Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-06-22

II. The Mayor retained the dOcu.
mept In his ,ffics uutil alter the
Nhws wont to press last evening
after which he FLED 1t with Rsc1rdei
Emery. II reads "a follows aud viii
be read at the meeting OF the Council
toalgui:
SALT LAKE CRY, June q.
To the Honorable City Council:
Gentlemen.-I herewith return, disap-
proved, The lighting contract between the
city aud the Pioneer Elec ric Power COM
pany, adopted By tho Council on the 10Th
lust. My failure to approve is not be-
cause the price IL unreasonably high, but
for the reasons following:
Inc contract Is no in my opinion, such
one as afford such protection to tho
city as IL Ia eutllled to. some provisions
looking to that end were originally in
serted by the city engineer and were
afterwards stricken out at the soiicita ion
OF tho Pioneer company's attorney. This
Is In fact contract dictated by that
company. The conditions stricken out
or changed are as follows:
first-That the city might have the
RICH. TO renew the contract from time to
time for nine years.
This Is entirely eliminated.
Second-It was originally provided
that he Lighting should not bc subject TO
any other company,and that the contract
and the money which might become due
under 1t should not be assigned This has
been changed in such n manner as to per-
NIT these things to be done with the
consent OF he Council, and the effect OF
such change is to open the way for SUBJ
letting the lighting and assigning the
contract In whole or in part to the Salt
Lake d Ogden Gas and q Electric Light
company. There Is no use In attempting
to Disguise the fact that this liz the OBJ
iect of these changes, and with our pas
experience with this corpora ion, especi-
ally during the Lighting year lust ex-
pred, II must be apparent hat the city
cannot and will not secure he service o
which IL Is entitled from the latter COM
pany. 1t is not stating the case 100
strongly to say that the light furnished
by that company to the city corporation
and commercial users during the past
i've years and particularly during the
pas. year, has been delusion and "A
fraud, and 1t is quito evident 10
mo that 1t is intended by this con ract to
con inue the same rascally service in the
future.
Indeed, 1t is provided by the contrac
that the Pioneer company may use $50
OF the lamps now IN use by the Salt Lake
prise any intelligent person IN this COM
munity were the whole antiqua, cd plant
and paraphernalia Of this company, in
Guiding poles aud wires, to be continued
in use during the three years 1t has 10
run.
That such IL the inten ion of the COM
bination Hereinafter referred to, have
no manner OF DOUBT, and It Is duty rest
ing upon your honorable body to protect
the municipality against such an i'm
position.
Third-The tenth sector of the con-
tract, as originally drawn, provided that
questions of difference or any con-
troversies which might arise between the
city and the contractor in reference to
the performance or non-periormance OF
the work to which hey relate, should be
referred to the light inspector, to be APP
pointed by tho city. and his decision
thereon should be conclusive upon both
parties. This provision has been entirely
stricken out, so that except for the bond
Of $4,000, which The contractor il re-
quired TO give for the faithful perform
ance OF the work, there is absolutely no
guarantee in this agreement that the city
may obtain what 1t contracts for. In
contract of this kind, bond does not
adequately protect the city for the
reason: That If the contractor fails to
comply with the terms impose upon it,
recourse to tho bond would simply in.
volve the parties in years OF litigation,
and pending an adjustment in that way,
the city might be continually imposed
upon as in the past, and helpless to avail
itself OF contrac ing with other parties.
There ought 10 be some provision in
the agreement whereby either the in
spector, the city engineer or other COM
peient person may arbitrate matters OF
difference between the parties, and such
tl.la ..s 49,. IL.
IL should also be provided that If the
contractor fails to perform his part OF
the work as required by the agreement,
that the city council may, at lis option,
revoke the contract, and that in such
case the contractor shall have no re-
course upon the city by suit for damages
or othermise. These arc provisions
which are commonly inserted In con-
tracts OF this kind, and / can imagine
no valid reason why they should not OBJ
tain here.
Eourth-It Is a matter of public no.
torieiy that the Salt Lake and Ogden
Gas and Electric Light company, the
Pioneer Electric Light company, the
Citizens Electric Light company and
The Big Cottonwood Power company
have formed or are about 10 form a
or trust, the object OF
which is to control The production OF
electricity and gas In the community,
and by such control dictate the price |
at which these commodities shall be sold,
These are the mta ans adopted TO drive
out competition and render The public I
subject to tho combination, as to what |
price shall be paid for these neces-
sites. In this aspect il Is not always OF |
The first importance that the price OF an |
article may be lowered for the Time be. !
Ing. because it Is usually in the power !
of the com bnation to raise 1t, and the |
result is disastrous as well US |
to tho well being OF tho COM
munity, by the offensive, aggressive and ]
exercise OF tho great power I,
that combined capital enables these |
trusts to wield.
Mere reduction in the price of munich |
pal lighting may be dearly paid for, by |
the assessment OF unreasonable charge, |
upon every commercial user In tho city,
and the absorp ion Of the control over |
these necossitos by an all powerful com
bination of capital.
But IL may be answered that he fran
chists OF the Pioneer, Big Cottonwood
and Ci,izens' companio, limit tho price
which they can charge Tor city and com
meroIal lighs. That Is true; but there
is no such limit upon the Salt Lake and
Ogden Gas and Eto,ric Light company,
ard because OF this, IL would only be |
necessary Tor tho companies which are
limited as to pIice to refuse to bid, and |
the salt Lake and Ogden company would
tbon havo a clear field, ana at such price |
"A. tho combination desires 70 Impose.
Tho 5 ate has set It's face against such |
com binations, Its public policy, As OK