The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-10

]. A. Kelman, secretary Of the Gas,
Water and General Investment trust,
whose headquarters are in Winchester
House, London, arrived in the city yes
terday morning and made the Knuts-
ford his headquarters. This great trust
IS the English syndicate that MADE
the purchase of the Salt Lake and
Ogden Gas and Electric Light works,
since organized under the name OF the
Salt Lake and Ogden Gas and Electric
Light company, and it is for the pur-
pose of investigating the affairs OF the
company that Mr.. Kelman rs now in
the city. He viii probably spend some
DAYS here. The gentl enlan did not get
around much yesterday but he viii
more than likely devote the. remainder
OF his stay in the territory TO an IN
spection of the works of the company
and a general examination of its affalIS.
He is in no sense an auditor, but comes
TO the United States periodically Tor
the purpose of inspecting the properties
of his company, of which there are
great many in this country.
Very naturally, the English people
who have invested their capital in
enterprises of this territory do not feel
very pleasant over the prospect of the
early commencement Of actual opera
lions by the so-called Citizens Electric
Light company, which enterprise they
brand as a blackInail proposition pure
and simple. They hold that Messrs-
Hunter and Boettcher should have
been the very last men i'm the world
40 antagonize the old company, in
view Of the fact that they were the
very ones who made the original sale
60 the foreigners. 1t is the intention
OF the Salt Lake and Ogden company
to make some very extensive improve
ments in its entire system and these
works are already in progress. Three
new dynamos of 5000 light capacity
each TO be placed in the south extern
sion OF the power plant and the entire
commercial system is being rebuilt.
Four heavy wires have been strung
throughout the entire business section
of the city and these are to be adds
tional to the lines already in use. Ad-
vices just received by the management
of the company are to e effect that
the new dynamos viii arrive in the
city within the next few days. With
THESE improvements the Old company
will be in a position to furnish an I'M
eXcelled quality Of light and it will also
be prepared to meet any competition
that may be presented.
The people of this city may as we'll
prepare themselves for a merry fight
when the old and the new electric
light companies meet on the field of
battle. AS yet no cuts have been
openly made in the schedule Of rates
but il IS intimated that the fur will fly
before the end of THE month. The
management Of both companies declare
that they propose to go before the con-
n Oh r.
only, but there is strong undercurrent
of opinion that before the new plant
has been N operation a month some
changes viii be made in the rates.
1t is understood that the current from
The plant Of the Citizens company will
be turned on between this and the 18th
day Of the month The. works are now
nearly ready for operation and the out
side system is practically completed. Of
course, there may be some delay not at
present calculated upon, but the new
works should get down to business long
before the end of the present month.
The company is already making con-
tracts with people who have not here
tofore taken electricity for lighting and
power and probably some of the old
patrons of the Salt Lake and Ogden
company also. Most of the consumers
are awaiting the outcome of the pro-
missed battle royal however. before
tying themselves up for any specified
length of time. The great majority of
the present customers of the old com
pany are satisfied with the promise
made Of a material improvement in the
commercial service. The Salt Lake
and Ogden people feel assured thai the
citizens of this city will not desert
them for a new company. although the
management of the Citizens company
seems perfectly confident Of securing
a handsome business.