Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-04-15
THE PENDING QUESTION.

The people Of Salt Lake city have
been appealed 10 by the local papers to
arise IN heat ana anger, and bring such
n pressure to bear upon the city Coun-
ell as to deter It's members from acting
upon THAR judgment as to a business
proposition in which the welfare OF
the city and Of most beneficial bust
ness company Is concerned, II those
papers would confne themselves with
in the bounds OF truth and reason,
there might be no necessity TO treat any
further upon their strenuous endeayors.
But there has not been am article pub
llshed by them on this matter that has
not been designed to deceive as well as
intimidate,
In order that the public may under
stand the situation It must be stated,
to begin with that the Utah Light s.
Power company already holds fran
chlses under which 1t can operate for
many years to come, the longest being
for a period OF forty.two years, Yet 1t
81 stll told 10 the public that the COM
pany Is endcavorIng TO make a grab
for exclusive rights and privileges, over
and above those 1t now owns, for per-
Tod OF fifty years, and that It is en-
deavorlng to obtain grants worth mill
lions upon millions OF dollars without
giving any return that may be consid-
cred Of value,
1t Is further made TO appear to read
ers who do not take time to inyesti-
gate, that the company intends TO issue
bonds to the amount Of six or ten mill
lions and that the people Of this city
viii have to pay the interest on those
bonds to the tune Of half million dol
lars a year. There are other allega-
lions just as false and ridiculous az
these, but they need not be replied to
again, as they have been met and re-
futed repeatedly
It should now be we'll known that
the city desires to obtain properties
owned by the Utah Light and Power
Company, which are necessary to COM
plete the measures required Tor the
perfection Of the plans to bring the
waters Of the Cottonwoods into this
city, at such points as viii be of the
most advantage to the inhabitants, 1t
IS useless TO raise the cry that they are
NOT valuable, or that the company has
no valid claim upon them Those two
bits Of nonsense have been shattered
by the force Of facts and evidence,
and the truth remains that The city
needs the properties and made the
first advance to the company TO acquire
them. The company has been simply
cndcavoriug to obtain something like
fair return for deciding those proper
ties 70 the city, the latter not being au-
thorlaed to appropriate amy 81 the
funds arising from the water bonds for
that purpose, and having no other
financial resources ON which to draw
for the purpose
The company asked for a consolida-
ton of IT'S different franchises into
one and for am extension thereof Tor
n period Of hfty years. This request
has been so much misrepreeeuted and
exaggerated and such stupid conclu-
slons have been drawn from It as to
its probable effects upon posterty, that
the company has made many con-
ccsgious, IN view Of the trouble made
for the couucllmon who exercised their
brains and their sense Of justice and
who have been muigued by The agl-
tators one Of those concessions is
the modification OF the request for am
extension OF time TO but eight years
instead Of hrty years from the date
Of the expiration of its lorty-two years
franchise now held,
In consideration OF these privileges,
the company agrees 90 deed to the
city the properties the lowest value
placed upon which hy those who un-
derstand their worth. being 100000
Also TO furnish the city with lights
and power for public purposes worth
at least $4,000 year. And further
20 reduce IT'S charges both for lighting
and street railway fares for the beuo-
III OF the public, and to submit to all
reasonable rules and regulations for
the government of such utilities as
they are at present In possession Of
and VIII have I'm the future,
Thus II viii be seen that there is
nothing unusual, excessive, extortion.
ate or oppressive In the action taken
by the company but that as n matter
Of fact the city win gain, by far tho
best Of the bargain which was sole
tied IN the FIRST place by representa-
tlyes Of the city, Instead OF the pub
lio having any burden placed upon
them, II any further bonds are issued
by the company (the extrayagant as