Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-05-16
THE GAS QUESTION.
Was LAWSON tho Author Of The Anti
Gas Company Argument?
THE PRICES FOR ILLUMINATION.
What the Gas and Electric Light
Company Asks and Proposes
10 Do.

The stockholders Of the Salt Lake
anu Ogden Gas and Electric Light
company have again postponed their
meeting, called TO consider the issuo OF
million and u half bonds. The rca-
son tor this postponement ia that the
City Council has as yet taken no action
upon TIE company's application for an
extension Of Its franchise. Tonight
the Council may do something with
the application, II It can 10 reached In
the order Of business. This being the
case Mr.. w. s. Mccormick was ap.
preached on the subject today by
NEWS representative, Mr.. Mccormick
was not inclined to do any talking for
publication, and preferred TO avoid any
controversy. To some questions, how
ever, he vouchsafcd n reply. In re-
spouse TO AN inquiry us to why the
matter had been delayed In the Coun.
eli, Mr.. Mccormick said, 81 do not
think there has been any intention 10
delay. The crowding OF business ON
the Council has caused the matter 10
he deferred, but have no doubt II Will
DO brought up when II Is reached In
regular order. cannot say that |
think there has been delay unneces.
sariIy."
"What have you TO soy regarding
the paper obtained from Councilman
Lawson and published In the NEWS
last Friday evening""
nj NJ n MA r.
ment. He never got those figures cut.
That paper was tue work Of an indi.
vidual VINO In now suing the gas com.
pany, ana who wants 10 raise his
stock TO u fictitious value. He IL not
content 70 lot tho courts decide the
question but wants to work II In tue
council and elsewhere, 10 try and get
sympathy In his favor. saw
all those figures months ago.
The showing there made IL tue
height Of absurdity, as amy person who
will examine 1t carefully can see. MIR.
Lawson says II was not published by
his permission"
OF course the paper was pub
iished by Mr.. LawAon's fnll por.
mission. In fact, 1t was obtained
from him. MIR. McCcrnios was
iurther asked as TO tho statements
contained IN the alleged argument
against the gas company: "What
about the complaint that It Ia solely
for the benefit Of ou,siue capitsiis't?"
"Why, these men are bringing their
money In. and that ~ what we want.
IL In n good deal Of Importance to get
big investments here, and the com.
pany propose1 10 exrend large sum.
or course they expect n reasonable re-
turn for an Investment. A new fra u
chise IL not asked for. The gas com.
pany has run about three OF its twenty.
hve years, and the electric light
company has thirteen or fourteen
years OF Its franchise yet to run. We
ask that the whole be made twenty
Ave years from date, concurrent with
the issue OF bonds proposed TO be
made"
"Can gas be produced at si.23 per
100 set, AS stated?"
"NO, IL cannot. We could not pos.
sibly make gas ut that figure. Why
the meie cost Of good jays run would
reach that figure or more, to tay
nothing Of other expenses. There IL
more than the cost of coal to make gas.
A good many heavy expenditure,
have to be made besides that.
There IL the cost of IA,
plant and the laying OF the pipe, fol
Instance. We have had TO take up
n large amount OF the old pipe and re,
place 1t with new, anu II Is not don,
without expense. Another item thai
might be mentioned now Is tho gal
holder at the works. II cost between
$4,000 anu $4,000, and Is now worn
out. The oOrrosion has been 90 great
that we must put In an entirely new
holder. These are all expenses on the
production OF gas,and we cannot maxi
| II ut the price named. Asa condition fol
the franchise extension we have asked,
we offer gas at $3.50 per thousand feet,
with discount to public Offices"
"What Of the ASSERTION that the
charge for electric light service Is OK.
orbilant?"
"Thnt, like the rest Of the argument
made against the company, is absurd
and incorrect. Taking all the oircum.
stances into consideration there Ia nc
city that In supplied more oheaply than
Salt Lake."
MIR. Mccormick exhibited n sheet
showing the prices charged for electric
| lighting In about forty cities Of tn,
United States. In this Salt Lakes cost
OF lighting was shown 10 be les.
than half OF San Francisco, pro.
portionately, and OF other places, and
| In excess OF some far-eAslern towns.
This city stands In the same list fol
cost US Omaha, New York, Brooklyn
New Orleans, and other large cities,