if 
112 3 ANNUAL REPORT 
Sec. 2. That if any such company or companies shall be unable at any 
time within ten years from the passage of this ordinance to so continue to furn- 
ish natural gas for fuel by reason of insufficient quantity to supply the demand 
thereof, and shall devise or construct a system or means for furnishing fuel 
gas, such company or companies shall be entitled, during a period of ten years 
from the passage of this ordinance, to charge for all such fuel gas furnished 
for fuel purposes, a sum not to exceed 60 cents per thousand cubic feet, from 
which price a discount of 10 cents per thousand cubic feet shall be made upon 
all bills paid on or before the 10th day of each month for gas furnished during 
the preceding month. Provided, however, that if there should be a difference 
of opinion between said city council and the company so furnishing natural gas 
as to whether such company at any time within ten years from the passage of 
this ordinance is unable to continue to furnish natural gas, by reason of in- 
sufficient quantity to supply the demand therefor, the question of whether 
there is a sufficient quantity shall be determined by arbitrators, one to be se- 
lected by said City Council and one by such company, which two shall select a 
third arbitrator, and the action and award of a majority of such arbitrators as 
to there being such sufficient quantity, shall be final and binding on all parties. 
Sec. 3. When said gas company or companies shall file with the city clerk 
its or their assent in writing to the terms of this ordinance, the said ordinance 
and acceptance shall be treated and deemed as a compliance with law for the 
company or companies so accepting, provided nothing shall be construed as 
granting to existing companies exclusive rights or privileges, or prevent any 
other natural gas company or companies from furnishing natural gas to the 
citizens of said city. 
Sec. 4. That said company or companies by accepting the terms of this 
ordinance shall consent and agree not to sell natural gas or furnish to be sold 
to any other city or town, or supply the same with gas except those now being 
supplied by the companies now furnishing gas in the city of Columbus, until 
all demands for gas in the city of Columbus are supplied, at the prices herein 
provided even though a higher price may be offered for said gas by some other 
city or town; and said company or companies shall be permitted to sell to other 
cities or towns only such gas as it or they may have in excess of that which is 
demanded for the city of Columbus. 
Sec. 5. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force upon its passage 
and publication according to law. 
Passed July 1, 1901. 
JAMES J. THOMAS, 
President of the City Council. 
Approved by the mayor, July 6, 1901. 
Attest: JoHn T. Barr, City Clerk. 
When the company first began supplying Columbus with gas, about 
January 1, 1890, it furnished the fuel to factories as well as to residences. 
By the following November the pressure in the field had so diminished 
that it was necessary to disconnect the factories, and so base a use of the 
fuel has not since been made except during the summers of 1899 and 1900. 
This has greatly prolonged the supply, for which the citizens of Columbus 
are indebted to the management of the company. In the autumn of 1902 
the lines were supplying about 66,000 fires.. Mr. J. O. Johnson, superinten- 
