Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-03-16

| Ildut perpetual y HNeAi 'Ni i'lthN"i'
on this matter, one who If not posted
would be led to think that something
novel, shameful extraordinary and dis
honest was IN contemplation. They
ought to know and probably do know
that nothing Of the kind was Intended
or is now IN view. The company simply
asks for what II wants, IN trade for
that which the city wants. and there is
nothing IN the nature OF grab on
either side. II the city wants the prop
critics mentioned, It should be willing
TO pay for them. If It has not the
money, then It can grant something
that will be accepted IN the place or
cash. II the franchise extension asked
| for Is considered by the city too much
for the exchange the city can state,
| without temper and without Knocking
| down TO incorporate publications,
| threats, demands, and absurd intimi-
datlons, what is deemed fair compen-
satlon for the properties II wishes TO
| acquire.
| AS to the value OF those properties,
L
the assailants OF the oompany's prop
osition have varied from time to time
beginning ut nothing, going on to
$1,000 and wobblng about from one
set Of figures to another. Now, the
truth is, that the majority Of tho d.
rectors OF the Light and Railway
company placed the value OF the two
power sites at 100000 as a reasonable
ngure while others declared they were
worth at the least 100000 to the COM
pany, aud since the agitation over It
has occurred, a bona iide offer OF $780,
600 cash down has been made for them
to the company. Whatever their actual
value may be Is perhaps open to argu-
ment, but that It is great and important
there can be no rational dispute. II
should be understood, further that the
company IS giving and proposes TO
continue to give to the city, $4,000 a
year IN lighting, and Is also paying
S25 per annum for each street-car OPP
Grated by the company. SO that the
charge that II is seeking to gain some
thing for nothing is a positive false
hood disgraceful to all who utter It,
I'm view OF these facts, how shame
ful and ridiculous is the demand made
by the opponents OF the Light and
Railway company, that a bluff prop
osltlon should be at once taken up and
adopted by the city, in which the pc
titioner modestly asks for fifty years
franchise TO establish lighting plant
10 take the cream OF the business, with
out offering solitary cent for the
privileged Some OF the agitators have
claimed that the fifty years franchise
extension asked by the Utah Light and
Railway company, in lieu Of money for
| It's properties that the city wants, is
worth 100000 II that is anything
| like correct, how much Is the fran
chse worth to the person or company
that comes I'm now and asks for a new
| fifty years franchise?
How consistent are our contempor-
| aries In their queer positionl The city
| Council must not on pain OF deep
damnation, grant Atty years fran
chise to bona fide existing operating
company with lines extended to the
utmost limits of the city for which It
is willing to pay, in the properties mem
toned and the lighting furnished and
other payments to the city, but 1t Is
urged TO grant a fifty years franchise to
an Individual, his heirs and assigns" for
nothing, that he Is not TO be required
10 use until some time In l9O6!l There
is in II no agceem ant or requirement
that the remote districts Of the city
shall be lighted by this up-in-the-alr
company nor intimation that II Is 10
be operated In any other part but a
few streets named. In the central por-
ton of town. A grand idea, Is It not?
As to the cost to the consumer, II VIII
no found ON close investigation that,
considering the extent Of the service
with its poles, wires and appurtenances
stretching out to long distances ana
the general supply to the users the
rates charged By the present company
are moderate, viii compare taVorapS
with the rates charged in other cities
whore expenses are smaller than those
In this locality, and that the howl
that has been raised concerning them
is without reason and without truth.
II Is false also to say that the COM
pany demands IN It's new franchise AN
increase OF prices. The fact Is that II
provides for a decrease, as anybody
may learn by reading the ordinance
proposed. This Is a matter that may
be further and fully investigated BY
comparisons OF figures for which we
have not sufficient space just now ia
devote.
We ask our readers to ponder calmly
and nationally on that which we have
| hnra prCscutcd This article Is written