Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-08-07
SANTA FE, N M, THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1902.

to the committee on ordinances and
; franchises he would scarcely find an eX.
ception. They would all agree with the
committee. The city council has a per-
feet right, aye, the citizens of this town
demand of the council that they exact
terms which are equitable to the citi-
zens of this town and any one familiar
say that the terms demanded by the
committee on ordinances and franchis-
es are perfectly equitable to all parties
concerned. 1t is not unusual for city
to demand of corporations concessions
in the matter of public commodities.
The majority of the citizens of this
| town are of the opinion that the city
council made great mistake in grant
ing franchise to the Water & I'M
provement Company some years past
in not demanding more liberal conces-
sions from the company. Up to the
J time that the present management of
| the Water & Light Company took
| charge the City of Santa Fe had been
|
sprinklng purposes; knowing that the
city was financially embarrassed and
unable to pay it's accounts, the present
management at the request of mem
bers of the city administration. conced-
ed to the city the water used for street
| sprinlSling purposes free of charge. As
| before stated they accepted their pro-
rata for street lighting which is no
small concession on the part of the
company now operating Should not
the new incorporation be as liberal and
furnish street lights as recommended
by the committee on ordinances?
If this committee and the city coun-
Gil are to be censored and have their in
telligence. character and integrity
questioned because they ask for these
concessions they Should also be
censored for accepting from the Santa
Fe Water & Light Company the con-
cessions above mentioned. This pro-
posed company in it's petition to the
city council asked for FIVE YEARS in
which to begin construction on their
pretended enterprise. Their vice pres
ident, in talking upon the streets |
about the purposes and policies Of his |
company, stated that within 80 days
operations would be begun. If they are |
to be so prompt in that matter, why |
should the city bind itself to allow
them five years in which to begin,
thus preventing other enterprises of
similar kind, and perhaps with more
reliability, from entering the field,
when the possibility of added competi-
ton from the company with five years
license to commence, stares them in
the face. A merely speculative con-
cern, a concern desiring to lay back
and wait an opportunity TO prey upon
other intending corporations or enter
priSes of a like class, might pursue
such methods, but, whether that is the
case here or not, it will not be conten-
ded for a moment by any reasonable
man, that the city administration, as
an evidence of business tact should
afford the chance.
The committee in its report recon-
mended that the franchise be granted
to said company with certain modifica-
tions of the plan proposed, towit: That
the company be limited to one year in
which to begin construction and two
years in which to complete the same;
that deposit of $500 as an evidence of
good faith be made with the city treas
urer to be forfeited in case the terms
of any franchise granted to it be not 1
that it furnish the city with {
20 arc lights free of charge for five
years after which the city pay at rate /;
to be provided for in the franchise;
that the ordinance provide for a max
mum tariff rate; that the poles erec-
tel by the new company be marked
that the voltage within {
The city limits be kept down to not ex- {
Feeding 1000.
These conditions are in every respect I
reasonable. One year is an abundance =
If time for a well-intentioned COM
oany to start it's works, and one year ,
hereafter in which to complete them
s ample If the responsibility and good |
'aith of the company is conceded. s
A deposit of $500 to insure the per-
'ormance of the conditions of the fran /
,hise on the part of company with a {
of 100000, pretending to
enter upon project which can not be
installed in a proper manner for less ,
han 100000, is not a burdensome re-
luirement. 9
The condition as to the free arc lights q
'or five years is not amiss, when it is a
considered that the promoters of the
company, in their street arguments
gave verbal assurances that light for l,
he city would be furnished free for :
,ver, this having been said, it is true 4
when it was sought to obtain the ac- c
i've interest of the citizens.
The setting of maximum tariff rate
S usual and is dictated by the COM
common sense and business :
care. A company that comes as a res
,uer of the city, should not object to
nsuring the rescue by documentary /
evidence.
In the long distance transmission OF
electric energy, very high tension of
is essential, and the transmits
sion is accompanied by extreme danger
% the unwary. This is a customary
orecaution. Every pole in service for
ike work between Madrid is SO mark
I'd.
IN srn,, fc DC /
he voltage in the city limits is for the S