The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-07-21
CENTRAL FALLS
COUNCIL AND THE
GAS FRANCHISE

The city council is still juggling with
that gas contract problem and apparently
the members OF that honorable body are
in doubt as TO what II is best TO do, not
from the standpoint OF the public good
but as a political measure. Ii should be
remembered that there is seldom any
important action taken by the Central
Fails city council without first consid-
ering the political aspect and when some
OF the members found out that two of
three OF the Republican politicians were
out to defeat the contract with the gas
company they rapidly took 10 the woods
There have been several conferences
with the gas company officials and the
latest thing is new form OF contract In
which some OF the conditions OF the first
one have been eliminated and others have
been added and the attempt rs being made
TO have the company accept II.
IL looks as though a kind OF hold-up
game was being played and that some-
one is trying 10 learn II the gas COM
pany is prepared TO carry out its plans
10 charge the people OF this city one
price for gas and those of Pawtucket
and the other places which IL supplies
another price. One OF the frenzied writ
ers in the public press, the ear marks
OF whose writings are so plain that he
might just as well have signed his own
elimination that would not be allowed
and that IL II was done the city could
order the pipes taken out OF the streets
IL this Is so the question Immediately
raised would be as TO what the city
or it's residents would gain. There is very
great doubt about the power OF the city 10
order the gas mains removed. but suppos-
ing II could be done. where would the
people OF the city get their illumination?
Some OF them could perhaps use cleo
tricity. and that is manufactured by
concern whose stockholders are said 10
be the same as those who own the gas
company The rest Of the people would
have 10 depend on kerosene or tallow
dips. which would be interesting, to say
the least II is entirely out or reason 10
suppose that any sensible business man
would invest his money in a gas plant in
this city. Such plant II II was started.
could not do business beyond the limits
of Central Falls. because Pawtucket.
Cumberland and Lincoln have all signed
the 15-year contract with the Pawtucket
Gas Company. Here is a city with an
area OF about one square mile and a pop
ulation of less than 20.OoO people and a
new gas company would have 10 depend
on that for It's entire business, a fact
which would hardly appeal 10 the business
instincts OF anyone.
Long contracts are as a rule not good
things 4or city TO enter into, but I'm
this one IL has appeared TO the people OF
the other communities that the company
was granting exceptional advantages and
they have been ready TO accept the offer.
IL has not been "A parrusan political ques-
tion at any or these places. In Pawtucket
a Republican city council passed the reso-
luton granting the franchise and the
Democratic mayor signed IT, In Cumber-
land a town council made up OF both po-
ltlcal parties agreed 10 the contract.
Here in Central Falls those In control
have apparently had bad advice for the
franchise has been held up go that II
cannot be passed now until after Aug I.
so that the people have been Obliged TO
lose the advantages Of the new rate for
one full month and that, too, without so
far as any one can see, any gain coming
from IT,