The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-03-16
FRANCHISE TALK
ENDS IN ROW
Discussion in Council Committee
Leads to Water Question.
DISPUTE OVER THE PRICE
MONOPOLY SPOkESMEN COoLLY
SUPPORT THE GRAB.

4 y
| extension broke up in a row. The dis
! agreement was over statements ALLEGED
10 nave been made by the special water.
| committee in its report to the council
| recommending the voting of bonds to
extend the city's water and sewer 'svs-
| TENS
Councilman A J. Davis declared he
had been victim of a bunco game.
rms was after Councilman Fernstrom
had explained his understanding of
VIA the special water committee, of
winch Councilman Davis is a ,ner1h her.
| mad decided upon and haI reported
| CouncIlmen Holiday, Martin and Neu-
hdusen said their understanding of the
report OF the committee was material
~ dlterent from that of Councilman
Fernstrom.
Ghe dispute was as to whether the
special committee had commended
that $4,000 of the money 70 be obtained
from the sale of the $3.50 600 water bonds
was to be applied in acquiring the wa
Ter right on Zig Cottonwood canNcn
which the Utah Light e Raigyyavr com
Dany claims to own. Counciimen pa
WIS. HOLIDAY, Martin and Neuhausen in
sisted that the report did SO recon-
| mend, and this was denied by CounciI-
man Wells.
Break from the Meeting.
Councilmen Black and Tuddenham
asked that the TepOrc of the special wa
Ter committee be produced. but il was
rot forthcoming, and aftar wrangIing
over the matter for half an hour sew
eFal members of the two ..ouUirt,es
arose from the table arouu1 which they
were seated and the meeting came to
an end without voting on a motion
made by Councilman Black to adjourn
night
The following CoUnCilmen were at the
meeting; Fernstrom, chairman of the
| municipal laws committee: Wells
chairman of the special water commit
! tee; a. J. Davis. Barnes Holiday Har-
| tenstein. Martin. Tuddenham. Dean.
| IreeCe. Neuhausen- The Utah Light &
! railway company was represented by
General Manager II. s. Campbell. Cen
eraI Counsel lie Grand Young and En-
giIleers Robert F. Hayward and Chas.
| B. Swan.
The committee dispensed with the
reading of the companys petition and
ordinance and gave the floor to Judge
AounS to explain just what the com
pdhy wanted the city TO grant il and
what 1t was willing to give in return.
ne explained that on a couple of
| streets named in the company's ordi-
nance its lines would parallel the lines
OF other companies, and the company
was willing to have those streets elm
, mated from the ordinance.
The company is asking for a con
Solldation of their franchiseS-there
are eight Of them said Judge Young.
and for their extension for fifty years.
Inc earliest of the railway franchises
expire III thirty-eight years, and the
earliest of the lighting franchises ex-
pire in fOrty-twO years. We are ask
ing that they be extended so as to make
them expire fifty years from the time
/ of expiration of these franchises"
Judge Young admitted that lighting
10y electricity WAS cheaper III some
cities than in Salt Lake, notably in
Denver where, he said, the reduction
on Salt Lake prices was about one
| third But he claimed the Salt Lake
prices were lower than in many cities.
! and said the company was avera ging
less than 10 cents a kilOWatt hour IT
was getting about so cents on an aver
age y moment later he said the aver
age to the company was below s cents.
| This last figure was named after the
judge had been prompted by General
Manager Campbell.
Willing to Make Reduction.
Continuing Judge Young said the
company was willing, in view of the
/ fact that there was another application
| for lighting franchise before the
/ council. to reduce the price to L cents
per kilowatt hour, and still give the
city the free lights and free power it
X
was worth about $4,000 a year and
would be increased in value to $40 600
year. If the city would relinquish the
free light and power it is now getting
and pay the same other customers
of the company, the price would be put
down to 10 cents per LilOWatt hour
Then Judge Young told how General
Manager Campbell was averse to part
ing with the cOmpany's property on Big
Cottonwood creek, but as for himself
he did not believe the company really
needed it. However, the general man.
ager had consented to let it go to the
city in exchange for the proposed eN-
tension of franchises, but only on con-
dition that il should not be allowed to
become the possession Of any rival rail
way or lighting or power company.
Boost for Power Rights.
Mr. Campbell interjected a few re
marks to show how highly he regarded
the water and power rights owned by
the company along the creek, and he
had Engineer Hayward make a long
statement showing how the company
could build a storage reservoir on the
property and by so doing enable the
company to save $4,000 "a year on it's
coal bill. Engineer Hayward wound
up his economical essay by asserting
that whether the deal for the transfer
of the property to the city went
through or IsllleQ he would insist uDon
being Slowed to build that reservoir.
General Manager Campbell gave En-
Sineer Hayward an approving look, and
Judge Young said.
Yes. he's committed to it. and wants
to build it"
In answer to questions by members
of the committee Engineer Hayward
told how the city, by acquiring the
water rights owned by the company.
could reach a higher level with its con-
duit than il had heretofore planned to
reach, and would get a greater fall to
the water it would take from the
creek.
Then the question was raised as to
what the company considered its prom
erty OF the Big Cottonwood worth. Mr.
Campbell said the company could sell
il for 500, 900. Councilman a. T.
Davis wanted to know if the company
had not offered it for less. Mr.. Csmp-
bell said it had never been offered to
the city or anyone else at any price
before that moment, And we are not
Offering TO sell il now" said he. "Onlv
to trade it to the city
offer to Special Committee.
'Di6n't YOU or the company make an
offer Of IL to the special water com
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