Montana oil journal. (Great Falls, Mont.) 192?-1931, 1931-03-14

ENAt4 DC UAUNHAA ~ - AtA+ANA
ard specifications. Ny conten-
ton is that we are not dupi-
eating but are simply pioneer
ing Ia the natural gas bust
ness IN Great Falls. / admit
that / would be ia direct com
petition with the Great Falls
Gas company, but / feel that
the investment that they now
have IN their system, together
with the cost that they win
have to expend to make an up
t0-date system, viii force them
to charge an excessive rate
their investment. They have
a certain salvage value in their
new pipe recently laid, but all
Of the old pipe win have to be
replaced before Great Falls
can get the service that it is
entitled to get, which means
selling better than 80 per cent
Of our total population. by
contention is that I am only
partially IN conflict with the
Northwest States Utilities com
pany. which now has a line
to the Kelvin field and the
Sweetgrass Hills, as their line
together with my proposed
line, and the third line which
win be built, can ali deliver
surplus gas to the main line
going sonth to Butte and Ana
conda. Undoubtedly, all three
lines viii be necessary to gath
er gas to supply this large
market. Under this arrange
ment all Of the gas from Ola
cier Park to the east side of
the Bear Paw mountains could
be gathered through three
large trunk lines, connecting
at Great Falls, and the surplus
turned over to the main linc
going south. This would give
added reserve and justification
for the building Of the big line
to Butte in q very short pc
riod Of time. 1t would be an
economic waste to duplicate
the present line from the Ke-
win field and the Sweet Grass
hills into Great Falls, as the
present 12-ineh line il ade-
quate to carry all the gas from
that district.
1t is my argument that an
application for gas franchise
in Great Falls was justified.
The application has been
placed before the people, the
results Of which are well
known. | contend that my ap
plication was defeated because
people were confused with ref
erence to the Henley franchise
and my own, and that false
propaganda in q large measure
was responsible for this de-
feat. / have been accused Of
planning to sell out to the
Great Falls Gas company in
face Of the fact that ! guar
anteed not to do SO. I have
been accused Of working IN
league with Mr.. Henley and
the Northwest States Utilities
company, and there has been
much false propaganda put out
regarding myself and my con-
neetions. I knve been accused
Of stating or inferring that the
Midwest Refining company
and the Ohio Oil company
were supporting me ia this
affair. / have not made any
such statements. These com
panieS. together with Frank
Book, the Century Oil com
pany, and the Texas Pacific
Coal and Oil company are in
terested with me IN my various
other enterprises, besides sew
eral other stockholders. None
Of the above companies or
stockholders have agreed to
finance this project, bat I
wish TO assure the public that
this can be done, as there are
many people interested il IN
vesting thsir money If it viii
bring 4 fair return on the IN
gestment.
] have lived ia Montana for
"a years. I have been in the
oil and gas business for II
years I ana the operating head
Of eight corporations now pro