[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of West Reading 5-3-1911 by Ord. No. 38 (Ch. VIII, Part 1, of the 1993 Code of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Consumers' Gas Company, its successors and assigns, is hereby granted the right and privilege of laying, placing and maintaining gas mains, pipes, services, and their appurtenances in the streets, lanes, alleys, highways and bridges of said Borough, from and after the date when this ordinance becomes operative, upon the terms and conditions hereinafter stated, provided, however, that said gas mains, pipes and appurtenances shall not be placed under the sidewalks longitudinally with the streets or alleys thereof[2].
[1]
Editor's Note: This franchise is now vested in the United Gas Improvement Company.
[2]
Editor's Note: Section 8 of this ordinance provided that the ordinance be null and void unless the company had laid its mains and furnished gas to residents in the Borough within nine months after approval of the ordinance. Section 9 required that the company pay the cost of printing and publishing the ordinance. Section 10 provided that the ordinance not go into effect until accepted by the company by a proper acceptance filed with the Clerk of Council within 90 days after approval of the ordinance.
Said company shall restore all streets and alleys which shall be opened by it, its agents or employees, for the purpose of laying or repairing mains, pipes or their appurtenances, to the same order and condition in which the same were before opened by it, and the company agrees, upon the acceptance by it of this ordinance, that it will maintain, repair and keep in good and proper condition for a period of six months that portion of all streets, alleys, lanes, highways and bridges disturbed by it in the laying of its aforesaid pipes, etc., therein or thereon, the six-month period to be computed from the time of the closing of the ditch.
Whenever said company shall make an excavation in the public highways of said Borough, it shall by signal or otherwise do all things necessary to protect the public from injury and shall hold said Borough harmless from all or any damage that may occur thereby.
The granting of the rights herein to said company, its successors and assigns, shall in no way impair or abridge the rights of the Borough under present ordinances, or under such ordinances as may be passed, in regard to the exercise of its powers as to the control of its streets, sidewalks and alleys, or as to the imposition of license taxes, or as to any other lawful exercise of its municipal powers, except only as rights are expressly granted herein to said company, its successors and assigns.
Said Consumers' Gas Company shall indemnify and save harmless said Borough from any liability through the opening of the streets and alleys while said company is laying its gas mains.
Said privilege is granted on condition that the cost of gas to consumers within the Borough of West Reading shall not exceed the sum of $1.20 per 1,000 cubic feet, with the discount of $0.10 per 1,000 cubic feet, provided all bills are paid by the 10th of the month following that in which the gas is used; provided, however, that in the event that, after the passage of this ordinance, the price of gas in the City of Reading shall be raised above $1.20 per 1,000 cubic feet with discount of $0.10 per 1,000 cubic feet, said Consumers' Gas Company is authorized to raise the price of gas in the Borough of West Reading to an amount equal thereto, the amount to be equal thereafter to that charged in the City of Reading, but the company not be compelled to furnish gas in West Reading for less than the price of $1.20 per 1,000 cubic feet, with discount.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: These provisions, at present, are not in effect. Under the Public Utility Code the Public Utility Commission controls rates of utilities.
The Consumers' Gas Company, its successors and assigns shall lay main pipe in the following streets:
Name of Street
Location
Penn Avenue
From the east to the west Borough line
Second Avenue
From Penn Avenue to Howard Street
Chestnut Street
From River Road to Sixth Avenue
Sixth Avenue
From Chestnut Street to Reading Avenue
Franklin Street
From River Road to Sixth Avenue
Fourth Avenue
From Franklin Street to Penn Avenue
Reading Avenue
From Sixth Avenue to 200 feet west
Cherry Street
West of Third Avenue
Cherry Street
East of Second Avenue
Howard Street
From Third Avenue to Fourth Avenue
Third Avenue
From Penn Avenue to Howard Street
Obold Street
From Franklin Street south
Fifth Avenue
From Penn Avenue south
Yarnell Street
From Chestnut Street to Franklin Street
Seventh Avenue
From Penn Avenue south
Fourth Avenue
From Penn Avenue to Summit Street
Third Avenue
From Penn Avenue to Summit Street
Reading Avenue
From Third Avenue to Valley Street