Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-16
Geo. S. Forrest May Become Fac.
tor in Already Peculiar Gas
Situation There
CITY MAY GET GAS PLANT YET
Rumor Has It That Attempt Is Being
Made to Enter Into Deal With For
rest, An Iowa Falls Gas Company
Official, Whereby He Will Assume
Contract Already Made BY City.
Special to Times-Republican-

Webster City, Feb. 16.-George 5.
Forrest, secretary, manager and prin-
cipal stockholder in the Iowa Falls Gas
Company, is looking over the situation
in Webster City with view of him.
self becoming a factor in the already
Forrest is considering three things
the purchase of the Brown Il Worth
am franchise, such as 1t is; the taking
over of the municipal gas contract en-
tered into year ago by the council,
with certain concessions; or the asking
outright of u new franchise. Mr.. For
rest is as yet undecided which of the
three facts he will follow, but the
chances are that his entrance upon the
scene will assume an important aspect
at the spring elections.
Mr.. Forrest has looked over the city,
visited the various municipal plants in
operation here and has thoroughly ac-
quainted himself with the opportunities
presented by Webster City as the To-
cation of a gas plant. 1t is believed
that at the present time this city is the
largest in the state OF Iowa without a
gas plant and as such the town is con-
sidered an excellent field. The one
thing, however, which has caused pro-
motors to give the city wide berth
is the municipal ownership idea which
seems to have become firmly planted
in the minds Of majority OF the citt-
zens.
Last spring the city council entered
into secret contract with the Fort
Wayne Gas & Construction Company
Of Ft. Wayne, Ind, for purchase of a
municipal gas plant. A part OF this
plant has arrived in the city, but no
attempt has ever been made to erect
it. Meantime the people voted a fran
chise to Messrs. Brown & Workman, of
Des Moines, but the council refused
to ratify the necessary ordinances to
make this franchise operative. Each
Of the five wards OF the city will elect
a new alderman this spring, however,
and as Brown & Workman failed Of
ratification by but one vote, it seems
likely at this time that they will have
little difficulty this spring in getting
an operative franchise. 1t is this
franchise, incomplete tho it is at this
time. that Mr.. Forrest is considering
taking over. 1t is not known what
option, if any at all, he has secured
upon it. In any event, however, IT
seems very probable that Mr.. Forrest
will become factor in the spring cleo
lions. He has held conferences with
Mayor Edwards, some of the aldermen,
and number of the more prominent
capitalists of the city. 1t Is said that
an attempt is being made to enter into
a deal with him whereby he will as
sumo the contract made by the city
with the Fort Wayne company for the
purchase of municipal plant. In
case Mr.. Forrest took over this con-
tract he would have to have a fran
chise voted him by the people. 1t is
thought that he would have little diff
Guilty getting this, however, for the
city is in no financial shape to erect
gas plant In case both these plans
fail, however, it is not unlikely that
Mr.. Forrest will ask a franchise on his
own motion The situation is becoming
interesting and with both Mr.. Forrest
and the firm Of Brown & Workman in
the field for franchises, it looks as tho
the city should be able to get gas
plant here under circumstances most
advantageous to the people at large.