The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-09-24
CITY TO INSIST
ON RESUMPTION
Of GAS SERVICE
Mayor to Discuss Plans With
Armstrong to Determine
Form of Action-Company
Preparing Request.

the CITY of Memphis will insist upon
the. fullest possible service in both gas
ana electric departments of the Mem
phls Gas and Electric company.
me exact form in which these claims
OF the city, will be pressed has not been
determined upon, but will be discussed
az length between Mayor Paine and
waiter T. Armstrong, city attorney. at
an early date.
The amount of new business which
the company will be able to assume will
probably be decided upon by Frederick
q, Proutt, expert for the city and c.
X: Steig. expert for the company.
Discussing the move made by officials
q the gas company in which they aban
doned plans for securing temporary rate
increases, and announced that temper
airy relief would be sought through the
medium of receivers certificates to
be asked of the federal court, Mayor
Paine said that so far as increased
emergency Improvements, and appoint
ment of other receivers than f. S. Ell
gin and j. F. Rameir, had passed en-
tirely out of the hands of the city by
Il appreciate fully that 100 per cent
service can not be resumed by the gas
company within a month or even long
er, but the city will certainly insist
upon the resumption of service to the
limit of the capacity of the gas and
electric plants.
I'VE know the two plants are Grip
pied and that some concessions must
be made, but the citizens of Memphis
must have the fullest service of which
the plants are capable and we will do
everything in the citys power to insure
such service"
The mayor appreciates that the au-
thorized statement issued by Lovick p.
Miles, attorney for the company, gives
promise of no resumption of service fur
Their than is contained in the companys
letter to the mayor on Sept. IA. At that
time the company promised resumption
of electric service TO private home
owners on Oct. Is, but made no men
ton Of resumption of gas service. The
authorized statement of Mr.. Miles stat
ed that service would be resumed in
accordance with the plans outlined In
their letter.
Under the terms of the franchise
granted to the gas and electric company
by the city, the administration can, in
the opinion of Walter Armstrong, city
attorney, go before the state utilities
commission and secure an order re-
quiring the company to render full
service to all users of gas and cleo
tricity. -.
Whether or not this step will be taken
has not been determined, due to the
fact that the mayors source of infor-
cleaned from the afternoon papers OF
Wednesday and since that time he has
not conferred with Mr. Armstrong.
Mr.. Miles stated late Thursday that
there were no new developments in the
matter. The papers necessary for fill
ing before the federal court asking the
issuance of receivers certificates are
being prepared and before the hearing
can be had it is necessary to give the
trustees 10 days notice
The exact amount of money to be
requested by the gas company has not
yet been divulged but estimates of the
city indicate that not more than per-
haps 100000 could be expended prior
to the time when the permanent rate
will be fixed and the extensive program
of the gas company will be ready to go
quest for between 100000 and 100000.