Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-04-01
REASONS FOR THE GAS PLANT
DELAY.

REASONS FOR THE GAS PLANT
DELAY.
In a political circular issued Satnr.
day an attempt was made to deceive
the voters and taxpayers relative 10
the delay in acting on the Lair fran
chise, which is now pending before
the city commission by making a
hraZen inference that the rates quot
ed for the use OF gas are those now
appearing in the franchise which Is
before the city commission, when in
fact they are the rates given by hr.
Lair in the franchise asked for in
July, 1912, the conditions OF which
franchise, besides the rates Is entirely
different than the one now pending
before the commission, and which is
the main reason why the commission
has failed to approve the present fran
chise. Quoting from the circular as
to rates, "On July 18th, 1912. he
N.ahr) submitted a proposed gas fran
chise to the city commission, this gas
franchise carried the very low rates
of SLO5, $l.l0 and S1.l5 per thousand
cubic feet OF gas These rates vary
ing according to the amount consum-
ed per month. The Northwestern Dis.
tillation & Power company met these
rates and gave by far more liberal
concessions 10 the city in other mat
tiers than the Lair franchise, among
them being 2 per cent to be paid the
city on the total amount OF gas con.
sumed witnin the city OF Bismarck.
The present franchise asked for by
Mr.. Lair carries the following rates
to consumers: $1.70 per n thous'
and cubic feet, and where the con-
sumption of gas by the city amount
to ten million cubic feet the price to
customers shall be sl.65 per thousand
cubic feet, and where the total cons
SUMPTION reaches, twenty million Gu
bic feet the rate shall be Sl.6J, per
thousand, and where the CONSUMPTION
reaches thirty million the rate Shall
be $50 per thousand cubic feet. Thus
il will be seen that the lowest rate
in the present franchise under the
most stringent conditions will be S1.5O
per thousand cubic feet. In connec-
ton with the matter Of the rate alone
the city commission is certainly justi-
fed in weighing the matter carefully
when YOU consider the wide difference
in rates as proposed by Mr.. Lair in
July, 1912, AID in January, 1913.
In Mr.. Lahr's July franchise there
was no provision asking for a mini
mum rate, but in the present one he
a minimum rate -of 500 per
from each consumer, whether
ANY gas is used during the month or
not. NJ. Lahr in the present fran
.chise asks that he pc permitted to de.
lay the commencement OF construc-
ton of'the plant until. April 1st, 1914.
The commission can see nc good rea-
son why the construction OF the plant
should not commence within a reason
able time after the granting Of the
franchise.
These, together With other condi-
Ltions of the franhise now before the
commission, certainly justify them in
going slow beore binding the city to
"a 3O-year contract.
In September, 1912, the commission
passed an ordinance granting the
Northwestern Distillation & Power
company a gas franchise, the condi'
tons were favorable to the city, the
rates, were as low or lower than the
franchise introduced by Mr.. Lair in
July, but the company refused to &C.
|cept same for the reason that chapter
IN of the laws of North Dakota for
1911 provides that the rates and
charges fixed In said franchise may be
altered by the municipality every five
years upon giving notice, and after a
reasonable opportunity to be heard.
1t was no fault Of the city commits
sion that this franchise was not &C
cepted.
The ideas of the promulgators of the
political circulator appear to be that
a franchise should be granted to sup
ply the city and it's inhabitants with
gas, no matter what kind of a robbery
is committed with regard to the rates
charged, but the city commission
thinks otherwise and we believe" After
this explanation of the situation that
the citizens will approve of e',ss!,
ton of the city commission ID it's dea
lay with reference to this particular