Tacoma's Gas Monopoly Dodges a Bullet
City council nearly revokes a utility franchise due to impure gas, highlighting early 20th-century struggles with private utility providers.
The story, cleaned up
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The Tacoma Gas company came near having its franchise revoked last night. A lot of people who have been using gas say they wish it had been revoked, but the solons discovered what was up just in time to save the franchise. Several months ago, Wilkeson introduced an ordinance to revoke the franchise because the gas company was furnishing impure gas. The ordinance laid in committee until the new committee came on. It thought it was simply a routine ordinance to clear the books of an unused franchise and recommended it for passage. It was read the third time last night and the clerk was starting to call the roll when it was discovered what the ordinance was. It was then sent back to the committee to wait until the city chemist examines the gas.
“A lot of people who have been using gas say they wish it had been revoked, but the solons discovered what was up just in time to save the franchise.”
Public oversight of private utilities is a century-old fight. This story highlights how easily corporate franchises were once managed—and almost accidentally revoked—by city officials in the 1900s.
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