The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-05-27
Mayor Baskin vetoes the Gas
and Electric Franchise.
COST OF ELECTRIC LIGHTS.
He Thinks the Company Is Charging
Exorbitant Rates.
These Prices Should BE Limited and the
Council Should Reserve the Right to
Reduce Them = Comparisons
with other Cities.

monopoly Tor twenty five years. But, g.
was not predicted and not anticipated,
the council refused to pass the resolution
over the mayors veto, lacking one vote
of the required two-thirds. The failure tc
pass the resolution, notwithstanding the
mayors veto, was occasioned by the alb
seuce OF President Loofbourow who, it is
supposed, would have supported it, but
1t is meanly insinuated that q desire tt
dodge the issue had something to do with
his absence.
THE MAYORS VETO.
The following was received from The
mayor, which is explanatory within it.
sell:
SALT LAKE CITY, May %, 1898.
G. E. Stanton, City Recorder:
proved the Resolution granting Ger
Tain privileges and franchises 10 the
salt Lake & Ogden Gas s. Electric Ligh
company passed oy the city council May 10,
1893, for the following reasons:
Gas and electric lights in this, as in all ether
cities and towns OF considerable population
nave become az imperative necessity. Two
methods are reserted 10 in the respective cities
OF the country to meet the demands OF this ne
cessity, to-wit:
First Many municipalities erect their OWE
plants and furnish lights both to the olty anc
the Inhabitants; others accomplish tbis
through private companies chartered for that
purpose. Experience has shown, as will here
matter be made to appear that under the first
method the lighting OF cities costs much less
than where it is done by private corporations.
In our city, the second method having been
adopted, it is manifestly the duty OF the NUM-
cipaltty in granting charters to private corpora
lions, or extending charters already granted
Tor such purposes, 10 provide for the protection
OF the citizens against eXorbitnnt charges Tho
proposed charter grants to the company the
hath A11aO frfn lirvf4f q
and makes the limit OF the charge for mannfac-
tured gas $500 for water gas Sl.50, and for
natural gas 30 cents per thousand cubic feet.
1t seems TO me that the same reasons
which justify these limitations inevita-
bly, demand that like limitations should have
been also applied to the price to be charged for
electric lights, which is OF much more import
ance both to the municipality and the citizens
than gaslight is. / am wholly unable to even
conjecture any tangible or plausible reason why
in the proposed charter the charges for the
more important electric lights should be left to
the conscience and will OF said company, ia
view Of the fact that the same charter limits
the price of gas lights. In my opinion, in both
instances the council should reserve in the
charter the right al its discretion To change the
limit or Tx at any time in the future the prices
which the said company shall charge its GUS
toners, and that at the present the price
should be fixed at what is now reason
able and just. This reservation is ess initial
because experience has demonstrated that the
improvement OF existing appliances the dis
covery of new and more economical methods
aud the increase OF customers has in the past
greatly reduced the cost, especially OF electric
lights. and it is reasonable TO presume that as
time progresses that these influences will con-
tinue TO lead 10 still greater reductionS; conse-
quently, what may be reasonable price today
will likely become oxoroitant long before the
expiration Of twenty-five years, the life of the
proposed charter TO said company.
In the absence Of such a reservation the con
sumner ana company will not stand upon equal
| footing q N 10 he
cause the use OF the same both to the munich
pallty and its citizens has become necessii y
SO urgent that they could not afford to resist
any exorOitant demand unless il should be be-
yond the bounds Of all reason. In the absence
OF such reservation the consumer is placed in
the same position to the company as the Dor
rover, whose financial necessities are suon that
nothing but loan can avert his ruin, is place d
TO the usurer.
1t may be SAID that the best protection against
extortion in tlfis regard is competition. The
utility of honest and fair competition is nc
doubt very salutary but in the light OF expe-
rence we know with what facility such compe
tltlon is overcome by the formation OF pools
combinations, trusts and consultations. &C
that IL charters should be granted TO competing
companies IL would be against common expe
rence IL the benefits OF free ana honest coupe
| titton should be long enjoyed by the consumers
l have diligently Investigated the subjectlof the
cost and charges usually made in the various
cities of the country for lights with a view oil
ascertRining what at present is reasonable
price IN this city. 1t present the city is paying
S1s.50, or 1850 per aInnm for each electric lighi
Of 2, 090 candle power, which is kept burning
every night except when the moon furnishes
sufficient light.
COST IN OTHER CITIES.
Charles Baillainge, city engineer OF Quebec
in communication 10 the Water and Gas
ReuieiC on the subject OF the cost of electric
ing date of Jan. % 1892. gives table of the
prices per annum, reduced to basis of all and
every night in the year. and at ZOO candle
power, in III principal cities, among which sal,
Lake is included. In summing up the result OF
his table of prices he says: '4Tbe average
price per annum actually paid per light oil
whatever candle power. and whether run all
night or not, and during moonlight nights cr
not. is Sl23.65, while the average price is OF
would be Si3al6, il reduced for all cities TO the
same basis of ; 100 candle power, run all nighi
and every night in the year. Some 80 per cent.
or about one-haf OF the prices for 2,0GC
can die power all night and every ght, range
bet ween 5000 and al.0 co ard leaving out the
balance as more or less excessive, IL may be
said that $1,000 Is a pretty correct average OF
what the lights should cost leaving 20 per cent.
for maintenance, profit and contingencies on o
presumed net COST OF 5000 per light per anuum.
In the list upon which til sse averages are
based. prices of the following cities. which O
comparison with the balance OF the list shows
is grossly exorbitant are included. to-wt
Brooklyn, ". 1852 &c
Bridgeport Coma Observation-Disclosures. 1888 81
Burlington. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1872 81
Fargo. n. D-........ ........... 240 "
New Haven; Conn. Observation-Disclosures. 20, 0
Now Orleans, La....---- .........-------- 205 &C
New YORK, n 49,. -........... .---- 2O0 &C
Richmond, VA ..----....----. 229 &C
Salt Lake ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $50 o.
san Francisco, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 400 %
ST. John .........---....--..... ....... q OK
St. Paul, Mimi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1876 &c
This list shows in many instances the adyan.
tage which has been taken of The consumers in
ipGt