The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-05-07
INTEREST GROWS
IN HOME PLANTS
Municipal Lighting and Power
Proposition Being Given
Much Consideration.

Agitation is on in earnest in behalf of
the proposed municipal light and power
plants and there is no longer any doubt
about The present plans being thoroughly
tested by the city administration. Pres
ent indications are that the movement
Will receive more harmonious support
than ~any similar action attempted in
years The mayor and members of the
council are working on the proposition in
way that is accepted by the people as
meaning business.
The latest person to come out in sup
port OF the project Is l.. b. Spencer. To-
cal engineer who has spent much time in
figuring out propositions of this nature.
He calls attention to one phase of the
proposed plans that he holds is worthy of
the most careful consideration. This is
the matter of the benefits TO be derived
from irrigation.
Mr.. Spencer states that If the city puts
in dam at Cobble creek in the South
Fork canyon sufficient water according
to irrigate from l2,0O0 to 1900 acres of
what is now practically arid lands in We
Der county. Recently the city has made
additional filings which would enable it
to construct its dam at what is known
as the narrcws or Maybe canyon. This
latter site is considered the most feas-
able by Mr.. Spencer and he figures that
the dam At this point would conserve suf-
tlclent water TO irrigate from $1,000 to 80,
900 acres o. land. This would require a
concrete dam $50 feet high.
The benefits to be derived from this in
the increased value of the land is reck
one1 by Mr.. Spencer in this way. The
5000 acres of land now virtually worth
less, with water for irrigation, would be
worth al out 800 per acre and 5000 acres
at this figure would mean an increase IN
valuation of a million and a half dol
lars. 1t is also figured that if the sys-
tenn is built as proposed the supply of
water would be sufficient for the needs
of Ogden city for more than 100 years.
Apparently there is but one question TO
decide before the matter is fully deter
mined upon. and that is the financing. In
this connection il is pointed out that the
city can bond for $500 600, in addition to
the present outstanding bonds. and be-
sides this amount between 100000 and
500, 900 can be realized annually by spe-
cial taxation. There are those connected
with the city government who state that
the financing of the project will be COM
paratiVely an easy matter
As the matter stands at the present
time the mayor and the council appear
to have the unanimous support of the
citizens of Ogden both in favor of the
water and the power and lighting plants.
In connection with the lighting and
power plant. the question is asked why
should Ogden pay more for its lights than
Salt Lake and other places?' Those IA
voring the municipal lighting system
maintain that in addition to Salt Lake
getting less rate than Ogden the voltage
in that city IS much greater than in Og-
Den ana that TINS means brighter lights
for the former place while the latter is
paying a greater rate. The reason ad-
vanced for this condition is that the Utah
Light & Railway people have some COM
petition in Salt Lake, from the gas COM
pany, and in Ogden they have the whole
field to themselves.
Further in support of the contention
that the rates are lower in Salt Lake
than Ogden it is pointed out that GER
tain large stores in the first named city
are paying at a rate of cents per kilO-
watt hour. while in Ogden the straight
rate of II cents per kilowatt hour is main
tanned. 1t is held that the best the Ogden
business man can do is TO take advantage
of the discount for prompt payment which !
brings the rate down to s 9-f0 cents.
It is further set out that even Hunts
vile gets a lower rate than Ogden. To
the city of Huntsville the same company
is said to sell its electricity for cents
and that the city in turn sells il to the !
charged here. IL is figured that in one |
block alone, that bounded by Washing
ton and Grant avenues and TWenty-fifth /
and TWenty-fOurth streets, pays a reve-
nue. Of $4,000 per annum for power and 1
lights.
Those agitating a municipal plant main /
tain that at a much lower figure the city /
could sell power for lighting and other !
purposes TO the consumers and still make |
a handsome profit with which to pay off |
the Indebtedness incurred in installing the |
Mont