The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-10-12
City Council Meeting
Decision Rendered on Gas
Petition-Vote Stood 2 to l

AT special meeting of Council
held in the office of the Clerk and
Treasurer, October 8th. there were
present the Mayor and both Coun-
men.
The meeting was called for the
purpose OF making final decision
as to whether or not the increase in
the gas rate would be allowed at
ter reviewing the signed petition
which was presented to Council for
it's consideration.
Mayor Jennings stated: LAS far
as am concerned it appears from
the record furnished City Council.
out of the 9G1 gas subscribers, IS
per cent of these would be 121, and
it appears after checking the peti-
are only $50 actual subscribers on
the petition and therefore not rs
per cent, and l voted to continue
the franchise rate the same a. or
dered by Council heretofore.
Mr.. rcCallum stated: stand by
my former vote to hold the gas
company to the franchise rate"
Mr.. Raffield stated My posi-
ton is as formerly stated, that
public utilities should be allowed
to earn 6 per cent on their in
vestment plus a reasonable rate Of
depreciation which, in the gas
con1pany's case, is fixed at 5 per
cent. which l consider reasonable.
The franchise rate, in my opinion
will not allow them to earn 6 per
cent. therefore am not in favor
of forcing them to operate under
$50 net rate until such time as
their earnings will justify a fur
the, reduction. Council very wise
y reol;ires the gas company to file
With them q monthly statement Of
their operations and I am in favor
of this being continued in order
that we may see just what this util-
ity is earning. and if their rate eX-
ceeds that allowed by the franchise,
that it can be reduced. such earn
ings warrant the reduction. Not
being bound in any way by the
resolution passed at the mass meet
ing l am personally not concerned
with the result Of the petition
which has been presented to Coun-
ell which petition carries total OF
7a1 names, $50 Of which are wives
of the subscribers as shown by the
gas company's books.
Mayor Jennings further stated:
"As a condition upon which coun-
ell allowed the gas company here
tofore to increase its rates above
the franchise rates, it required the
gas company to furnish a monthly
statement of its operations in order
that council might know when it
would be wise to reduce the rates,
and council now having reduced
the rates back to the franchise
rates, it is not required that this
monthly statement be filed with
council by the gas company, but as
la member Of council l certainly
have no objection to the continu-
ance of the filing Of this report. AS
to the checking of the petition,
there were 7o6 individual names,
some individuals having several
meters, and adding the meters to-
gether, I understand it will make
the TAI names, but there were only
359 Of these gas subscriberssa ap-
peared from the books
Council authorized cooking rate
of 4 cents per XIV. for all electric
cooking ranges to be used on a sep
arate meter.
Council further agreed in reduc-
ton of 10 per cent in salaries be-
ginning November 1st, effecting all
employees whose salaries have not
heretofore been reduced, other than
the force at the electric light
plant, whose salaries have been re-
duced, except the superintendent
who was employed until January
lst at his present salary.
Council then ad iOurne0