The daily sentinel., 1905-08-16
Special Session
City Council

Last night at special session of
the city council the proposition of
extending the franchise of the Grand
Junction Electric & Gas Company,
which has been before the council
for the past three months, was dis
posed of after a lengthy session.
When the council was called to or
der all were present save Alderman
o Boyle, who came in later in the
evening.
Mayor Bunting announced that the
session was solely for the purpose of
disposing of the franchise extension
proposition, and asked that the coun-
ell take the matter up as soon as pos
sible.
The minutes of the previous meet
ing were passed over until the next
regular meeting.
Il. NJ. Slocomb, representing the
Citizens Gas & Coke Company, asked
permission to present a petition or
memorial for the consideration of
the body. The request was granted.
and a statement from the Citizens
Gas & Coke Company. which had been
approved and sanctioned by all the
stockholders of the company with
one exception, was presented and read
by the city clerk
The petition stated that in consid-
ering the question of extending the
franchise of the electric light com
| pany the city council should. to be
fair to the Citizens Gas & Coke Com
pany place the light company on the
| same footing or an equal basis re-
garding the city, as the Citizens Gas
q Coke Company. The latter COM
pany was required to pay the city
| per cent of its gross receipts; and
| that in no way should the light COM
| pany be given an advantage by the
Isaff oil 81,
Coke Company, an organization which
the city was vitality interested in in
somuch as it will derive a revenue
from its business. The petition fur
ther stated that the company would
have its plant and system ready for
operation by February 1, 1906, and
was now ready to contract with the
city for street lighting. and conse-
quently did not believe that the CON
tract with the city regarding lights
should be extended. but allow the
two companies to compete fairly.
The petition stated that the rates
of the gas company for lighting
would probably be at the rate of $50
per street light per annum and -
cents per lilowatt-hour. The com
pany was not opposing the granting
of franchise to the Electric & Gas
Company, but objected to that com
pany being given better terms than
the former company.
E. NJ. Slocomb addressed the
council, explaining fully the propo-
sitions and statements made in the
petition. The same was then filed
with the city clerk.
After some further discussion, AL
derman Lutes made a motion that
the council 90 into executive session
for the discussion of the franchise
extension.
After 80 minutes spent in execu-
tive session, the council returned to
its chamber, and Alderman Davies
introduced the following resolution
for passage:
Resolved. That it is the sense of
this council that no franchise be
granted to extend over and beyond
a period of twenty-five years from
the date of its passage, and that if
any franchise be granted, said fran
chise shall contain a provision there
in fixing a maximum rate for com
mercial and private use to consum
ers of 2 y cents per kilowatt-hour;
and, further, that said franchise
shall contain a provision therein fix
ing the maximum rate for arc lights
for city use at $50 per arc light per
annum. and, further, that contract
be entered into in lieu of the pres
ent contract between the city and
the said Grand Junction Electric &
| Gas Company. and that said con
tract shall not extend beyond term
of years from execution of said con
tract and that said contract shall
not contain any provision whereby
the city shall be obligated with any
cost of installing any additional
lights. and that said company shall /
| install all lights demanded by the |
city at the expense of the said Grand |
Junction Electric & Gas Company 80
The motion was seconded by AL |
derman 'Lutes and passed by a vote |
of to 1.
Then Alderman Alkire offered a |
motion that this provision be sub
mitted to the company officially, and |
that they prepare their franchise in |
accordance with the sense of the mo-
ton heretofore made, and that upon
the presentation of franchise as pro
posed. that said franchise shall be
duly passed by the council. upon the
approval of the contract to be sub
mitted with the franchise.
This motion was seconded by AL
derman McCulloch and carried by n
unanimous vote.
Guy v Sternberg, the attorney
for the Grand Junction Electric &
Gas Company. then asked the per
mission of the council to withdraw L.
| in behalf of the company. the pro- I
posed franchise. He thanked the /,
| council in behalf of the company for L
their courtesy and kindness in fully
considering the matter. He stated
| that the company could not possi-
| bly, accept the proposition made by
/ the council as the concessions asked
| for by the city would be ruinous to
/ the business OF the company.
Alderman Plat made a motion
that the application OF the Electric
Light Company for the withdrawal
of the franchise be granted. This
motion was passed by an unanimous
vote and the consideration of the
| extension of the franchise was at
an end
The council ordered the issuance
of warrants TO the special police
| force, and also ordered that the city
| surveyor be issued a warrant for
500 in part payment for his work in
making out the grades of the streets
and alleys.
Mayor Bunting then made a few
remarks regarding the many com
I