Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-05-15
TIGHT FRANCHISE
AND PADDED BILL
o,i.ciuaI Matters Under consld-
GRAFTON by City
Council.
ulp A rWO.HoUR DISCUSSION.
:. ,ritical Moment americans"
switched on Measure and Failed
The Majority.

new electric light franchise and
-. onadded' grocery bill for the quar-
,.tlne hospital were the principal mat
~ under consideration at the meet
,,y Of the city council last night. There
.,s a two.hour discussion on the fran
..,so matter and at the last moment
,ro of the American supporters of
A.. measure failed the majority and
,,,A3 for an amendment compelling the
,sv concern to pay the city a mimi
ANN bonus OF $1,000 per annum for the
.,rchlse aud. realizing that the fran"
,,ise would not be acceptable to the
,s,I,loners IN that form, the leaders IN
s,,0r Of the franchise Immediately
made motion TO adjourn until Thurs
AN night. which was carried, and thus
M Two councilmen who voted with the
enoosltlon will be brought back into
NIX and the franchise will be fixed up
~ sllt the majority Of the council and
passed
IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS.
The franchise under consideration
vas that Of ]. S. Manley and l.. II. Cur
,s FOR the construction Of an electric
lighting. power and heating plant and
.erem m this city. Fernstrom offered
several important amendments TO the
tanehlse and In supporting them took
otcaslou TO score several of the coun-
clm4n for their Inconsistency In this
franchise matter. He pointed out how
several Of them had opposed the eX-
tension Of the franchise TO the Utah
Light g. Railway company last year
when the city was 20 receive such great
benefits from the extension. and yet
they are now In favor OF this franchise
which viii pay the city practically
nothing as compared TO the old fran
chlas FOR number of years to come.
ONE WAS CARRIED.
Fernstrom's first amendment was to
compel the holders Of the franchise to
organize a company IN this state in
stead OF under the Jaws of some other
state. This, he contended, would mean
great saving 10 the people In case OF
suit against the company. as they could
sue IN the state courts instead OF be-
lAh NUilVthfh ~ u AuNlA AhN'N ~ WV
federal court. This amendment was
carried by unanimous vote.
PROVOKED A STORM.
The next amendment offered by Fern
str0m provoked storm of argument,
and was finally defeated. The section
as It appeared IN the franchise is as
follows.
sec. 1. Commeiclng Jan next nf-
ter the expiration of one year follow
Ing the granting Of this franchise, the
grantees herein further agree, that from
The gross revenues from the sale of
electricity within the limits OF Snlt
Lake CITY, thege shsli be paid to the
treasurer OF said city, within so days
after the end Of each year. ! per cent
for the first five years, IA per cent for
the next I'VE years and per cent for
the remainder Of The life OF said fran
chise Of said gross revenues, and for
the purpose OF determining the amount
TO be paid, the books Of the grantees
snail be subject TO the inspection OF
ne city auditor and such amounts,
whether said percentages aggregate the
same or not, shall never be less than
$1,000 per annum."
slVVW INSTEAD OF $1,000.
The amendment OF Fernstrom pro-
Vlded That the minimum bonus TO the
Guy snau be $4,000 per annum in
s'edd Of $1,000. In support of his
amshdmeht he iloored the supporters
tne franchise By quoting from the
american party organs IN regard to
inr Utah Light & Railway franchise
Nneh u was under considera ton year
ago Al that time he said the ex-
tension OF the franchise TO the old
company was considered by the
American papers as being worth
ron S'OOO0OO TO $50 100000, but now
,hry don't consider this franchise
N9rth Dut $1,000 per year This fran
enlse, ne continued will bring the
WV out $1,000 per year for years to
cou'' Nsie the old company Is now
rylls the city IN free light and power
wv iptal sum Of $4,000 per year. lie
could not believe that the city was
snns backwards under the great
american administration, hence
s"tFs was no reason why franchise
IoI W years should not now be worth
o. iiuch as an extension Of franchise
'1r " years was last year.
Ni'N INBJ SiN EsS-blhE,
ne denounced the present franchise
~ me most unfair, unbhslness-like
ss,l one'sided franchise which had ever
"en granted IN this city. He read
glgoyillons from the papers in which
@srun had made great fuss over tho
SA.rnslon OF the franchise for the old
Dnpatly and had declared Il a shame
"tu Qlssracc 10 the council and then
charged Martin with not being con.
s,st by supporting this franchise
".nloh does not pay the city one-tenth
VI what Il gets from the old company.
STRAIGHT VOTE AS USUAL.
Wells supported Fernstrom In his ar.
sAneht IN favor of the amendment and
ll,yared that the council should not
s~Ete Tor these people and give them
=" advantage over the old company