, appeared before the
| commission and clearly outlined the
] position of the company, but without
making. anything in the nature Of a
definite proposition. The company
stated that SO far as its right to use.
the streets of the city for the purpose
of laying and maintaining gas pipes
was concerned the exclusive right
| could not be questioned by any one
| until Jan. 1, 1907.
Willing to Negotiate.
The companyzfurther made the claim
| that by renewing the company under
| the authority of the law before referred
to until 1850. 1t reneWedlits right to lay
| and maintain gas pipes in the streets
| for the purposes of itssbusiness. 1t was
/ stated, however, that In view of the
fact that the city disputed the validity
| of this claim, and the question could
| never be fully determined except after
| tedious litigation, the company was
Ewilling to enter into negotiations to see
4 If 1t would be possible to agree upon a
satisfactory basis for a new gas light
| Ing franchise.
/ The company also stated that so far
] as Its electric light rights were con-
| cerned, it was confident that the dura-
ton thereof was unlimited, and for this
treason the company did not care to
negotiate with the city for additional
! rights of this character. The negotia-
tons thus commenced have been con-
! tinued with the result that the COM
mission has succeeded in obtaining
from the companysan agreement to ac-
cept a gas hght5ng franchise upon
terms which the Commission feels JUS
| titled in advising the city to accept,
and which seem to the commission to
secure to the. city an adequate gas
| lighting and heating service upon eco
nomical termsa
The Agreement.
The st. PAUL. Gas Lighting company
| has agreed with the commission that
! if the common council will grant to 1t
a granchise to use the streets and al
| leys of the city for a period of twenty
five years from Jan. 1, 1907, for the
| purpose of maintaining it's present
| plant and laying and maintaining such
otherf mains and pipes as it may desire
| to use during the term of it's franchise,
| it will:
| First-Reduce net price of gas, COM
rnencing Jan. 1, 1904, or at such time as
| a franchise upon the terms agreed
|
| granted by the council, from $1.30 per
thousand cubic feet to $1.15 per thous-
and cubic feet; on Jan. 1, 1905, it will
| further reduce the net price Of gas to
| $1.10 per thousand cubic feet; on Jan
l, 1905, it will further reduce the net
price Of gas to $1.05 per thousand cubic
! feet; on Jan. 1, 1907, it will further re-
duce the net price of gas to 81 per
thousand cubic feet. The foregoing
prices are to be the net price to the
| company, and for the purpose of insur-
| ing prompt payment of bills the COM
| pany may add 20 cents per thousand
| cubic feet to each of the foregoing
prices on failure of the consumer to
pay his bill on or before the 10th day
of the next succeeding month.
Whenever the amount of gas used
by any consumer during any month
shall, at the net rates aforesaid,
amount to less than 81, the company
| shall charge such consumer for such
month a sum not to exceed 81 as a
| service charge for the gas so con-
sumed during such month. In other
| words, the company shall not be re-
| quired to furnish gas to any consumer
during any month for less than 81.
City Lighting.
Second-The maximum rate for all
gas furnished to the city for lighting
the streets and public buildings shall
be the sum on one dollar (s1) per thou
sand cubic feet, provided that in the
case of gas furnished for street lamps
the company Shall not be required to
meter the same, but may measure the
same by the size Of the burner and the
number of lighting hours provided in
| the contract. 81
Third-Begipning with 1907 the COM
pany will, throughout the term of it's
franchise, pays annually into the city
treasury five 90 per cent of its gross
earnings derived from the exercise Of
such franchise. .
Fourth-Tn 1907, and throughout the
| term of it's franchise, the city shall
| have the right to fix the rates at which
], the company shall sell gas to its con-
sumers, providing that such rates shall
be reasonable
Lights for Suburbs.