The Detroit times., 1911-02-10
CLEVELAND MONEY
BEHIND CHEAP
GAS SCHEME
J. w. Martin Says Ohio Capitalist
viii Finance Bringing Of Supply
From West Virginia, Lines Being
Now Laid To Toledo.
Local Promoter Urges That Franchise
Sought Be Submitted To Voters
In Spring Election.


--$2, 10000
Guarantee that Detroit shall
have gas within q certain time
after franchise 10 pranted-$5,o 900.
Where eas will come from-To-
iedo, o., to which point u 10 now
pIped from West Virginia fields.
Condition Of supply, according
60 ters-Inexhaustible.
Financial Interest beh ind
scheme - Cleveland millionaire,
Mhose name 10 being suppressed
BY local promoter.
Applicant for gas franchise In
DetroIt--Joseph w. Martin, presi-
dent Detroit Service Co.
Guaranteed protection for De-
troIters, should natural gas fall
Artificial product at IS cents per
thousand cubic feet.
The foregoing list comprises the
feature of franchise being sought to
supply Detroit with natural gas from
the fields Of West Virginia. The
product Of the Virginia district Is now
piped to Toledo and Cleveland, and
Joseph w. Martin, who wants the
Detroit franchise, told The Times in
his once In the Ford building, Thurs
day, that the only thing which win
prevent Detroit from getting the same
supply at half the cost Of the present
article they are now using would be
the failure Of the common council TO
grant the franchise. Mr.. Martin filed
HIS petition with the council for the
franchise few days ago, and Is now
awaiting the action Of the committee
IN charge OF the matter.
Il trust that the committee Will act
a quickly a. possible" said Mr.. Mar
Tin. ~but don't want to appear hasty
IN the matter. will be glad IL the
council viii submit the question to
the people in the spring election. Tor
1 am sure that everybody wants
cheaper gas. No one Ii going to turn
down q chance to get gas at half the
price he In now paying for 1t. As
matter of fact, we shall be able to
sell natural gas at less than 40 cents
\ per thousand, half the cost OF the ar
fificial commodity now furnished by
the Detroit City Gas Co. II the coun-
ell SO desires, we shall establish a
sliding scale which wiz make gas
cheaper to those who burn lnrge
quantities than to those who use only
4 small supply. That Is only fair TO
the big consumers, but we shall be
willing to sell II at nat rate Of 40
cents II the council feels that this
price is more satisfactory. However,
no matter what rate In fixed, IL will
be much lower than that now charged
for the artificial kind.
- Axx. a. .off or
too. Just to show the council and
citizens that there In no blum on our
part. we shall put up q bond OF $1,000
as guarantee that we shall have
gas In Detroit within certain time,
q reasonable period. of course. after
We get the franchise. II We fail TO
carry out our part of the agreement
I We shall forfeit the $1,000 bond. But
We are not afraid of any forfeiture,
! for We know that we can do as we
ray and plan. There Is an inexhaust-
fble supply OF gas In the West Vir-
xfnia fields, and there should be no
fear Of the gas giving out. We are
also well on In regard to financing the
scheme, q Cleveland millionaire be-
ing back of It. Just who he Ia we do
not care to say Just now, for II would
s. not be fair to him. And I want to
cay that IL the natural gas should hap
pen to give out, we shall Immediately
prepare for the manufacture of artifi-
cial gas and furnish IL to the city con-
sumers at SIS cents per thousand cubic
z feet This Ia q rare chance for De-
troit to get cheap gas, and the com
mon council should take advantage Of
the opportunity.
We don't expect to get the tran
chise without meeting with some OPP
position, however. The Detroit City
Gas Co., no doubt, will make a big
& night and spend a lot OF money to
keep us out Of Detroit, but we, are
sure that the people will show very
decisively, IL given a chance at the
y polls, that they want the natural
gas, seeing that It will be so cheap"
Mr.. Martin has had some experience
In the franchise business. and he will
no doubt use II TO advantage In the
present case. Nine or ten years ago
he secured telephone franchise for
the Peoples Telephone Co. from the
Detroit council The company. how
ever, forfeited a guarantee bond OF
$1,000, the promoters failing to carry
out its agreement to furnish service
as agreed. The conduits were laid In
the streets and these and the fran
chise were bought up by the Michigan
State Telephone Co. Mr.. Martin con-
Z tends In this connection, that the pur.
chasers should have given the Detroit
subscribers the rates prescribed in
s the Peoples franchise, which were
much lower than the. charges now
made by the Michigan company. He
argues that test OF the matter in
the court would result In the Michi
gan company being ordered to return
70 the subscribers the difference be
tween what they have been payins
and the rates of the Peoples com
pany.
G. M. De Avitt, OF osseo. Mich, has
written to Mt. Martin. drawing tn,
lstfcr's attention to natural gas which
has recently been discovered in Os
SEQ. Mr. De Avitt thinks Detroi
might be supplied from the ossec
& FIELDS. Mr.. De Avitt said he learned
OF Mr.. Martins promotion of the West
Virginia plan through The Times.
Former Detroit Girl Found.
HERIIN Feb "A dispatch to-day