The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-12-17
Citizens Committee Of Five Proposes
Resolution for Gas Price Which
is Accepted Last
Night.
MIGHT Go TO COURT
There Was This Possibility, It Was
Explained in Asking People to
Support the Rate
Measure.

A compromise gas rate of $40
per thousand feet for the first two
thousand feet of gas used per month
was recommended by the committee
of five to public meeting Of citizens
last night and was adopted. w. B.
Collins, as chairman, and H. A. Kin
naTan, as secretary, signed the re-
port. The meeting was held in the
district court room and there was
crowd present, the spectators
benches in the room filled and few
sitting inside tho railing.
J. l.. Alexander, manager Of the
Keokuk Electric company, was pres.
ent and explained why the company
was asking for certain increases. He
explained the favorable gas oil CON
tract, which now has expired, and
gave figures showing the increase in
cost OF gas oil and coke, the two COM
moGities most used in the Inanufac
ture of water gas. He answered in
Vulnerable questions on practically
| every conceivable phase Of the situa
| ton.
He explained just what the service
charge was, admitted that this
seemed to be the biggest bone OF
! contention. told how it was in vogue
in many of the eastern states, but
said the company here would waive
the service charge.
He also explained that a public
utility must be ready to serve its
customers, that it could not give
good service unless it had the neces.
sary money back of it to provide
proper materials and maintenance,
He explained how contracts had been
signed for year. and that there was
little prospect of any drop in prices
of commodities used by the company
in making gas.
! Court Would Decide.
Frank Oertel suggested that the
citizens must either adopt the COM
promise resolution Or go into court
over the matter, and said that tie
case would be taken before Judge
Wade if the company decided to go
into litigation in case the compromise
was not affected. He also answered
questions as to the legal phases of
the question.
DR.. H. A. Kinnaman moved that
the resolutions be passed Major
Collins said that there was plenty Of
opportunity to secure information fon
the company's affairs at any time, as
the books OF the company were open.
Mr.. Alexander invited any individual
citizen or group Of citizens to inspect
and audit the books and accounts.
Mr.. Collins said he felt that good
feeling should prevail and would pre-
vail between the company and the
citizens and he. believed that the
matter of adjustment in street ear
rates could be accomplished between
the people and the company.
The report was then unanimously
adopted and is the following:
The Proposed Rates.
Keolluk. Ia. Dec. is, 1920
To the Citizens of Ke0kUk,
Iowa, in Public Meeting Assem-
bled: Your com mittee appointed
at a previous public meeting Of
citizens held in the Y. w. C. A.
assembly rooms, December II,
1920, most respectfully report
that after two conferences with
Mr.. J. l.. Alexander, superirtend-
ent of the gas department of the
Keokuk Gas company. the follow
ing rates for gas consumed were
decided upon as Just and equi-
table after consideration Of the
increased price of materials
used and expenses Of admins
tration Of the company:
l. There may be a minimum
charge of fifty cents per month
for gas cons umed.
g One dollar and ninety cents
net per thousand cubic feet of
gas consumed for the first two
thousand feet per month.
g. One dollar and ei~htv cents
net per thousand cubic feet Of
gas consumed for the next three
thousand cubic feet per month.
4. One dollar and seventy cents
net per thousand cubic feet Of
gas for all gas consumed in ex-
cess of five thousand cubic feet,
per month.
Section 2. Ten cents per thou
sand cubic feet nav be added on
all bills not naid within ten days
frOrn dato Cf bills rendered.
Section 8 Tho passage Of This
ordinance shall not in any ran
ner affect the present franchise
of the Keol>uk Elet trio company.
except as 10 the rates herein
above fixed.
Section 4 ANY person. firm or
corporation violating any Of the
provisions ri this ordinance shall
uron conviction thereof. bo pun
ished nv q fine. not less than
ten fe1nN 10nars and not more
then ORC h,lrdret (s1nN> dollars
Coctioo All ordinances and