The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-30
MAYOR OPPOSES
NEW TELEPHONE
Objects Chiefly Because It Is a
Foreign Corporation.
SAYS ONE BETTER THAN TWO
ATTEMPT TO BE MADE TO PASS
BILL OVER his VETO.

AEAYOR THOMPSON yesterday We
M toed the Utah Home Telephone
company ordinance which was
passed last Monday night by the city
council, when the only vote recorded
against it was that Of Councilman
Dayeler. The mayor disapproved of
the measure upon several grounds,
chief among them being that the cor
poration is a foreign one; that dou-
bic system in the city would be nui-
sance more than a benefit, and that
he does not want to see the streets of
Salt Lake disfigured by additional poles
and wires.
1t is the intention of the parties in
tereSted in the new company to pass
the ordinance over the head of the
mayor at the next meeting of the coun-
ell, If it is possible to do so. If the
councilmen who voted for the ordi
nance refuse to accept the vote of the
mayor and vote to reject ii, the ordi-
nance will become a law in spite of
the mayor. In his letter of disapproval
the mayor says:
Mayors Letter of Disapproval.
THE Utah Home Telephone company
is Incorporated under the laws of the
state OF Nebraska. Why the so-ealIed
| Utah Home Telephone company should
| incorporate in foreign state is prob
/ ably best answered by reading its art1-
cles of incorporation. Persons ineor-
! porating in the state of Nebraska are
/ not required to make oath that any
per cent of the capital stock sub
] scribed by the stockholders has been
paid into the corporation. The laws
/ of Utah provide that before a cOrpo-
/ ration can do business there must be
/ paid into the corporation at least 10
! per cent of the capital stock sub
| scribed of the corporation, either in
/ money or property worth such per cent.
| In my judgment, a franchise of this
nature should not be granted TO any
corporation foreign to Utah If any
company, or corporation, is DESTROYS of
securing a valuable franchise from this
/ city. such company or corporation
| should at least manifest enough conf
dence in the people of this city by in
| cooperating under the laws OF Utah.
II the franchise in question is granted
| to the Home Telephone company, all
| litigation that may arise between the
city and said company. as well as other
| persons and said company, would no
doubt be tried in the federal courts.
In my judgment, and information
| which now have, double telephone
| system in Salt Lake City would prove
more OF nuisance than an advantage
| TO the public. 1 am not in favor of
j encumbering our streets with more
poles and wires, unless l can see that
it is for the benefit of the people of
this community"
Will Fight the Veto.
! Governor Wells, who is interested in
the new telephone company, said last
| evening that he was disappointed in
the action of the mayor adding:
I'VE will do our best to pass it over
his veto. 1 do not think the reasons
he gave for his action are tenable
| Where a city is at the mercy of one
corporation, you know as we'll as 1
do that the rates viii never be reduced
and that the service of one company is
never as good as when there is COM
petition. If the council sustains the
veto it is only a question of time be-
fore another company will apply for a
| similar franchise. l am willing, if the
matter should ever come to that issue
to leave the matter of another tele-
phone company in the city to the vote
OF the people. And 1 think they would
Overwhelmingly decide in favor of a
! second SVSfeY11 -