The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-06-29
NO FRANCHISE
FOR FIFTY YEARS
CITY COUNCIL AFTER MUCH SEE
SAVING TURNED DOWN PRO-
POSITION TO GIVE LIGHT CON-
PANY A FIFTY YEAR FRAN
c4isE-oTHER MATTERS.

back and fourth, the city council last
night turned down the proposition to
give the Union Light, Heat e. Power
Co., fifty year franchise for its heat
ing mains.
The council convened about 1920
last evening with President Stewart
presiding, the mayor being absent at
that time, although coming in later,
but not taking the chair during the
evening. Only ten aldermen answered
the original roll call, although three
others showed up shortly after the
meeting opened.
Delay Heat Ordinance.
Alderman Mcdonald stated that dur
ing the absence of SO many memmers
of the council that he thought that the
heating main ordinance should be de-
layed for the time being and come up
later during the meeting, He advised
that the report of the ordinance COM
mittee relative to the building ordin-
ance be considered first and thend the
heating ordinance.
Hanson of the ordinance committee
stood out for the report of the commit
tee being read at once and he was sus-
tanned by Alderman dollhouse, which
resulted in the heating main ordin-
ance being considered first.
The ordinance committee presented
an ordinance, like the other ordinances
in many essentials, which it asked be
adopted and placed on it's final read
ing. The ordinance presented by the
committee held all of the desired feat
ures of the other ordinances read, ex-
cept the fact that 1t limited the heat
ing franchise of the Union Light, Heat
& Power Co., to twenty-five years.
Hughes Talks.
Manager Hughes OF the Union Light,
Heat & Power Co. addressed the
council and stated that his company
would like the final decision regard
ing the heating main franchise on that
evening. He especially referred to the
fifty year clause In the franchise as
this was most important to the COM
pany, and without it a great many
hardships would be worked on the
company.
He cited to the council for their in
formation that the Fargo e. Moorhead
Street Railway Co., held and owned
perpetual franchise to run and use
heating mains in the ss'ty. He explain
ed that the street ce% company did
not pay for this franchise, neither did
It make use Of 1T. He asked the JUS
tice of allowing a firm not benefiting
the city any by it's franchise, having
perpetual franchiG for heating,
when his company did benefit the cit
liens of the city, yet was curtailed in
the advancement Of its heating mains.
Manager Hughes stated that if COM
PEELED to do SO, his company could go
about the extension OF its heating
mains in a mean way. but that the
company wanted to act fair and just
with the city. 1t is possible for the
company to use, what he called, under
handed methods and go through the
Easements of houses and extend its
mains, but that it desired to meet the
city half way.
AS a special inducement, Manager
Hughes stated that he had during the
afternoon talked to the head Office in
Chicago and he had been given per-
mission to give the city per cent of
the gross earnings of the company
from the heating mains, during the
last five years of the fifteen year per-
| iod called for in the ordinance that had
been proposed. The amount called for
in the ordinance was IL per cent.
Argue Over the Ordinance.
Alderman Mcdonald cited to the
council that the Union Light, Heat &
Power Co., has refused to accept other
ordinances and intended to refuse the
one under consideration, unless 1t car
ried with Il a fifty year franchise. He
also took a rap at the morning news
paper of the city regarding some
statements it had made about the
mayor.
Alderman Hanson took up the side
OF the twenty-five year franchise fol-
lowers He stated that he had called
upon the mayor but could not get cer-
tain desired information out or him.
HE drew up an ordinance and never
put 1t up to the ordinance committee"
said Hanson in referring to the past
ordinance. He believed that the mayor
had overstepped his rights In having
done this.
Bowers and Mcdonald then filed
request that the ordinance be held
over until the next meeting Of the
council. The charter of the city was
read, and 1T was found that such
procedure was lawful In the city
council, when two or more members
OF the council made such request. In
| this manner the ordinance was with
drawn from the center OF attention
for the time being.
| The Street FIushsr.
The committee appointed to pur-
chase a street flushing machine for the
city reported that there was so much
4 difference in the machines, both as to
operation and quality. that the COM
mittee could not tell great deal about
making the best purchase for the city
| The committee believes that II some
one could go to Minneapolis and there
see the machines working, that the
money spent on the trip would repay
the city.
The council authorized Aldermen
Jardine and Hanson, and Street Com
missioner Johnson to go to Minneapo-
lis and see some of the machines in
operation and make report to the
council at a future meeting. It was
stipulated that the cost OF the trip
would not be more than $50.
Other Matters.
An ordinance was presented which
Is aimed to regulate hackmens and
baggagemen standing on the streets
and having no permanent location
The ordinance was passed on It's first
reading and provides that hacks stand
ling on the streets shall pay q license
of SIS year, auto Iiyeries the same
fee and baggage wagons SIS a year
The city attorney was requested to
| a.