January 1951, Frank Smith and John Bodecker from Associated Electric and Gas Corporation appeared before the village board of trustees to propose a franchise to deliver natural gas to village residents. The franchise would be with Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation. At that time the only gas fuel available was bottled gas (propane). Many village residents use electricity for cooking partially due to the village’s low electric rates. The board took no action on the matter pending the return of the Associated men in two months. At that time there was little demand or interest in natural gas as a fuel, but the board’s final reaction to the matter would be gauged by local interest.
The Town of Skaneateles gave the natural gas question a public hearing on Feb. 2, 1951. The notice of the hearing stated: to consider the application of Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, a public service corporation having it’s principle place of business in Syracuse, for a franchise in respect to the construction, maintenance and operation of conductors and other appurtenances and facilities for the purpose of transmitting and distribution gas through said town as provided in subdivision 7, section 64 of town law of the State of New York.
The Jan. 19, 1951 Skaneateles Press states, “The gas proposal has been a hot topic at the Chamber of Commerce and other group meetings ever since.”
Letters in the paper were mainly in favor of the proposal. One letter mentioned that natural gas for house heating rates are – “controlled by federal and state commissions are not subject to frequent price hikes, usually upward, that take place with coal. In the past ten years, the prices of electricity and natural gas have hardly changed while the cost of coal, coke and oil have nearly doubled.”
Another concern was the possible effect on revenue losses by the Village Electric Light Department. The letter stated “very few families, if any, would discard good electrical appliances and replace them with gas operated equipment. In all probability with the increased use of refrigerators, deep freezers, toasters, washing machines, ironers, etc., the load on our lighting department will show a normal annual increase.”
The pro and con gas combat went on. One such story came from a United Press dispatch appearing in the Sunday Syracuse paper. The story said, “in Ohio, at least 7,000 persons in Toledo, Columbus, Parma, and Grove City went without heat when natural gas supplies were cut to a trickle because of unusually heavy consumption. In Cleveland 700 industrial plants were closed, throwing thousands out of work, and plants shut down in other towns as industries were allotted only enough for maintenance. The temperature in Ohio plunged as low at 20 degrees below zero.”
At the Feb. 2, 1951 town public hearing the Niagara-Mohawk representatives made the presentation before a full town board. Fifteen others crowded into the small meeting room to hear the presentation. Points mentioned were that the village would be serviced first, if they grant the franchise, with Mottville and Skaneateles Falls able to get service later. Gas would be provided to the village by the fall of the year, if the village franchise is granted. After questions died down, Town Supervisor Lee asked if there was anyone present who opposed the gas franchise. There was no voice raised in opposition. Supervisor Lee closed the hearing and the board referred the franchise details to Town Attorney Charles Major.
The village advertised for bids for the gas supply franchise in The Skaneateles Press. They received only one bid – from Niagara-Mohawk Power Corporation. The bid was deemed to be in order and ready to be presented for a public hearing. That hearing was scheduled for 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 28, in the Skaneateles Central School auditorium.
About 60 persons attended the public hearing. Lauman Martin, a village resident, and William (Mike) Moran represented the power company. After listening to many questions both pro and con Mayor Grant asked for an expression of those present. The result showed a large majority in favor of the gas franchise. It was brought out that the power company will spend a great deal of money if the village franchise is granted. They estimate over $215,000 will be spent.
The Skaneateles Press of May 4, 1951 reads “The time limit of the permissive referendum of the application of the Niagara-Mohawk Power Corporation for a gas franchise here having expired without a sufficient number of taxpayers – 20%of the Village taxpayers, petitioning against it – natural gas for the Village is now assured.”
The petition against the gas franchise had 129 names and was unsigned. The article said that the board “bent over backwards to be fair on the matter. It took no cognizance in the technical errors in the petition, just the number of names on it.”
June 8, 1951, a front page story in The Skaneateles Press said that the start on the work on the installation of the natural gas supply lines in the village has been held up waiting for receipt of an order from the Public Service Commission. It is expected in the next two to three weeks. Finally, at the end of June the P.S.C. granted approval for Niagara-Mohawk Power Corporation to begin their project to supply gas to the village and town. This included construction of a reducing and metering station just north of the village on State Street (Route 321) and the laying of the pipelines. The estimated cost was now $335,000. Construction was estimated to start July 13.
Local heating contractors Fraser-Hunt Corporation and Bill Cameron started advertising furnace gas conversion packages in July of 1951.
October 5, 1951 it was reported that Niagara-Mohawk received a certificate from the Federal Power Commission approving its operations in the Village and Town of Skaneateles. The construction has now started down State Street and will keep going as far as the weather permits. The New York State Natural Gas Company is constructing the reducing and metering building. This is the connection point to their14inch main that runs up from downstate and flows west into Auburn. The Skaneateles Short Line Railroad brought in pipe and other material for the project.
The first area in the village for the gas main installation was roughly bounded by Austin Street on the north, Leitch Avenue on the east, Jordan Street on the west and down to but not including Genesee Street on the south. In mid January 1952 Lauman Martin, of 72 Jordan St., vice president and general counsel of the Niagara-Mohawk Power Corporation said that gas service would be available to residents by the end of the month. It was not until August of 1952 when the business district of Genesee Street saw installation of the gas line for that street.
“Although a franchise was granted by the Town of Skaneateles long before the Village authorized installation here, no gas has yet been installed anywhere in the Town,” Mr. Martin said.
Submitted
By Jorge Batlle
Skaneateles Village Historian
