The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-01-21
Owing to Fact That All Mem
bers Were Not Familiar
With It, No Action Was At
tempted Last Night.
COMMUNICATION SENT
BY COMMERCIAL CLUB
In Which the Organization
Recommends Making Sever
al Alterations in the Pro-
posed Franchise.


The gas franchise, which it was ex-
pected, would be the occasion of SO
much wrangIing at the meeting of the
city council last evening, came up for
second reading and then, on motion of
Councilman Knollenberg, was referred
to the committee on contracts and
franchises and the board of works. The
agreement between the old board of
works and the gas officials was to the
effect that the Richmond Natural Gas
company should be given a franchise to
manufacture artificial gas and, after
the board had approved of the fran
chise, which was slightly revised, the
matter was sent to council. The old
council refused to consider the matter
in the short time permitted them, and
the franchise was held over for the new
administration. At the first meeting
of the new council, owing to other bus
mess, the gas question did not come
up and was deferred until the next
meeting.
Suggestion by Mayor.
1t was expected there would be large
doings last night, but at the beginning
Of the meeting Mayor Zimmerman
stated that when the gas franchise
came up. he would suggest that, in
view of the fact that the new mem
bers of council and board of works
were not entirely familiar with the Or
dinance, the matter again be deferred
until the next meeting of council, for
the purpose of affording an opportuni-
ty for careful consideration. at the
same time permitting the new men,
bers of the present administration to
become thoroughly acquainted with the
exact nature of the proposed franchise
The suggestion was acted upon by the
motion of Councilman Knollenberg.
A communication was received
from the Commercial club regarding
the report of the committee. composed
of Henry Gennett, A. c. Lindemuth
and Edgar Hiatt. relative to the gas
| franchise. The communication rec
commended several changes in the fran
chise sought by the company. The
most important was the reduction in
the price of gas from 80 to 50 cents
per thousand cubic feet. 1t was also
suggested that the standard quality of
- <<, 1,o f,r ;c1, CHI hn
officially stated in the ordinance to sim
ply state. as does the proposed fran
chise. that gas of a standard quality
would be furnished'' was regarded as
entirely too vague and general to be of
practical value.
Amendments Suggested.
Other changes suggested were:
"That the term of the franchise be
changed from twenty-five to twenty
years: that a purchase clause be in
serted in the ordinance, permitting
the municipality to purchase the plant
after a certain time and upon certain
conditions; that a clause be inserted
prohibiting a sale or transfer of the
plant or franchise without the consent
ed for at least one subscriber for each
$50 feet, instead of each 100 feet as
specified in the proposed ordinance"
A letter from Secretary Haas of the
Commercial club accompanied the
communication and was read to coun-
Gil. The letter was to the effect that
the recommendations made in the re-
port were unanimously adopted by the
club, with the exception of the recon-
mendation relative to the price of gas.
1t was stated that the action OF fix
ing a lower price than that set forth
in the proposed franchise was the oc-
casion of considerable discussion be-
tween the club members.
Favors Employing Expert.
It was stated in the letter that it
was pretty clearly demonstrated that
no definite price could be fixed with
out having technical knowledge upon
the subject and the club therefore
adopted a motion that the city enter
into a contract with an expert to
make an estimate OF what additional
money was necessary to equip it for
the manufacture of artificial gas, TAX
| ing into consideration the fact that
natural gas would enter into the man
ufacture of the same.
The clause in respect to price. there
fore, is not the opinion OF all of the
members of the Commercial club and
this particular phrase will not be con-
sidered by the board of works as be-
ing a part of the report from the club.