§ I. [Grant of franchise.]

The City of Durango, Colorado (herein called the "city"), hereby grants to and vests in Southern Union Gas Company, a corporation authorized to transact and transacting business within this state (herein called the "company"), a franchise with the right to operate a gas plant, system, pipelines and works in the city, as now or hereafter constituted, and the authority, license, power and privilege to maintain, construct, build, equip, conduct, or otherwise establish and operate in said city, works, systems, plants and facilities (including those now in service) to use, sell, store, distribute, convey or otherwise conduct, serve, supply and furnish the inhabitants of said city and others, and to the city, whenever it may desire to contract therefor, natural gas for light, fuel, power, heat and any and all other useful purposes, and the company is hereby granted passage, right-of-way in, under, along and across, and the right to occupy and use in any lawful way during the life of this franchise every and any and all streets, avenues, easements, alleys, highways, sidewalks, bridges and other structures and public places and grounds of said city, both above and beneath the surface thereof, as same now exist, or may be hereafter constituted, for every and any such service, use, effect and lawful purpose as herein mentioned.