The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-01-09
In Proposal Submitted by the
Company to Board, No
Mention of Its Electrical
Business Is Made.
90 CENT GAS RATE
MADE IN PROPOSAL
However, This Includes the
Ten Per Cent Deduction
Term of Is Years for Fran
chise Is Asked.

John Beasley, of Terre Haute, at
torney for the Richmond Light, Heat
and Power company, appeared before
the board of public works this morn
ing and submitted proposition for a
new franchise for gas. No reference
to a contract for electricity is made in
the proposition.
In presenting the proposition to the
board. Mr.. Beasley stated the propos-
al was merely tentative and that his
company did not expect the board to
act upon it Immediately. The pro-
posal calls for the furnishing of gas at
a rate of 81 per 1000 cubic feet for all
domestic consumers, with a discount
of 10 per cent, If paid before the tenth
of each month. This is reduction of
10 cents on the present price of gas.
For commercial and manufacturing
purposes a discount of Is per cent, 20
per cent and 25 per cent will be given,
according to the amount used.
The company is asking for a fran
chise for twenty-five years.
who Opened Question?
The fact that the corporation is sub
mitting proposition at this time
which is more than three years before
its present contract expires has
brought forth the question as to
whether the corporation or the city
has asked for a new franchise. When
questioned this morning Attorney
Beasley answered that the corporation
and the city had discussed it before
and both believed it was now time to
consider clauses which they desireS
incorporated2in- a franchise i
THE mayor indicated that the city
is willing to entertain proposition at
this time, as he believed q reduction
in gas rates would compensate the
city in retiring the present fran
chise and making a new contract,
Mr.. Beasley added.
The city officials have been studying
over new gas franchise for some
time and they have placed special
stress upon two points-lower rates
for domestic consumers, and better
quality of gas.
In the proposition lower rates are
specified, but from statements made
by the members of the board of works
the decrease is not enough. They say
they want eighty or eighty-five cent
gas.
Quality Of The Gas.
AS to the quality of the gas the pro-
position of the public service corpora.
ton provides for an average of 600
British thermal units, which is the rec
ognized standard for heating gas. In
the present franchise there is no spe-
cifications as to the heating units of
the gas, and tests made by Fred r.
Charles, city civil engineer, have
shown the supply of gas to be of an in
ferior quality.
The proposition provides for penal.
ties in case the corporation does not
produce gas of the standard quality.
The penalties are to be specified in or
dinances while the city council may
pass.
Regarding the lighting quality of gas
to be furnished the proposition speci.
fies is candle power gas, while the
present franchise provides for lighting
gas of not less than Is candle power.
The minimum price of gas is fixed
at so cents per month where the &C.
tual consumption at the schedule rate,
less the discount, would not amount
to fifty cents.
One days notice will be given, &C
cording to the proposal, to the city
when the corporation desires to tear
up a street in order to lay mains or
service pipes. The corporation also
agrees to place the street in good re.
pair.
E. NJ. Campfield and his attorney
A. c. Lindemuth, were present at the
meeting and Campfield asserted that
he desired to submit a bid for a gas
franchise later. The board will be OBJ.
liged to advertise for bids and Camp.
Aeld said that whenever such adver.
tisement was made he would present
his proposition. Mr.. Campfeld's bid on
the water works franchise is still in
the hands of tho hoard of works