OCR Text |
Show NATURAL OAS. Mr. John Johnson, who has for some time been furnishiug natural gas to three houses from a gas well Avhich he accidentally discovered while diggiug for water, proposes to ask the city council for a franchise to pipe the streets. Ho claims that he can secure $100,000 of eastern capital to back tho enterprise. Mr. Johnson wants a franchise fran-chise for twenty-live years, tho first ten years of which shall bo exclusive No ono will objestto giving Mr. Johnson a franchise, but if it is made nt all exclusive, exclu-sive, there will be stormy opposition to it. An exclusive franchise of auy ua-ture ua-ture is contrary to public policy, aud we don't believe the council can grant any such franchise. If wo have natural gas iu this vicinityand vicin-ityand ther arc strong iudicatious that wo have the field should be open to any oue who wishes to invest money iu prospecting for it. A mouopoly in natural gas should not be tolerated for a moment. |