The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-02-22
PASSED THE ORDINANCE


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nance Mayor Branson Was present.
as VAS also Aldermen Duncan, Cur
lis. kings, Reeves. Wallace. Burns
aud Wells.
There We're present a goodly num-
Der OF citizens who have taken an
active interest in a discussion OF the
franchise during the year that it has
been before the council.
The franchise asked for by the
Mitchell Gas Co. is an extension for
a period of twenty years of a fran
chise which it now owns, and which
has two years yet to run, but for
the purposes of making improve
ments on he plant, the company de-
sires to bond it to raise sufficient
money for that purpose. In asking
for the franchise the council was in
a position TO make certain demands
of the company in the way of lower
rates and other concessions, all of
which We're agreed upon before the
ordinance came up for its second
reading and final passage. The or
dinance has been published in its
entirety on two different occasions
in The Republican and the citizens
have had the fullest opportunity to
know the contents of the ordinance.
Auditor Markham read the ordi-
nance through and as each section
was finished the members of the
council We're given an opportunity
to discuss it and make any change
that was desirable. Several amend
mentS or corrections were made be-
fore the conclusion of the ordinance
was reached. The first was made by
Alderman Wells, when he desired
inserted this phrase, Exclusive of
franchise which occurred with ref
erence to the sale of the plant, it
that in the sale of the electric light
plant that the franchise owned by
the company would have no COM
mercial value, and that in purchas-
ing it only the machinery and other
equipment would be taken into con-
s~ideration, and which would be a
guide to the appraisers in reaching a
definite price. Alderman Burns
asked for a correction in the word
kllowatts, to watts, the former ex-
pressing a greater number by 100
fhnp u-nC ntNplNI T~ {l~ 40
requiring the company to have it's
books open at all times for the in
spector of the city, Mr.. Burns asked
to have inserted these words, dur
ing examination" which would re-
quire the company to have its books
ready for inspection at a time when
the inspector was ready to make the
examination and would not require
the company to have it's books opeu
to all persons.
Alderman Burns presented a para
graph to be added to article 2 of sec
ton Z which will give to the council
added prestige in the ordinance and
was a proper move on the part of
the city to further protect the CON
sumers of electric lights in the city.
This paragraph provides for a revi-
sion of rates for the use of CON
sumers of electric lights and really
is a very essential addition to the
franchise. 1t provides that a re-
vision of the rates shall be made ev-
cry five years when a petition signed
by a majority of the consumers of
electric lights shall be presented to
the council; a committee shall be
appointed in which the petitioners
shall have a representative, also
the electric light company and the
two to pick a third, this committee,
however, is not to be selected until
it is determined between the con-
sumers and the company that they
cannot agree on the reduction, then
the board of arbitration shall come
in and establish the new rate; the
provision will admit Of a lowering
of the rates, but under no circum-
stances can they be raised above the
rate agreed upon in the franchise or
dinance. This feature, which wal
lacking in the first ordinance, was
criticised to some extent by the cit
liens, but it's addition and acceptance
by the company will strengthen the
ordinance materially and make it
much more acceptable to the users of
electric lights.
With this provision accepted, Al
derman Burns moved that the ordi-
nance as a whole be adopted. The
yea and nay vote is as follows:
Yeas-Aldermen Kings, Curtis,
Burns, Wells, Wallace and Reeves;
nays-Alderman Duncan.
Alderman Duncan made a state
ment at the conclusion of the vote
to the effect that he desired to ex-
plain his vote in the negative, say