The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-13
BONDS FOR FILTER
INTEREST GAS MEN
IF City Is Forced Deeper In
Debt Gas Franchise
viii Continue

The officers of the Minneapolis Gas
Light company have two things on their
minds. One is how to satisfy consumers
VINO are complaining that the quality of
the iiluminant furnished is poor but the
the gas meter turns as rapidly as ever and
gas bills do not decrease although the
lights may go out and there is no heat
from the kitchen range.
The other is how to prevent the city of
Minneapolis from securing its plant and
undertaking the manufacture of gas on
municipal account.
There is great complaint PARTICULARLY
IN the residence districts. about the quail
1ty of the gas. AT some times in the even
ing, and even in the day time when there
is occasion to use gas for household pur-
poses, there seems little pressure, and
what gas comes to the burner does not
furnish much heat or light This, in a
way. is accounted for by the fact that the
service mains in the streets are very
small, and as the city has grown they
have not been increased in size, although
there have been heavier demands upon
them for distribution purposes. Again 1t
is alleged that the gas which costs $1.10
net per thousand feet is not of the best
quality.
Franchise Is Involved
Then there is the franchise trouble.
The gas company secured a franchise for
the west side of the river on Feb. 26, 1870.
In 1910, forty years after the city has
the right to buy the plant the value to
be fixed by arbitration. If it is not pur-
chased then the exclusive franchise con-
tinues twenty years longer.
The east side franchise was granted in
December 1871, and runs for fifty years,
or until 1921 when the city can purchase
the plant. If it does not then the fran
chise continues twenty-five years longer.
For the city to purchase the plant 1t
will be necessary to issue bonds for
large sum, and there are some persons in
Minneapolis who insist that the present
demand for bonds for different municipal
purposes is being foStered by some Of the
public service corporations. who want the
city so deeply in debt that it will be i'm
possible to float a loan sufficient to pur-
chase the gas plant
system of the Twin City Telephone com
pany after a certain period, and other
public service concerns are anxious lest
the gas plant should fall into the city's
hands and then some other utilities.
Pressure for Bonds
For this reason there are men who are
opposing the validating by the legislature
of bonds which have been rejected by the
people, but their voices are stilled by the
public press of Minneapolis which is by
no means antagoniStic to the interests of
at least some of the utility companies.
This matter may be discussed tonight
when the Hennepin legislative delegation
hears arguments relative TO the issuing of
81 600, 900 of bonds for a filter plant. These
bonds were rejected by the people at the
last election, but Notwithstanding this an
effort Will be made TO have the legislature
validate them.
AS an incentive for the legalizing of the
filter bonds the health department has
given it out that the city is threatened
with an epidemic of typhoid fever, and
much will be made of this argument at
tonights meeting at the city hall.