The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-04-16

of the cheapenfng processes. The. rate that
is now proposed may be reasonable at tpe
present time. Ten years hence 1t may
be eXorbitant. and we should not tie the
hands Of pOsterity and compel them to
pay eXorbitant rates, but rather reserve
for them the power TO fix the rates from
time To time upon a reasonable basis
The legislature has empowered the city
council 10 regulate the sale and use OF
gas electric and other lights. the charges
therefor. and the rent of meters (SeCtiOn
2O6. paragraph 20 revised statutes Utah.
as amended 1909, and we see no reason
why the city should ignore this grant of
power. even if ii can lawfully do so.
Third-It is well known that the cleo
trio lights for some time past have been
and now are very unsatisfactory This
new franchise should fix some standard
by which the lights shall be tested. and
We recommend that competent electrical
engineers be consulted on this matter
and that~a standard be determined upon
and embodied in the franchise and that
thf right toNIlN new standards. as may
be proper with the advancement Of the
knowledge Of electricity. be reserved.
FOurth-If the city acquires the waters
of Big Cottonwood stream. we believe
there should be no restriction upon either
the use of the water. or the electrical
energy generated by the power derived
from the water
Length of the Franchise.
Fifth-The franchise should not be ex-
tended beyond May p. 1947. that being the
expiration of the longest franchise now
held by the Utah Light & Railway com
ton is that franchises should not be
granted for d long period and the outside
limit IL generally conceded 10 be thirty
ears Inc present holdings OF The I tan
Light & Railway mpauy-~consist of:
Firsu-Electric light and gas franchises.
SeCOnd-Street railway franchises.
l. For the purpose of convenience We
Will segresate them and consider first the
electric light franchises. The four prin-
cipal franchises held by il are the follow
ing
(a)-The Salt Lake &. Ogden Gas & Elec-
trio Light company. granted May 20 1893
tD)-Robert NJ. Jones or Big Cottonwood
Power company. granted July p. 1893
(cl-S F Walker or Citizens Electric
Light company granted Dec 10. 1898
td)-Pioneer Electric Power company.
granted May % 1897 Each of the above
franchises was granted for a period of
twenty-five years and on Dec. 81, 1903,
each of them was extended for a period
of twenty-five years, and in addition 10
the light then furnished the company
agreed to give 10 the city, as q consldera-
ton for said extension. twenty-five arc
lights. as follows: After May 10. 1918 six
after July p. 1918. SIX; after Dec. Is. 1918,
six; after May Il. 1922. seven. Consider
ing that the city will be much larger In
1920 than 1t IS now. the consideration for
this extension of twenty-five years was
wholly inadequate. Also at that time the
Utah Light & Power company. the prede-
cessOr Of the Utah Light & Railway com
pany. agreed to bury its wires between
South Temple and Fourth South, State
street and West Temple. beginning 1893,
and 10 be completed within nine years.
were originally granted for period of
twenty wears. In 1894 both the Salt Lake
City railroad and the Rapid transit com
Uauy secured az amendment to their
franchises, so that all Of them were con-
tinued for a period of fifty years from the
1st day of January. 1894. Since that time
a new franchise has been granted, but
they expire practically at the same time,
viz. Jan. I. 1915.
While your committee believes that Sc
rious mistakes have been made in the past
i'm extending these franchises to unreason
able limits. but as that cannot now be
remedied and as one Of the light fran
chises extends until May D. 1917, if all the
franchises held by the company be ex-
tended to that date we think the COM
pany can have no just cause for COM
piaint. Respectfully submitted.
o. w. POWERS.
Chairman.
&. <. VARIAN
OGDEN HILES,
W H. KING.
u. II. WENGER,
WILL RAY.
J. Fl. MOYLE.
ALLEN T. SANFORD