The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-06
OWATONNA IS not
DONE WITH GAS co.
City Is Said to Have Cards Yet to.
Play in Present Lively
Game.
Special to- The Journal.

Special to- The Journal ea&
Owatonna, Mimi, Oct. 6.-The long
drawn out controversy between the city
of Owatonna sand the Owatonna Gas,
Electric & Heating company promises
new developments. The city authorities
sleeves' yet, but what they are they
will not say. IS
Things came to an abrupt head yes
terday when crew of men from the
company's plant commenced digging
the streets to connect the Metropolitan
opera house with it's heating mains.
The mayor and aldermen were wise
to the company's game and very short
ly the mayor and several aldermen ap-
peared upon the scene and ordered the
men to stop work. Under the advice
itinued, and without further parleying
Manager G. L. Powell, Foreman ,Wag,
ner and the crew of men were taken in
charge by the city marshal. l..
/. History of Case. :.
Some six years ago the city granted
the Owatonna Gas, Electric & Heating
company a twenty-fve-year franchise
for light, heat and gas, with the dis
tinct provision that the company would,
within a stated time, install a frst-class
gas plant. Months elapsed and no gas
plant was set up. Finally another COM
pany appeared upon the scene with a
view OF securing gas franchise, and
the Owatonna Gas, Electric & Heating
company E'got very busy" A crew
Of men was at once placed at work,
and in few days they had large gas
But while gas was evidently to be had,
the people Of this city soon became
aware of the fact that they had any
thing but gas plant. It was true the
company had installed small gasolene
plant and connected up a few places
Of business and some residences. For a
few short weeks these were supplied
pasmodieally, but it was not long be-
fore the service was cut off, and Owa
tonna was without gas until early this
summer, when the present council got
busy. At that time the city fathers
having become convinced that the com
pany was playing with the City, passed
resolution annulling the franchise
given six years before.
| The Fun Begins.
| Then the fun began. The company
it seemed, had made arrangements tt
float block of bonds for the purpose
Of installing frst-class plant, and thu
action Of the council made it impos
sible to perfect this bond issue. As :
result, the company made overture
looking toward a settlement of the diff
fculty. But by this time the council
had decided to adjust matters in bu
one way-by granting a new fran
chise, in which the rates and man,
other important features were to be in
corporated in black and white to pre-
vent any more "fukes.' The matte
was up before the council for weeks
and each time the council had SOM
more important clauses to be agree
upon, and it seemed as if no agreemen
could be had, but it was finally give1
out that all had been settled and tn
council passed franchise along tn
lines they wished.
Company Delays.
Altho it was supposed the compan,
would snap the franchise up, week
4 went by and they showed no inelina
tion to accept, and finally announce
ment was made thru the local papers b
the company's manager that the com
pany had decided to refuse the fran
chise as granted.