The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-25
FINDS FLAWS IN
THE ORDINANCE
Corporation Attorney Michael
Says Gas Measure Contains
a Woodchuck.

The assembly last night considered
the proposition of the st. Paul Gas
Light company to provide the city with
graduated reduction in the price of
! gas in return for an extension by
| twenty-five years of its franchise, but
made no attempt to pass upon the
| measure The evening was confined
! entirely to discussion.
The offer of the company is for $1.15
gas, beginning the first of the year.
with reduction of cents each sue
ceeding year until a fixed figure of 81
has been reached in 1907. Then it's
new franchise for the next quarter of
century is to begin.
The principal feature of the evening
was the speech of Corporation Attorney
Michael, in which he intimated that
the ordinance presented by the gas
company contained dangerous wood
chuck, in that it completely nullif1ed
what the council had passed laws to
bring about, the termination of the gas
company's franchise in 1907.
When the assembly met every men,
Der was in his seat and there was a
fair sprinkling of the members of the
board of aldermen. The public was
also well represented, and in addition
the attorneys and representatives of
the st. Paul Gas Light company were
| on hand. The audience, with a fair
! contingent of the labor element pres
ent, was about as representative as the
members could desire
For the benefit of those who had not
seen the report, the volumniouS document
signed by five members of the lighting
franchise committee, was read and on its
conclusion Assemblyman Wheeler. the
chairman of the commission was asked for
an expression including an answer to the
|
reduction save the company's consumers
over the old rate?"
Wheeler Estimates Saving.
During the first year, in my opinion"
answered Mr.. Wheeler when the rate
OF $l.l5 goes into effect, saving of be-
tween $4,000 and $50, 600 will be effected
with an additional saving of about $15-
OUo Iof each OF the succeeding years, I'M
til the 81 rate becomes effective AS for
an expression continued Mr. Wheeler,
| my views are fully embodied in the re-
| port and nothing would be gained by re-
lterating them. do not think the city
| company has made u.s.
| We'll if that much of saving is eff
! tected, interrupted Assemblyman Schur-
| meier why can't the gas company pay
| the amount. over to the city instead of the
! consumer, and then we would have enough
by 1907 to buy plant of our ewn?''
| Mr.. Wheeler did not attempt to answer
this, but he was positive the city could get
! no relief until 1907 unless the gas com
pany was willing.
We considered every phase of the
| question: added Mr.. Wheeler land we
are positive the gas company has the best
! of the argument.
One Of the members saw Renville Chin
mock, a member of the state legislature
| among the audience, and he was called
| upon for an expression, Mr.. Chinook was
| the author of an unsuccessful bill to give
| St Paul practically the same rates pro-
vided for in the ordinance granting the
! company an extension OF it's charter, and
| there was general demand for him to
| speak.
Mr.. Chinook DIsapproves.
There are many things in this offer
/ Mr. Chinook :but the one that 1 object
| to the most is that making 81 the limit
OF charge. no matter if only 10 cents
! worth of gas IS consumed. 1t is not right
and you gentlemen know it, for it falls on
the poor man. In my district 60 cents a
| month is the average paid by consumers
and to pass this measure would simply
be to increase their rate. They would not
benefit cent. have studied this Ques-
ton thoroughly.
Had you given me the proper support
In the passage of my bill, and all it
needed was your aid, this franchise COM
mittee would not have been necessary
Instead of asking the gas company for a
concession you could have forced it. The
company would have had to come to YOU
not you to it.
When prepared that bill found that
/ l.
mating gas and rs cents for heating pur-
poses. Duluth pays 80 cents, and its
| agreement provides for a reduction to 80
cents, and right here 1 might saw there
Is only difference of about 70 cents ton
Tor coal between the two cities. Seattle
pays 81 cents and you cannot talk coal
| when speak of that town.
| From one ton of coal the st. Paul
Gas company gets between 10000 and H.
| 600 feet of gas not water gas, 500
tons of coke and several other by-prod-
| 1nf fTOr11 I, IL -
Mr.. Lathrop Smiles.
President Lathrop smiled audibIy and
! started to interrupt.
Il got that from your own lips." said
Mr. Chinook, divining the purpose of
PRESIDENT Pre-; d Lathrop's interruption. You
told 1t before committee at the Mer-
better quality of gas
Was your bill taken seriously?" inter
rupted Assemblyman Doran
/ We'll If you and the other members
OF the council had taken 1t seriously St
ends to it either
The st. Paul Gas company says that
the legislature extended its existence I'M
til 1850" remarked 5Doran
Wen if it did its representatives would
retorted Chinook.
This dollar scheme is what 1 kick
against. The company is making big
money at 81 a thousand feet for gas and
We based this 81 minimum charge"
said Assemblyman Doran. ION the same
plan which is followed by the telephone
companies They will not put in an in
strument unlesssat fixed figure. I do
| not see anything wrong about it"
| How many people use less than 81
worth of gas" said B. H. Schriber the
| next to speak, directing his question at
President Latllrop of the gas COMPANY.
| 1 do not know the exact number an
swered Mr.. Lathrop, but 1 do not think
1t is over IL per cent of the whole"
Schriber States His Views.
Well, I do not know much about the
gas situation, said Mr.. Schriber. but
| tnlnk 1t Is wrong to charge people for
what they do not use. The Company now
has meter rent of 25 cents 1 think that
is sufficient. There is SO deposit That
| might be eliminated. Twenty -ffve wears is
a long way off and I think this is as good
! a time as any to fix for the future We
| are told that we cannot buy the present
I gas plant even if we were able TO do so
Arrange for that in the next franchise. 7
also see that-St. Anthony Park is the only
section of the city for which extensions
| of the gas mains is provided for There
| are other localities that need gas lust as
bad: They should be provided for.
ITO be fair, gentlemen, 1 think the
| ordinance granting the company a fran
/ chlse could be amended with much credit
| to the city and advantage to the consume
ers, and would advise that time be
! taken in doing it. 1t is a matter that will
not admit of haste. There is plenty of
! time.
IF 1 was to leave the city for connie
lfNf 1O,ofI1 1Y16