The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-06-06
COUNCIL PASSES LIGHT
AND POWER FRANCHISE
Fernstrom Casts The Only Negative Vote When
the Final Test Was applied.
Long and Acrimonious Debate in Which Threats and Bitter
Personalities Play Prominent Parts-Principa Features
Of the New Ordinance Will the Company Accept
FTER being in session for ne,

A FTER being in session for nearly five
~ hours, the city council at 12-45
o'clock this morning passed the sub
stitute ordinance granting a consolida-
ton. and extension of the franchises Of
the Utah Light & Railway company for
forty-five years from Jan. 1, 1895, or Un-
til Jan. 1, 1870.
A long and acrimonious debate pre-
cedcd the vote by which the ordinance
was passed, which was participated i'm
by CounciimeL Wells. Fernstrom and
Tuddenham. on behalf of the Utah Light
& Railway company. and by Councllmen
Black. Martin. Hartenstein- A J. DAVIS
and Holiday on behalf of the solid
eight with occasional remarks by COun-
cilmcn Preece. Wood and others
To the surprise of the small but inter
ested lobby. which was composed mainly
of general officers Of the Utah Light q
Railway company and employees Of tnat
corporation. but one vote was cast
against the substitute ordinance ON the
final roundup Councilman FernstrOm
was its only active opponent
After the transaction OF considerable
other business the substitute ordinance
was reached in its regular order under
the head of pending ordinances Then
arose "A question to whether it was
to be read the second or the third time
point was determined
Fernstrom on the Firing Line.
Councilman Fcrnstrozl contended that
a motion to take all matters pertaining
to the extension of the Utah Light x
Railway cOmp3ny'S franchises out of me
hands of the joint committee to which
Its application for an extension was re-
fcrrCd nearly three months ago should
be made an6 adopted. COuucilmei;
Black. Martin ard y J. Davis did not
agree with Councilman FerostTum- while
Councilman Wells thought his position
was correct.
1t was finally held that The ordinance
must be rcad, and that the reading
would be tie third. il was also held
that the ordinance would be subject TO
amendment
Failing to carry their point in regard
to the manner in which the ordinance
should he brought before the council for
action. Couucimen Fsrnstrom and Wells
took another tack and cudcaVUTed TO
have the council GO into executive scs-
sion This move was opposed by Coun-
cilmen Black. Martin, y J. Davis ana
Holiday.
Wells Frees His Mind.
Councilman Wells made a long speech.
in which he regretted the failure of the
members OF the solid eight. to take
sensible view of the situa ton They nad
q chance TO pass a franchise that would
he just to both the city and the COM
Dany. but had permitted themselves to
become blinded to the best interests Of
both the city and the company Ihey
were certainly not doing justice to the
company, ard he felt certain that the
company would not accept the proposed
franchise if passed
Councilman Fernstrom went further
than Councilman Wells and talked of
political bosses and newspapers that dis
tort public opinion and mlStead their
readers He said it was all right for
the cOUncilmen from the Fifth precinct
To act as they were acting in the fran
chise matter, but the councilmen from
other precincts ought not TO do So
Sounds a Note of Warning.
Asked by Councilman Black to what ne
referred. he said. The American party
carried the Fifth 1t means religion. moth
ing more or nothing less that's what it
means Then he said the CpUUCltm"n
who were antagonizlug fair treatment for
the Utah Light & RAILWAY company
would have to settle with their CuuSJtu-
euts- They would find that they had been
weaving Il rope that would get tangled mp
i'm their Hecks and hang them There
would he an END To their political careers
Councilman Hartcustein asked Council
man Fernstrom IL ne was speaking 10y
authority in predicting what Was likely 10
hapuen to the solid eight ramarltfuy
that il by his act in voting fer the sub
stitute franchise he was digging his
political grave he was ready 10 20 INTO
Councilman Ferustrom explained chat H-
did EOt mean go make 90 Threat only 90
tell what was HSri- to- happen -hau the
voters got another chance at some II the
cCunCilm-n.
soli5 Eight to Seven.
motion by Cou-ciImar re-ustrrm f.
81 into executive session was lg=t ay %
vote of I ayes To 8 noes. Tee solid eight
voting in the negative
Councilman Wells moved after 90 irrE
speech. to give tn" company an sE-r'l-5Cf.
Of fifty years from Jan J. 1875 instead Ct
for forty-five years. as provided in the
substitute.
This motion caused another long drav1