The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-08-01
coLvNe WATER QUESTION.

After months of futile negotiation ana
fghting. the mayor and city attorney
have finally secured from the Utah
Light & Railway company an agree
ment as TO franchise in exchange for
Big Cottonwood water and land, which
promises to settle the whole cOntro-
versy. The franchise is to be con-
sidered at a special meeting of the
council Thursday night and comedies
practically every point sought by Mayor
Morris and city Attorney Dey.
Here are the concessions made by the
company in addition to the power and
lights furnished the city free under
old franchises;
A four-cent street railway fare is
given for books of fifty tickets each.
The company grants all the water
rights, power rights, reservoir sites and
land in Big Cottonwood desired by the
city, guaranteeing a clear title.
The reduced schedule of lighting now
in effect is made permanent with pro-
vision for reduction by arbitration
whenever new inventions or improve
ments arise which shall materially re-
duce the cost of producing either gas
or electric energy for light or power
purposes; and the same provision APP
plies in the company's favor by arbitra-
ton in case conditions enhance the cost
of producing gas or electricity.
Cars of interurban lines which reach
outside a ten-mile limit are to have the
right to run over the cOmpany's tracks
I'm the city, provided the lines do not
come into Immediate competition with.
existing lines of the company.
In effect, the new franchise. if ac-
cepted by the company after it's passage,
will save the citizens of Salt Lake at
least $4,000 annually in street car fares
and will continue the electric lighting
schedule. which saves about $4,000 a
year as compared with the old charges
under former franchises
Finally, and most important of all,
the city secures the company's water
rights, power rights and land in Big
Cottonwood clear of iucumbrance and
without any cash consideration. in
surfing the immediate construction of
the Big Cottonwood water supply sys-
TEN. without the expense and veXatiOus
delay Of litigation. Further. the water
comes to the city with the right to use
IT for power If necessary, and the COM
pany offers electric power for municipal
purposes at figure much lower than
any municipal plant can produce it for
The final outcome of the negotiations
precedent to the agreement ought to be
most satisfactory to the mayor, to the
city attorney and To those citizens who
have held out for the city's side of the
controversy over the franchise. Not
one vital point has been conceded by
the city, every promise made to the
voters in the address to the voters on
the bond question has been fulfilled.
Every man who has to pay car fares
for himself and family is the gamer;
every citizen who uses electric light
has already profited by the fight. and
every citizen viii share in the immense
benefit to be had from an adequate,
permanent and perfect supply of water.
on its side, the light and railway
company gets a consolidation of all its
franchises and an extension of a little
less than ten years: il will be enabled
10 go ahead with needed improvements
In its equipment and service and it is
IN position to make good its promises
OF betterrnents contingent on ability to
finance its obligations and secure funds
for its requirements.
Considered as a plain business bar
gain, the city has secured decidedly the
best end of the negotiations and there
should be no question as to the ratifica-
ton Of the agreement by the council.