The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-06

grant more than 81 % per thousand Gu
bic feet of gas furnished by said com
pany-
! Provided. however. that when the
sales of gas in any one year shall reach
200. 600. 600 cubic feet, then commencing
with the beginning of the following
! year the price charged shall never
| thereafter exceed $1.2O per thousand Gu
| bic feet, and when the sales of gas IN
any one year shall reach 400, 900 Gu
| bic feet, then commencing with the be-
ginning of the following year the price
| charged shall never thereafter exceed
/ $1.i0 per thousand cubic feet and When
reach SOC, 900 cubic feet, then COM
/ mencing with the beginning OF the fol-
lowing year the price charged shall
never thereafter exceed 81 per thousand
cubic feet
The vote on the passage of this Sc
quel to the original ordinance was I'M
animous, ten councilmen voting in ia
Vor of it.
The new ordinance must now be ac-
cepted by the gas company officials,
and a deposit of $4,000 cash must be
made by the company to insure the eX-
penditure of $4,000 in improvements
within is months from the date of ac-
cepJance. The gas company must also
pay 800 to the city as its share of the
costs il the dollar gas litigation. The
ordinance can then be published, and
the new rates will Immediately go into
effect.
Some of the important provisions of
Gas rate to be SIPS per thousand Gu
bic feet. with provision for further re-
auctions with increasing consumption.
No minimum charge to be made per
month, the consumer paying for exact
ly the amount of gas which he uses.
The Edison Electric Light company had
a minimum charge of $3.50 per month, |
whether its customer uses any light or
not.
Company to furnish free meters and |
service pipes.
Lump sum of $500 to be paid by the
gas company towards costs in dollar |
gas case.
Company to deposit $4,000 cash as
guarantee that it will spend $4,000 in |
improving plant.
Franchise to run 30 years from date.
which means an extension of % years
on the existing franchise.
City to have right to buy the plant at
the end of 80 years, at value to be fix
ed by three commissioners.
Right reserved by city to fix new
schedule of rates in case company ever
uses natural gas instead of manufactur-
ed gas.
The full text of Mayor BergundthaPs
veto message is as follows:
ITO the Members of the City Council.
"Gentlemen:-In dealing with corpor-
a tions asking for valuable franchises a
city council should take unto itself the
experience of previous councils and the
past-their general effect-the service
rendered and the degree of satisfaction
or the opposite in which they stand
with the people.
THE experience of Topeka, in the
granting of franchises, has been any
thing but satisfactory
Litigation in all cases. by munich
palities against corporations of public
utilities. to enforce the rights of the
people is the result of the rights and
privileges of the people not having
been properly protected at the time the
franchise was granted.
so notoriously careless and Indifferent,
of the rights and needs of the public ,
care should be taken that the rights of ,
the public are protected. Using as they Z
do. the streets and alleys-the birth
right of the citizens-they are granted
privileges which the citizen, the real
owner does not himself possess.
They should be bound by contracts
which cover all possible contingencies,
and fully protect the public at every ]
The Excelsior Coke and Gas COM
pany, as an inducement for the grant
ing of a new franchise in 1890, promised
the expenditure of quarter OF mil ]
lion dollars, and a material reduction z
in the price of gas.
Neither of these promises has ever !
been fulfilled, or any effort made to do
as agreed. {
Promises of any nature should not t
be taken for granted, but every fea- t
-ure embodied in the franchise and so I
:
Of any violation of it's terms.
I'VE have for our consideration the +
franchise asked for by the Excelsior t
Coke & Gas company. s
"As it appears to me, it contains but 5
one proposition and that is to tie the :
city up in a contract, whereby the r
people will be compelled to pay $1.25 +
per one thousand cubic feet of gas, t
for the next 80 years. /
by its terms this is an absolute q
and no possible escape from
1t on the part of the public. 1t is =
argued that this is not an exclusive =
franchise for the same purpose to
others. The statutes provide no ex-
elusive franchise shall be granted, yet
the argume nt that others may ask for,
and obtain a franchise to manufacture ?
gas, with any probability that they =
will do so is ridiculous. {
The experience of the council in r
granting franchises of this nature, is I
sufficient to refute any possibility of a
any other company operating here for d
hat purpose. Capital cannot be in
-erms- A franchise such as is asked
Tor is virtually monopoly, and o
should be so treated by the council. c
The proposition to expend one n
dollars, is in itself of trivial impor- t
ance, and would confer but small c
'eturn to the laboring men of the city b
or so valuable a thing as the fran b
,hise asked for. +
THE greater part, probably eighty c
Der cent of the amount, would go east
or the purchase of material, and be b
If no benefit whatever to the laborer, n
81 contend, however, that the ex- ]
,enditure of any certain amount, I'M F
Ter the franchise as it now stands
S entirely within the option of the
81 cali your attention to section No.
, of the ordinance, which provides "
he company shall not be required to a
xtend mains unless there shall be a Il
aging customer for every one hun q
red feet of nine laid r