The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1947-06-12
Lexington Will Get Natural Gas By November Isl
In 25-Year Electric and Gas Franchise
Granted To MPL Company This Week
500 Cos Applications
Will Win Lexington
Present Durunt Rate


The Board of Aldermen passed
unanimously a resolution Monday
to grant 25-year natural gas and
electric franchise to the Mississippi
Power and Light Company, provided
1t can give satisfactory assurance OF
delivery Of natural gas to Lexington
by November /, 1947.
This resolution followed a meet
ing at the City Hall of the Mayor
and Board Of Aldermen in discuss
ion with Mr.. Tom Crockett and other
representatives Of the Mississippi
Power and Light Company early
Monday afternoon.
In passing this resolution Lexing-
ton Aldermen have taken the final
step in the direction of securing ma
tural gas for the citizens of Lexing-
ton for this coming winter. The rest
is up to the Power and Light Co.
Lower Rute
Embodied in the contract of gran
ting the Mississippi Power and Lig-
hit Company the privilege of opera
ting in Lexington is the promise Of
giving the Lexington customers q
lower rate, (the same rate as is in
effect in Durant now, as soon as
there are 500 applications for install
lation of gas and the customary
$500 deposit on file at the MPL
Cornpany's office here. Until these
applications are on file the rate for
gas will be about 20@o higher than
the present rate in Durant.
Voltage Regulator
Also included in the contract is
the assurance of a voltage regulator
to be installed on the electric lines
to insure a uniform flow of electric
current to all users in the corporate
limits of the city. A booster pump
was also promised to assure the gas
customers who are on the end of the
distribution lines an adequate sup
ply of gas when the cold weather
increases the consumption OF gas
for heating purposes.
Need Lower Electric Rate
One point brought to the attention
of Mr.. Crockett was the need Of
lower rate on electricity supplied to
the Lexington schools. The schools
non-profit institutions, pay the same
rate less 1877 as commercial estab-
lishments. Mayor Weathersby point
ted out that this rate structure Is
costing the taxpayers ga lot OF mo-
new; further, as thew are non-pro-
fit institutions they should be given
the consideration as such and should
he allowed the same rate as residen-
tia1 users.
Mr.. Crockett said that something
would be done toward revising the
school rate.
Commercial Rate Unchanged
Hopes of the business men OF
Lexington for a lower commercial
rate were dimmed as Mr.. Crockett
told those attending the meeting
that nothing could be done about
commercial rates as thew are fixed
for the state and cannot be changed
for one community "Unless the ele-
ctric rate is lowered, the possibility
of indutrv moving to Lexington APP
pears slim" Mayor Weathersby de-
c1ared.
The present cost of electric bills
in local business houses is causing
nanv concerns to do away with ma
nv present electric fixtures and
appliances and preventing insta1la-
ton IF air conditioning and other
electric projects, some business men
declared
Won't Sell Street Lights
One Of the things highly desired
bv the board which was turned
down bv the MPL Co. through Mr..
Crockett, was the proposal Of the
citv to purchase the street lighting
system from the Power Co.
This was flatly refused CThe re-
venue received from the rent Of the
lighting fixtures is said to be far
more than the revenue derived from
the sale of the power to light them.)