The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1911-05-18
VILLAGE MATTERS.

MATTERS.
The Council Attempts to Grant
twenty-five Year Franchise to
an Outside Corporation.
Ridiculous Opinions by the Attorney
Generals Office-No Cause Ex-
lists for Unseemly Row.
With all due regard for the attorney
general of the state we doubt the
correctness of his decision when be
gives it as his opinion that a village
council, in a village already possessed
OF municipal light and water plant,
can grant a franchise to a private
corporation to come into said village,
erect and maintain poles. wires,
masts, etc., in it's streets, alleys and
public grounds, and compete with
the plant erected and owned by the
village. We would like to have the
attorney general point out the section
of the statutes that confers any such
authority upon a village council.
Acting, we presume, upon the
alleged opinion of the attorney gen.
eral, the village council OF this vii
lage has granted a charter to the
Eastern Minnesota Power company
to erect and maintain poles, wires,
etc., in the village of Princeton for
a period of 25 YEARS. For the in
formation of the taxpayers of the
village we give the Misunderstanding
ordinance in full:
ORDINANCE No. Sc.
Granting permission to the Eastern
Minnesota Power Company, a Min
nesota corporation, to erect and
maintain poles, masts, wires, and
other fixtures in the streets, alleys
and public grounds of the village
OF Princeton, for the purpose of
furnishing light, heat and power by
the means Of electricity.
The Village Council of the Village
Of Princeton, Mile Laos county, Min
nesOta, do Ordain as follows:
Section l. That there be and here
by is granted to the Eastern Mime
sofa Power Company, their successors
and assigns, during the period of
twenty five .i25) years the right and
privilege of erecting and maintaining
in the streets and alleys and public
grounds of said village the poles,
masts, wires, lamps, and other fix
lures necessary to the business OF
furnishing electric light, heat and
power for the public and private use
OF said village, it's inhabitants, and
others: provided, that any poles or
wires used for furnishing light, heat
and power or telephone communica-
tlons which are now. or may hereafter
be lawfully erected and maintained in
any street or alley of said village,
shall not by the exercise of any right
or privilege herein granted be inter-
fered with, and that the location of
said poles, wires and other fixtures
herein authorized shall be DESIGNATED
by the village council of said village,
or by its duly authorized agent.
Section 2: The rate charged by the
eastern Minnesota Power company,
it's successors and assigns, for light,
neat and power furnished within the
corporate limits of said village to
consumers OF 5 81. P. or less, shall
net to the power company on the 18th
day OF each month, not more than the
following schedule for the preceding
months service.
The first 30 kilowatts, per month, 10
cents per kilowatt.
The next 20 kilowatts, per month. 8
cents per ki)owatt.
The next so kilowatts, per month, 7
cents per kilowatt.
The next 300 kilowatts, per month, 6
cents per kilowatt.
All over 400 kilowatts, per month, 5
cents per kilowatt.
The minimum charge under this
schedule shall be S1.O0 per month, for
residences and commercial lighting
and 10 cents for each 40 watt lamp
equivalent, connected in churches,
halls and other irregular lighting.
On all bills not paid before the 18th
day of each month, the Power COM
pany shall be allowed to add ten per
cent to the above rates and in event
the amount due after the fifteenth of
the month shall not be paid by the
first of the following month, the
Power company shall be allowed to
discontinue the service to the delin-
quent consumer, without further notice.
The rate charged to the village of
Princeton for municipal use, or for
redistributing to consumers, shall not
exceed four and one-half cents per
kilowatt hour, the electric current to
be delivered and measured at a pres
sure of approximately 220O volts, and
this rate is subject to contract to be
entered into between the Village of
Princeton and the Eastern Minnesota
Power company.
Section 3. In event that the Eastern
Minnesota company, it's successors or
assigns, shall not within ten days af-
ter the passage and publication of
this ordinance file with the recorder
OF said Village of Princeton it's &C.
ceptance in writing of the terms and