The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-15
COMMITTEE GRANTS
FRANCHISE FOR GAS
PIPING INTO CITY
Alderman Gregg's NO Only
Discordant Note Struck
at Meeting
RIGHT NOT EXCLUSIVE
SAYS ATTORNEY SMITH
Maximum Rate of 80 Cents Is Allowed
Though DIR. Grove Doesn't Be-
neve 1t VIII BE Charged.
Many Speeches Made

The ioiut committee of the City Couhei'
with one dissenting vote, yesterday al.ei-
noon recommended to the council tilat the
petition of the Providence Oil and Gas
company for franchise to lay pipes III
birmingham be granted Alderman M D.
Gregg voted mo"
This was practically the granting Oh
the franchise, for the report oil Inc coh-
mittee will be adopted without opposilioh
tonight There was no opposition 10 ,he
franchise, as Mr. Gregg only objected TO
the rate, which is so cents for domestic
and % cents for industrial use.
The meeting was perfectly harmonious
and ended with the adoption of resolu-
ton introduced by Alderman Barnes MOT
gan thanking DR., b. G. Grove, president
of the company, for his work for the dis
trict for his nerve and industry.
Present were w. w. Crawford. George
Gordon Crawford. John McCartin W. n.
Malone, It. H. Motion, Frank Nelson. DR..
G. r. Grove. James Davidson, Z. D.
Smith, Lucien Brown, City Attorney Rob-
ert Thach, City Clerk II. E. Shropshire,
and Alderman Gregg, chairman and Al
dermen Frank Smith, Williams, Copeland
Cd. RI. Perdue, Starbuck, Martin, Bur-
nett, Morgan, Gibson. Heidi. Norwood.
Copeland q. RI and Harper.
Attorney Smith Explains
E. d. Smith, who drew the franchise,
was called upon to explain it. He first
stated that it did not give the company an
exclusive right. and that in fact the city
of Birmingham could not grant an ex-
elusive right under the law. He said that
provisions laid the expense for repairing
the streets after excavations, the respon-
sbilitv for taking care of the pipes and
sewers already laid and the conforming
to grades when street grades are changed
upon the Providence Oil and Gas COM
pany.
James Davidson explained the necessity
of getting the franchise to induce capital
to invest in the company, and build the
pipe line, which will cost about $1,000, 00O
DR.. Grove presented petition with 10
900 names signed to it. and declared that
while he doubted whether the maximum
rate of 50 cents would ever be charged a
liberal policy would be necessary to In
duce the pital. He read a list of av-
erage prices for which natural gas was
furnished in other states in 1906: Pennsyl-
vania 1874 cents, Ohio Is 40 cents, Mis-
souri, 81 $40 cents, New York &c cents.
Kentucky So cents, California 81 cents, H.
| linois q cents, Colorado SO cents, Arkan-
sas Is cents. South Dakota 81 cents, Ten
nessee Is cents. In 1906 natural gas cost
| ing $40. 900, 900 was sold and in 1909 over
| sec, O00, 900.
He also called attention to the fact
that. with the rate of increase in prices,
In 20 years so cents might not have as
great a purchasing power as rs cents
has now. He also pointed to the result
OF the use of natural gas in Pittsburg,
increasing the tonnage output from 1000
tons day in 1865 to five million tons
today.
w. N. Malone thought that the intro
duction of natural gas into Birmingham
would double the population in five years.
Frank Nelson stated that he had been
| appointed chairman of the committee of
the Chamber of Commerce to assist DR..
Grove in bringing the gas to Brming
ham. my whole committee is in favor of
giving DR.. Grove the franchise because
they think he, a pioneer, is entitled to
it, and because he discovered natural
gas, which means more to this district
than anything since the discovery Of
coal and iron While do not believe that
DR.. Grove will ever get his maximum
price, l do want to help him get the
money to build the pipe line
Analysis of Gns
Interrupting for moment, E. d.
Smith said that the gas has been care
fully analysed and found to be twice
as rich in heat units as that furnished
by the Birmingham Gas company for
which $1.00 Is now paid. He said that
the capitalists will be taking chances of
the wells running out in ten years, and
the citizens ought to be willing to carry
some of the risk.
T. H. Motion reported for the Chamber
of Commerce committee which met yes
terday morning in Frank Nelson's Of
flee, stating that the committee unanl-
mously recommended that the franchise
be granted, with the rates asked for.
W. w. Crawford addressed a few words
to the committee. Birmingham should
lend every encouragement to this COM
pany. do not think that the terms asked
| for are excessive, and they can't get capt.
| tai without the assurance that the people
| of Birmingham are behind them.
| Alderman Burnett first suggested a mo-
| ton that the rate be granted for twenty
years, and then cut down for the remain
| ing ten, but withdrew his motion in
| favor of one introduced by John r. Cope
| land. that the franchise, presented,
be granted. On suggestion of Alderman
| j. B. Gibson, City Attorney Thach drew
an additional clause holding the city of
| Birmingham harmless for all damages
| which may arise by the laying Of the
pipes and the use Of the franchise. With
this addition, the franchise was Endorsed.