Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-03-07
Gathering Declares by Unanimous
Vote to Request Legislature
To Postpone Action,
ON PENDING RAILROAD BILL.
Lctters From w. Ii. Bancroft, w. ..
Mccormick and fcber VI. Wells
On the subject.


last evening declared by unanimous
vote 10 request the legislature 10 post
pone action ON s. B, 90. TINS corners
additional powers upon the railroads
President w. ]. Halloran OF the ciuo
presided. r. l.. Williams, counsel Tor
the Oregon Short Line. made O. careful
analysis of the most important clauses
Of the bill. Replies were made by f. W.
Sloan. Questions and oross-auestlons
We're asked by persons scattered ABOUT
the room resulting in spirited infor-
NAL discussion 1t was decided the
bill merits more attention than 1t has
received from citizens at large SO the
vote taken at the mass meeting asks for
Ave days postponement OF action
upon the part of the legislature to per-
NIT Jftehn's to study the measure, y
motion made by Q, H Hewlett asking
that the senate kill the bill was accprd~
ed second.
The clause getting most attention
Is subdivision of section 3. 1t gives
railroads full power to own, operate
and develop coal mines with all privi-
leges OF selling, their products and
those manufactured from the raw out
nut. Fisher Harris read letters from w.
:, Mccormick, Heber NJ. Wells, w II.
Bancroft and Orlando Powers. For
mer Governor Wells favors the legisla.
increasing the coal supply Judge Pow
ers Is directly opposed TO the bill. He
said IL would work great injury to the
state and It's people. Senator Benner y,
Smith said that while he introduced the
bill he does not pretend to be the father
Of everything bearing his name and eS-
planned thai the bill applied TO local
conditions, only.
d. s. Spencer of the Oregon Short
Line was called upon but he said he
n liSgnn n talk parlav 7.
Williams was called, He explained
that he prepared the bill as a codifca-
ton of existing laws He provided
clause to permit the Central Pacific
having steamship connections across the
Pacific ocean. Mr.. Williams pointed out
a coming condition when the Interstate
commerce law. goes into effect May ],
1908 The Union Pacific railroad Will
be unable to haul a ton of coal into
Utah from its mines. He explained that
the Gould lines are now operating
1ltall's coal mines without consent OF
the law. He suggested that the bill
would make Utall-s coal mines free from
danger of attack. He concluded by pre-
dictins worse shortages than have yet
occurred.
President S. II. Love Of the state SEN
ate presented opposing views, He IA
vored railroads being kept to transpor-
Ia ton Mr. Sloan said
THE whole tendency of civilized leg
islatiou is against railroad companis..
owning coal companies" he said "Tt =
against the sentiment OF the entire
country. / do not question the motiv'
of the men behind this bill. but the>
are not In the interests OF you and NJ.
and other citizens of Salt Lake ami
Utah. l don't care who hauls my Goa;
or carries me. but don't want to havs
the prices raised Year after year and
corporate interests controlling business
so you can't turn hand over He
urged that elton he q q ferrad
L. H. Curtis. Arthur Sweet. II. c
Edwards. T.. Brierer, Jr-, II. c. HofS
man, a. F.. Doremus. j. D. Wood anG
Representative Parry Of Iron count,
against the bill Fisher Harris Wiz
carry the request OF the meeting to
the legislature.
FROM Mr.. BANCROFT.
The texts OF the various letters sui
mltted to the club are as follows
President and Board OF Governors.
Commercial Club, City.-GentlemeG
acknowledge receipt OF Your invitation.
of the 9TH inst. to attend meeting OF
the club AT o'clock this evening, al
the club rooms, for the purpose of dIs-
GUESSING the features OF senate bill So
now before the senate I cordially
thank you for this invitation and re-
Grei that ! am not able 10 be present
personally.
III view u liS ,ldCt lNdi j SnatI DA
unable TO attend your meeting, | TAX.
This occasion OF suggesting 10 you for
your consideration the fact that under
The recently enacted interstate COM
nerce law large part of the supply o.
coal heretofore furnished In Salt Lake
city and other portions of this stat
brought from Wyoming mines cor
trolled by the Union Pacific Coal com
pany which Ia associated with the
Union Pacific Railroad company, will
be cut off. This circumstance Wi. mo
fsrially affect the supply heretofore en-
juyed. and which, as you know, has,
from all sources, been inadequate dr-
log the present winter, as wen as
tard the development OF new mines in
Wyoming owned by the Union Pacifis
g'oal company, with the view OF suu-
plying additional coal FOR commercial
purposes In the adjoining states.
This action OF Congress relegates TO
the several states the necessity OF suu-
plying themselves with commercial coal.
SO far as obtaining coal from rsinez
owned by railroad companies or aux
Hilary companies that would have to be
shipped Interstate, is concerned, and
this situation demands the develop
ment OF coal mines within the state
by interests best adapted for that Pur-
pose.
THE LARGE COST.
II must not be forgotten that in the
bptllAHk dltl utNNlDlllA'Nl VI ~ Npp'
property by amy company so az 70
produce coal at the rate even now pre-
Vliling, involves not only very large
Investment of capital but a great deal
be risk and uncertainty. TO Illustrate;
a mine may DO opened at q large ex-
pense, and conditions may arise that
make II Improbable TO operate. re-
rent instance OF this Is In my mlndp
namely that OF the opening by The un-
ON Pacific Coal company at Sprns
Valley. Wyo., Of coal mine, and after
spending 100000 In that enterprise
they have found IL -un.rOitabe and im-
practicable TO coutlnHe operations, aud
hat Investment Is a total loss.
The opening and installing OF the nee-
hssAry machinery In mine, and the
providing Of The necessary buildings for
employees, supplies, etc, Of the very
minimum. would require an outlay ot
1900 900 for mine OF perhaps u thOu-
tand tons day output, and N you In
srease that two or three Thousand tons
day Il would probably involve an ex-
pendliure Of from 100000 10 $500 900.
OF course. railroad companies have
HE right TO own coal mines and TO open
Them and operate them for their own
Uses: that Is a power incident 10 o rail-
lOad corporation 10 supply itself with
he necessary fuel for tth own opera
hon, II must do that much, To supply
he needs of any considerable railroad
involves an expenditure such AS ] have
Aana1 a hove and Incident 10 thAt II