The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-07-23
WHY NOT HAVE
A GAS PLANT?

We have been watching with consid-
erable interest, for the past three
years, the efforts which have been
made to secure a gas franchise from
Johnson City, by the several parties
who have been contesting before the
City Council.
Just why franchise has not been
granted to some one of the many ap-
plicants, is not quite clear to us: hut
judging by the course events have
taken, and the fact that franchise
has not yet been granted, it would
seem that some strong influence is at
work to defeat some of the applicants,
at least, to be more specific, the fran
chises presented by Mr.. Jas. O.. Lewis.
Two years ago Mr.. Lewis presented
franchise, backed by one of the rich
est gas plant building firms in the
United States, to be defeated by bro
kers-the Brooke-Sewell combination
which they rejected after the board
had passed it.
Last August Mr.. Lewis presented
another franchise in the name of
Wagner & Dunn, backed by the Amer
lean Construction Co., builders of the
high-pressure gas system. Two other
contestants entered the field later,
only to have all withdraw this past
spring.
We understand that Mr.. Lewis per-
suaded his people to permit him to
again present it to the city council,
hoping that perhaps the new board
would consider the proposition more
favorably.
After Mr.. Lewis had persuaded his
parties to come back, and no other
franchise was pending when he again
presented it, and having no other way
to defeat it, certain members of the
board absented themselves from the
meetings for the purpose of prevent
ing its consideration and probable
passage. 1t is for this reason that we
believe certain influences are at work
trying to prevent Johnson City getting
a gas plant.
From our investigation of this mat
ter, we believe Mr.. Lewis is the only
one who has ever presented a fran
chise and asked for it's passage; that
was backed by bonafide builders. The
Honorable Mayors investigation, and
the reports of Bradstreet and Dunn's
commercial agencies certainly proved
that Mr.. Lewis was representing the
best people, and people who are will
ing and are yet willing, as we under
stand it, to put UP bonus of thous-
and dollars in cash as a guarantee
that they would build gas plant
This looks pretty godd to us.
We believe that Johnson City should
have a good gas plant and have one
just as soon as she can get it. The
rates agreed to are as low or lower
than any other town in the country
the same size are getting. and certain
ly much lower than many towns of
much larger size.
The Wagner-Dunn company claim
they can put in high pressure sys-
TEN, and put it in without tearing up
the fine paved streets of our city. If
this can be done, the council should
not for one minute consider putting
in the old style pressure with its
large mains, for these large mains
could not possibly be put down with
out tearing up the streets. Certain
authorities have stated that the dam
age to the streets would amount to
ten thousand dollars or more. We
certainly wouldn't want to stand for
that.
We see no reason why the Wagner
Dunn franchise should not be passed.
and we trust that the board will take |
early and favorable action,