Daily Arizona silver belt., 1907-07-27
FRANCHISE ELECTION

On Tuesday next the people of Glob, will vote upon the question of grant ing franchise to the Globe Consoli dated Lighting, Water & Power com pany. The proposed franchise has beer published in these columns for the past four weeks, and, therefore, it is pre- sumed that voters are informed of it. provisions.
 The company asking for,a a franchise holds an option on the stock of the Globe Electric Light & Gas company and Pinal Mountain Water company which for several years have been fur. nishng Globe with electric lights and water. It has no competitor, and the only other public service company inccr- porated here, the Home company, has withdrawn its application for fran ehise. The present companies operate under franchises granted by the county board of supervisors and whether the Consolidated company does or does not secure a franchise from the city, the old companies or their successors will in all probability continue to furnish elee. trieity, gas and water in the city of Globe for years to come.
 A franchise such as is asked for by the Consolidated company has mater ial value, as is apparent and generally recognized. While no exclusive fran. ehise can be granted under the Arizona statutes governing municipalities, yet should the company already in the field be granted a franchise by the city, as long as the service was fairly satisfac. tory it would be in commanding posi- tion, with little fear of competition.
 The Consolidated company agrees to do certain things and make certain con- sessions to the city in return for the privileges to be granted it. The com pany will furnish and install free of cost to the city eleven additional fire hy- drants and supply water free for twenty fire hydrants. It will also supply free water and electric lights for public buildings. Should the city agree to
 
 take not less than twenty street lights. five of said are lights are to be fur. nished free and fifteen are lights at the rate of 10 cents per kilowatt hour. The company agrees to install at it's own ex- pense an adequate street lighting sys. tenn.
 The maximum rates to be charged for electric light, gas and water are some. what lower than those now ruling. The small consumer would receive the least benefit, while to the large user of elee- tricity and water there would be ma terial saving under the new schedule. The rates proposed for electric lighting are apparently the most reasonable and compare favorably with the rates rul ing in many cities in the southwest.
 To meet the requirements of this ser vice it would be necessary for the com pany to expend large sums in improv ing and enlarging it's works and extend. ing the system of distribution. One hundred thousand dollars is the estimate of these expenditures. new reservoir of 5OO,0OO gallons capacity is to be constructed, located at greater eleva- tion than the present one, which will greatly increase the pressure in the pipes and insure better protection from fire. In this connection the Consoli- dated company should increase the size of its water mains. A ten-inch main on Broad street, together with better Ire fighting apparatus furnished by the city, would effect reduction of the