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

Of the Cheapening processes. The rate that
is now DrODOsed NAV be reasonable at the
present time. Ten years hence st 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 reasonable basis.
The legislature has empowered the city
council to regulate the sale and use of
gas, electric and other lights, the charges
therefor. and the rent Of meters tSectiOn
poo paragraph 20 revised statutes Utah.
as amended 1903. and We see no reason
why the city should ignore this grant of
power. even if il 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
the~right TO fix new standards. as may
be proper with the advancement of the
knowledge of electricity. be reserved
Fourth-lf 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
from the water.
Length of the Franchise.
F'ifth-The franchise should not be ex-
tended beyond May o. 1877. that being the
expiration Of the longest franchise now
held by the Utah Light & Railway COM
pany. The tendency of modern legiSa-
ton IS that franchises should not be
granted for long period and the outside
unit Is generally conceded TO be thirty
Light * Railway pauy--consist of:
Eirst-Electric light and gas franchises.
Second-Street railway franchises.
J. For the purpose Of convenience we
VIII segregate them and consider first the
electric light franchises The four prin-
cipal franchises held by it are the follow
ing:
(a)-The Salt Lake & Ogden Gas & EIec-
trio Light company. granted May 20 1893
tb)-Robert NJ. Jones or Big Cottonwood
Power company. granted July p, 1898.
tcl-S. r. Walker or Citizens Electric
Light company granted Dec. 10, 1888
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 period
of twenty-five years, and in addition to
the light then furnished the company
agreed to give TO the city, as considera-
tiou for said extension. twenty-five arc
! lights. as follows: After May 10. 1918. six !;
after July "a 1913 six; after Dec. IS 1918
six. after May Il. 1922 seven. Consider
ing that the city will be much larger IN
1920 than il is now. the consideration for
this extension of twenty-five wears was
wholly inadequate. Also at that time the
Utah Light & Power company. the prede-
cessOr Of the Utah Light & Railway COM
pany- agreed 10 bury Its wires between
South Temple and Fourth South, State
street and West Temple. beginning 1893,
and TO be completed within nine years.
SecOnd-The street railway franchises
were originally granted for a period Of
twenty wears In 1884 both the Salt Lake
City railroad and the Rapid transit com
pauy secured an 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
Il 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 that cannot now be
remedied and as one of the light fran
chises extends until May p. 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
paint. Respectfully submitted.
O. w POWERS.
Chairman.
g. s VARIAN,
OGDEN HILES,
W. II. KING.
ID. II. WENGER,
WILL RAY.
J. ". MOYLE.
ALLEN T. SANFORD,