The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-18

7 HE effort of the Utah Light &
Railway company to extend its
salt Lake franchise for fifty
years from the time it expires. about
thirty-two years in the future prom
lses to precipitate fight. Already
samuel NeWhouse is out with a pTOpo-
Sltion to organize a company with
abundant capital establish a light
and power plant, and furnish service
to the people from p 10 81 per cent
cheaper than the rates named i'm the
franchise asked for by the Utah Light
q Railway company.
The chief objection to the proposed
franchise is directed against the high
er rates AIMED for service Arc lights
are listed at $12 per lamp per month
for all night service. and 50 for seTV-
ice till midnight. The rate where
meters are used is 10 cents per kiio-
watt hour. and $3.50 as the minimum
charge per month. Manufactured gas
is quoted at 1920 per 1000 cubic feet.
water gas at 1000 per cubic feet. and
80 cents per I 200 cubic feet for natU-
raj gas. but in any event the minimum
charge per month viii not be less than
$50
What the Attorney Says.
These figures are higher than the
prices charged at this time The mimi
mum monthly charge for electric light
is SLIGO; the charge for gas il fully
$1.00 more than the present charge
LeGrand Young. the attorney for the
Utah Light & Power company, eE-
plains that the figures named in the
franchise do not imply that such prices
are to be charged; they are simply Civ
EN- a maximum limit beyond which
the company can never so under the
franchise. if it Is granted He lays
special stress ON the statement that the
company is giving the city $500, 600
worth" OF power rights and land IN
the Big Cottonwood canyon, and that
in addition 10 this. the city is get
ting from the company about $4,000
each month in the way Of special priv
ileges.
The proposed franchise will be sub
mitted to the city council at the meet
ing Monday night 1t will then be open
for discussion, and it is expected every
phase of the question viii be debated
before final action is taken
Why Franchise Is Wanted.
1t is an open secret that the reason
the company is asking for an extern
sion of time on its franchise at this
time Is that il desires to sell a large
block Of bonds. The impression is Civ
en- out by officials of the company that
s.. 600 600 is to be expended in the way
Of engagements and improvements
Longtime bonds sell to much better
advantage than short-time bonds. In
vestors demand bond running fifty
or more years Thirty years is the
best that could be done under the
present franchise If the new fran
chise is granted. bonds running seven
ty-five years could be disposed Of
Another complication WIZ come up
in this matter owing 10 the refusal OF
Mayor Morris to permit other compa-
MES the right of way over its lines
through the city without first obtain
ing a franchise from the council. Re
Gently the Utah Light & Railway COM
pany granted the Interurban, pro-
NOTED by Barney Mailer, the right 10
run cars through the city over its
lines on Second West and West Tenn
pie streets Mayor Morris gave the
officials of the company 10 understand
at a recent meeting that he would not
permit this: that the city officials. must
grant these privileges and that the
Interurban must get the right TO ope-
rate from the city, as well as from