The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-03-16
THE STREET FRANCHISE.

Tribune Justice to the occasion, and the other
day it was all hurled at the heads of the
unsuspecting majority Of the city council
At last accounts, however, the gentlemen
constituting that majority were pursuing
their usual vocations, and it is fair to as
sumo they were not much disturbed by the
low abuse Of our ill-bred contemporary. 1t
may be that one of the reasons
for the absolute sang frOfd of the
gentlemen in reference lies in the fact that
they are more or less accustomed to Wilt
fication from the same vile source, and in
this particular instance perhaps their per
fectly unruffied serenity is emphasized by
the utter righteousness of the attack. 1t is
only truth that hurts and the facts of this
whole matter are too well remembered for
the poor old lie-loving Trtb. to make out
much Of case Here is one of its
charges:
1t (the city counciD first granted restricted
and unwelcome franchise to Major WILKES, one
which prevented him going forward with any
practical work; he was obliged to accept what
was granted, coupled with so many hamperlng
conditions and requirements that no capitalists
would put up the money to go on with the Work.
There is an undercurrent Of humor in
this statement that would induce broad
smile were it not that the brazen stupidity
which also characterizes it rather excites
the pity of those who know the facts In
the WILKES franchise there was scarcely
restriction that was not placed there at the
suggestion of the major himself. As If 1t
were yesterday we remember with what
hilarity the situation was viewed by the
90 ,I,a,-s q
arose and began to offer objections to
the provision requiring the major
to furnish to the city for nothing
a string Of incandescent electric lights
along his track, each to be Of fabulous
candle power; and with what loftiness the
major himself replied, 1--WE don't object to
that" Then the item in regard to bond
for faithful compliance with the terms of
the franchise, that was another bed Of the
majors own making and one which at the
time he was only too willing to lie in, not
withstanding the present disposition of the
Tribune to lie out Of it. IN fact, as we re-
member it, the only consideration in the
whole franchise that was not apparently to
the majors liking, was one in regard to his
route. One evening the council changed his
route on the eastern side Of the city in man
ner that was not entirely satisfactory. There
was no secret as to how this was done, either.
It was shown at the time that the part Of
the city where it was originally proposed
the lire should run was far better supplied
with street car service than the portion to
which the route was changed, and it is by
no means certain the route decided upon
would not have proven altogether better
for the road, chad it been construCted) than
the one sought. At any rate there was no
such difference as to constitute hamper
ing condition" to deter a capitalist, if fav-
orably disposed, from putting his money
into the road. Oh, no! The facts are too
green to charge the onus of the WILKES
fasco on the city council. 1t won't go
down.
AS to the REMINGTON franchise, the posi-
ton Of the council in refusing what was
asked is perfectly tenable one. 1t is con-
tanned in the report of the committee on
streets and is couched in unmistakabie Ian
guage:
In view Of all these circumstances, your com
mittee are still OF the opinion that II IS not ad-
visable to grant franchises to any one TO paral-
lei to any considerable extent roads already in
operation, especially when We have such a large
portion Of the city not served by any roads at
all and 10 which railroad facilities would not
only be OF great advantage to the inhabitants Of
the districts not served, but to the city as q
whole.
of the CITY unprovided with railroad facilities,
and until there appears to be a necessity for it,
or until it shall appear thut parallel roads would
be benefit TO the city as whole, your com
nittee recommend that franchises Ior THIS pur-
pose be not granted
Who will say that a company which has
struggled on with the city's growth from
the time it was a village until now, with
barely profits enough to subsist, is not en-
titled to consideration Of course the case
would be different if it were huge mono
poly Of some kind-then another company
running on the same streets would have a
beneficial effect-but in our opinion the
conclusion Of the committee and the council
TO grant no paralleling rights, especially so
long as so much Of the city remains un-
served, was eminently proper and just.
The Tribune also endeavors to carry the
impression that the committee purposely
waited until the council had granted the
new franchise to the street railway com
pany so that it might come in and report
that because the council had done so it
could not grant the REMINGTON franchise.
The committee did nothing Of the sort. In
the first place, the council, last summer, re-
fused the street railway company's petit
ton for extension Of its franchise be-
cause of its poor service, and it was
agreed that until the company gave
evidence Of improvement in this respect,
its petition would remain tabled. What
followedl That company came before the
council again this winter with pledges that
in the near future it would put on rapid
transit system and that arrangements for
an electric road were only delayed pending
the extension of its franchise. The street
railway is owned by men who have helped
10 make the country, who have the means
and the grit to do what they promise and
whose pledge may be relied upon. The
council. after mature elaboration, granted
N this company, not what it asked, but
THAT the council thought it was entitled to
az the pioneer road of the city. That the
confidence reposed in the company's lnteg-
,.itv was not misplaced is evidenced
nv the manner in which dr1 IS
9vino on Second East street where the
mower plant is being put in. The point
sonpht to be made in regard to the com
,,anv,s authority to charge ten cents Tor
s;ncle fare has been answered so frequently
IN the council that when it was again
-,,.,,ro IN Last Tuesday evening Mr.. SHARP