The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-07-01
COLLINS PR Sci IS
SECOND FRANCHISE
Remedies Contract omitting 4 sRsd
Tape Which Makes it Duplicate
Of Little Falls Franchise.
GAS COMMITTEE RE-APPo1NTED
Representative Gives His Reasons
For Not Appearing at Second
and Third Committee Meetings
OTHER BUSINESS TRANSACTED
Diamond Point Bath Houses to Be
Rebuilt Were Torn Down BY
Commissioner Last Fall.
GAS COMMITTEE RE-APPOINTED
OTHER BUSINESS TRANSACTED
Clearing himse

Clearing himse at Sit % sss,s4
made after he hai orE saatsat t.as
franchise several " t3sSis syy$s5 IS RI.
ure to show up at the committees
meetings, e. e. Collins appeared be-
fore the City Council last night pre-
senting a second franchise which he
claims is much shorter and more eff
fective than the one formerly pre-
sented. Mr.. Collins told the council
why he had failed to put in an app
pealance at the meetings in Bemidji
and how he had confided in p. w.
Rathbun former resident Of this
city with the result that they were
not Informed Of his illness which pre-
vented him from attending.
Before the gas question was dis
cussed Alderman Bailey asked Mr..
Collins II it was through any fault
Of the gas committee that he was not
present at the meetings. In answer
Mr.. Collins took all the blame and
said he had no complaint to make
against the committee or any MEM
4er of the council. In reply Mr. Bailey
stated that he only wished to clear
the committee OF charges of certain
parties which thought they were
well posted on all that had taken
place between the committee and the
eas representa- I've.
3 Alderman Murphy then asked Mr.:
Collins what firm he represented. Mr.
Collins did not appear to be anxious
to disclose the names Of the members
of the firm, as many Of them were
private stockholders, but he stated
that they had been in business for
fifteen years and If the council
doubted the reliability Of his Arm he
would only ask them to investigate
the plants he had installed in several
cities, the names Of which he would
be willing to give.
Alderman Bisiar then asked il they
formed local company and in an
sWering Mr.. Collins stated that they
did II enough appeared interested,
and that the officers of the local COM
pany would be president, vice presi-
dent, secretary, treasurer and board
of directors and all OF local men. He
also stated that they had formed
local company at Little Falls where
he recently installed a plant.
| In answer to further queries from
different members Of the couacil In
! regard to his absence In Bemidj ii after
he had presented the first franehise.
he stated that he had received let
ter from firm In regard to laying the
gas pipe and stated that the firms
representative, p. w. Rathbun Of this
fcity would call upon him. Thinking
that Mr.. Rathbun would notify the
council Of his illness after he left the
city Mr.. Collins did not notify any
member Of the committee and as q
result the gas question was dropped
for the time being.
1 Alderman Miller asked the repre-
sentative what were the reasons he
had for not wishing to place $4,000
forfeiture bond with the city to which
Mr.. Collins stated that his frm had
never done it before, and they did not
wish to tie up great deal Of their
capital by placing a large check with
I each city in which they wished to
! build plant. He further stated that
the city had nothing to loose as the
n franchise required him to commence
Operations within one year Of the
thine of the third reading and If he
j failed to do so all contracts and
4 agreements would be declared void
4 without taking the matter into court.
i Acting upon a motion Of Smart IT
i was decided to appoint q gas commit
tee to thoroughly Investigate all parts
|of the franchise together with Mr..
q Collins and members of the CONNER
cial club during the next three days
which will be the length OF time Mr..
1
collins will be in Bemidji and to la
ter meet with the city attorney Dur
ling the next few weeks another fran
Ichise will be presented by another
firm and Bemidji will have their
|choice Of the two franchises and will
be able to compare as to which is the
better for the city Mr.. Collins APP
Ipeared to be more than satisfied stos
Iput his franchise up Tor conparison
with any other firms. and Will not
The present during the comparison sIfs
1.-THE council decides to accept hias0fler!
lCOnfinusds on .lasf p @ lssasa