The Detroit times., 1911-02-15
2O-CENT GAS IS
NOW THE PROSPECT
Pittsburg Man Will Ask Franchise,
Planning To Pipe Natural Product
From West Virginia.

Twenty-cent gas for commercial
purposes In Detroit is among the pos
sibilities OF the near future. accord
ing to an alderman in close touch
with some of the interests planning
to bring natural gas to this city from
the West Virginia fields, II the council
will grant franchise.
A big Pittsburg capitalist Is ex-
pected to arrive In the city almost
any day to put his proposition before
the council. This man has had his
eye on Detroit for the past two or
three years, and is prepared to carry
his project through without delay, al
though 1t means an investment OF
about $10.000,000. The plan contem-
plates the laying Of a main pipe line
and an auxiliary line for emergencies,
directly to the fields. II would be
necessary to erect a boosting station
somewhere In the outskirts for the
purpose of distributing the gas
through the city pipes at the proper
pressure. This proposition Is entirely
independent of the scheme promoted
by Joseph Martin, 1t Is said.
According to the alderman inter
ested, there Is possibility that the
household rate offered may be as low
as 35 cents per thousand. while the
commercial rate. he says, will likely
be between Is and % cents.
This man will be In Detroit very
soon," said the alderman In question.
81 know that he Is I'm position to
deliver the goods. He not only has
the gas but the capital necessary to
carry out his project without any un-
necessary delay"
The committee on Franchises, We'd
nesday morning, discussed Informally
the application of Joseph Martin for
franchise to supply the city with
natural gas, and finally took 1t under
advisement. Aid. Ellis and other
members OF the committee made II
very plain, however, that no franchise
will be recommended unless the COM
mittee Is satisfied that the applica-
ton 10 made in good faith and not
for the purpose OF peddling 1t out to
some other corporation that might be
affectsd by the competition. Mr..
Martin declared that he was acting
for partits who meant business, and
who could provide the necessary cap
ital when the time came. He also
agreed to furnish the finest quality Of
gas, free from sulphur, and to give
o guaxnntae to furnish artificial gas
at .66 c1n1a "a 1housand In case the
the supply of rnAtura1 gas Decame
exhausted.
Martin introduced c. M. Dewitt, a
farmer. from near Hillsdale, who re-
Gently discovered a seemingly mex
haustible supply OF Medina gas on his
farm and is planning to supply Hills
dale, Hudson, and surrounding towns.
He was most enthusiastic on the nat
ural gas proposition and dilated on
the merits OF the so-called Medina
product at great length. He suggest
ed that In the event OF the West vir-
ginia supply failing, IL the council
grants the Martin franchise, that he
could supply the city OF Detroit very
easily at small expense.
The committee also took up the
mayors communication with refer
ence to the proposed entrance OF the
M. U. r. via the ID. u. r. tracks. but
took no action. The opinion seemed
to be that all cars are practically ID.
u. r. cars when they are on the city
tracks and that the city had no pow
er to prevent these cars coming In.
An attempt may be made to revive the
plan to have the M. u. r. come In on
separate tracks on a three-cent fare
basis. but inasmuch as the company
failed to accept such an arrangement
when 1t was suggested last fall and
has now practically completed
arrangements with the d. u. r. the
outlook is rather against the success
of any such proposal.
The committee unanimously voted
not to allow the balance of $1,193.S5
for engineers services In conection
with the Bancroft appraisal. Aid. El-
lis said that the bills had a rather
"chestnutty'' flavor, and as there was
no one on hand to urge payment, the
committee concluded that no great
hardship would result IL they were
disalloWed