The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-01-05
WITHDRAW ORDINANCE
Mitchell Gas Co. win Not Ask for
the Extensionof Electric Fran
chise at This Time.

The following letter was received
by this Mayor last Saturday afternoon,
Ia which 1t appears that the Mitchell
Gas Company ask to withdraw the
proposed ordinance relating to an
extension of the franchise for tho
electric light company.
The ordinance committee of the
council had prepared a substitute
ordinance Ito take the place Of the
one originally offered for an extension,
which Mr.. King personally yielded
to, but reserved the right to submit
TO the parties In Chicago In interest
before it should be published, or
passed. The salient features OF the
proposed ordinance were as follows:
A new franchise covering a period
of twenty years. The city reserving
the right to charter other electric
light plants; or at any time 1T might
choose to enter Upon the operation
of a municipal plant for both munich
pal and commercial business.
SoA10OAldNlOA OlGAGnOS RlC0cuoN
contract with the city whereby We
pay % per month for the street arc
lights, and reducing the price to g
each. Reducing the cost on CONNER
cial lighting from 20 cents per 1000
kilo-watts to Is cents per 1000. And
compelling the electric light COM
pany, to furnish all municipal build
ings, constructed, or hereafter
to he built, free lighting in sufficient
amount to meet all legitimate re-
qulrements during the life OF the
franchise. This ordinance was pre-
pared practically on the lines agreed
upon when the ordinance had its
first reading, and would have been
inserted as amendments before 4
second reading. or final passage had
occurred.
The letter from Mr.. King follows:
Hon. George A. Silsby. Mayor,
Mitchell, s. D.
Dear SIR
1 beg leave to report on the result
Of my trip to Chicago to confer with
my associates there in regard to
the acceptance. of the proposed fran
chise as drawn by the ordinance CON-
mitteee.
The matter was very carefully and
fully discussed and gone Over both
by Mr.. Wilbur, president OF the
Royal Trust Company, and MIR.
Evans. The engineer who acts as
counsel in such matters for the Trust
Company Their conclusion was,
that the rates we're impossible for Us
to operate under except at a loss and
that it WOULD be unwise to accept
them. | regret the inability to bring
about such terms as would permit us
to have an extension of the electric
franchise. but as the matter now
stands, neg leave TO withdraw our
application for an extension of the
franchise at this time. Should the
council desire to make a new light
ing contract on a basis Of SIS per arc
for midnight service every night In
consideration OF granting an extern
sion of the present elecric lighting
franchise for a period Of twenty
Years fr0m nO@. we are ready to en-
ter into such a contract.
L also beg leave to advise yourself
and The Honorable Council that we
shall proceed forthwith with our
plans OF constructing our coal gas
plant and hope to have the same In
operation by May lst.
Permit me TO Lilank you and the
Ell onorahie Council for the courteous
treatment we have received from
them also to say that we intend re-
dilcine the commercial rate to the
public as soon as we can sea our way
clear to do SO.
Yours especially,
Tor Mitchell Gas Company.
Married New Years Day.
Charles Greenacre and Miss Velma