Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-25
LIGHT AGAINST DARKNESS

For n week or more the Salt Lake
press with the exception OF the Deseret
News, has been volding hot air and In
Naming the public mind over matter
which the writer's either aid not fully
understand or were DESTROYS OF present.
ing In lurld Hight, so MS TO arouse
prejudice against an Institution which
has been Of immense public benefit.
Statements have been made In a most
sensational style, that are either entire-
" untrue or In such distorted and ex-
sggeratod form as to hold up n few
facts IN the glnrlng garb Of fiction,
The publication OF the Deseret News
~ Friday evening Of the petition OF the
Utah Light and Railway company for
he passage OF an ordinance extending
Its franchises on certain specified terms,
puts the subject IN fair and proper
shape before the people of Salt Lake
City II VIII be seen by those who
read the application, that instead Of the
alleged attempt Of the company TO "get
something for nothing to make n
grab" to reach out for graft" 10
establish perpetual monopoly" 10
raise the price FOR lighting TO an
sxorbitant figure, 10 hold up the city,"
and thus bar competition perpetual
~" causing "a cyclone OF wrath and a
torrent OF indignation" the company
has simply responded to a request from
The city to convey to the municipality
property valued at 100000 and asserted
10 be worth to the city at least 100000.
which the city was not able TO pay for
hen, In money, but appeared willing TO
grant In return privileges which the
company considered would be an
equivalent.
We wish our readers 70 fully under
stand this lndisputable fact, so that
they may know, without doubt, that the
city was the FIRST mover in the pres
INT negotiations, and that the Light and
Railway Company has not been either
"impudently" or otherwise making a
Hdemand" IN the nature OF a graft"
Or attempting "holdup' as most
xickedly charged repeatedly during the
past week.
In offering TO accept an extension of
ts franchise in lieu OF money for the
property desired by the city, It has not
sought to arrange for a raise OF
prices" for lighting but on the contra
ny agrees to reduction Of such prices,
ls may be seen In the text Of the appli-
eation. The public should know that
the company has been charging, right
along. less prices than the franchise
Il already has names as a minimum.
For ordinary house lighting the franz
chlse authorizes a charge of $3.50 per
month The company has been
charging only 81 month, For
are lights the company has been
charging Is per cent less than the
amounts authorized by the franchise,
and now proposes to modify the future
prices for that service 10 considerable
reduction, and further lntlmates that II
the city council IN passing the pro-
posed new ordinance, thinks It right
and fair to reduce the price named as
n minimum in the present franchise, the
company win not offer objection.
The company, instead OF asking
something for nothing agrees in adj
dltion TO giving the city the property
mentioned, to continue furnishing lights
for the municipality, without charge, 20
the value 81 $4,000 year as II has
been doing for number Of years. The
company does not a8k for "a perpetual
monopoly" Il asks for no more powers
than It has exercised hitherto, II has
been the pioneer IN establishing utlll-
ties for the public benefit II has ex,
pended vast sums OF mlnoy without
receiving any financial returns worth
mentioning Its earnings hoye been In,
vested IN such improvements as have
been made necessary through expert
ence IN the wants OF the citizens, and
I'm the manner OF obtaining and utlll2-
Ing power TO generate and manipulate
electrical forces, and IN carrying out
demands made by the city.
Its desire now Tor an extension ~
It's franchise IS for the purpose OF
strengthening the confidence OF the
bondholdors, ana OF obtaining funds 10
stlll further improve itl properties for
the general benefit SO that there may
be no failures Of power and Of llght
from damage TO ifs water facilities, II
should not be forgotten that the lines
Of the company extend TO very distant
points. That they have been extended
at n vast outlay. That light and car
service are furnished to places very
remote from the business part Of town.
where the population Is sparse and In
sufficient to pay expenses for furnish