The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-05-14
SHORT LINE WINS
IN THE COUNCIL
Gets Modified Track Privileges
on Fourth West.
DEPOT TO COST 500, 900
OBJECTIONS OF RIO GRANDE
WESTERN UNHEEDED.


for track privileges on the east side Of
Fourth West street, from Ninth South
to First North. The action taken was
over the strenuous objections Of the
Rio Grande Western company. The
matter has been pending for several
weeks, and the conclusion was not IN
expected in ITS nature.
The matter was taken up as the first
order of business on a report from the
committees on streets and municipal
laws, recommending that the desired
concession be made to the Short Line.
with the provisO, however that in the
event of a union depot being built at
the intersection of Third South or at
any other point on Fourth West street
by the Rio Grande or any other rail-
way companies, the Short Line and Rio
Grande Western tracks shall be jointly
used as approaches TO the union depot
Accompanying the report was a draft
Of a hundred-year franchise ordinance.
intending to carry into effect the senti-
ment expressed in the report, but it
was substituted by a draft offered by
ternstrom, which. he said, would be
acceptable to the entire council and the
general public. The councilman added
that the substitute provided that the
Snort Line company viii pledge itself
in the event that it does not enter into
union depot compact, to build an in
dependent passenger station within two
years, in an unstated locality, at 4 cost
Of not less than 800 coo, bond n the
sum of $4,000, assured by w. S. Nc
Cornick, to guarantee the fulfument Of
the grantees preferred obligation to
the city, in consideration Of receiving
the desired grant.
Objections of No Avail.
Considered with the Short Lines
franchise were the appeal Of the Com
mercial club to grant no franchise hos
tile TO a union depot project and a pro-
test by Hugh Watson and other west
side property owners against granting
to the Short Line company the track
privileges it desires along Fourth West
street.
The joint committees report was
adopted as the sense Of the council,
Robertson alone voting in the negative.
Under suspension Of the rules, the
substituted franchise ordinance was
taken up for consideration and placed
upon its passage.
The privilege Of the floor was grant
ed TO Judge Powers on behalf Of the
Commercial club and to Attorney Wal
demar Van Colt for the Rio Grande
Western. and Attorney p. /. Williams
for the Short Line.
Judge Powers urged that the grant
ing of the franchise to the Short Line
would prevent the contamination of
the desired union depot project unless
only the Short Line and Rio Grande
united. he admitted, however, that the
substituted ordinance possessed some
commendable points not found in the
original The judge further declared
that the Commercial club favored
nothing that would benefit one rail-
road company to the detTiment of a
rival
Attorney Van Colt said that in addi-
ton to what had already been present
ed, the Short Line company at first
offered to give nothing in return for
the grant, but now offers to build
depot at only half the cost of what the
Rio Grande proposed to Obligate itself
to, and he urged that if any preference
were to be shown II ought to be to the
company which offered to build a more
costly depot
Attorney Williams pointed out that
~------5 AZ NA-N proposes z r-A4N NQAAa4
retard the union depot project. while
the Rio Grande's attitude makes it i'm
possible to hope for the consummation
Of the project
Robertson's Attitude.
In expressing his opposition to the
granting of the Short Lines applica-
ton for a franchise. Councilman Rob
ertsOn said the Short Line had finally
awakened to offering to build a depot
at a cost OF only 100000. whereas the
Rio Grande offered to add double this
amount of taxable wealth to the city
He added that the concession proposed
to be given TO the Short Line would
effectUally prevent the Rio Grande
from utilizing its new depot site on
Fourth West and Third South streets.
Robertson further maintained that in
the anxiety Of his colleagues to rush
the ordinance through, the members
were not showing proper degree Of
interest il the public welfare. While
he favored granting equal privileges to
both railway companies, he urged that
a serious defect existed in the fran
chise IN that IL does not designate
where the Short Lines new passenger
station is to be built AS 70 the bond.
he expressed the belief that it amount
ed TO nothing.
Replying. Fernstrom remarked that
every councilman could give a satisfac-
tory reason for favOring the granting
Of the Short Lines request.
Daveler maintained that both the
Short Line and Rio Grande companies
are acting in good faith.
Offers Amendment.
Robertson offered an amendment
providing that if two or more railway
companies construct a union depot ali
reads entering it shall reciprocally
have the use Of the Short Lines track.
jointly with the Rio Grande's track on
Fourth West street The section pro
posed TO be amended had reference to
the probability Of only the Short Line
and Rio Grsnde joining in a union de-
pot as was stated in the committees
recommendation
The mover of the amendment stated
that he merely wanted to test the sin
cerity Of his colleagues who had de-
clared in favor Of a union depot but in
addition he looked to the probability Of
other railroad companies entering this
city.
Only Eardley Robertson and
Thomas voted for the amendment The
franchise ordinance was then passed.
Robertson voting in the negative.
At II p. m. the council recessed till
this evening to consider Chief Of P0-
ice Paufs appointments to Gil vacan-
cles and TO dispose OF a mass Of other
business.