The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-15
NO NEW ELECTRIC
LINES THIS YEAR
Reported That Saitair Road
viii Not Attempt to Electrify
This Season.
JESSE KNIGHT MAY
NOT BUILD AT ALL.
Rumored That Depot Site OPP
ton VIII Be Given Up and
That Whole Deal Is Off.

Ii was reported in Salt Lake railroad
circles Monday that all prospects Of
building, or at least beginning. an
electric line from Salt Lake south To
Provo and vicinity by the Jesse knigh,-
Chapman Evans people. the possible
ecctrifcaton of the SaItair road this
year, the building of new street car
station next to the Cullen hotel. on
West Second South street. and the pos
sibility Of the projected Knight. the
Saltair and the Bambcrgcr roads unit.
ing under some kind of n working
agreement has practically been gwen
UP.
The lack of ready money. tho CON
flct of interests between The Harrl-
man people and the Saltair manage
mcnt over the viaduct. and the diff
Guilty of obtaining Just the franchises
wanted, especially over the streets OF
Salt Lake. already largely occupied by
the rails Of the Utah Light 4 Railway
company, and the probability that the
new lines and changes would cost much
more than was at first tentatively esti-
mated, all tins is said TO be among the
chief reasons why the whole scheme, or
several schemes, VIII probably be given
up.
Behind all this is said TO be another
attempt to sell the Saltalr line TO the
Hartman interests and make 1t part
of the local street car system. 1t was
pointed out Monday by q certain high
official that the Saltair line carried over
$4,000 paid fares during the three
months excursion season last year, and
only about 81 900 paid fares during the
other nine months. During these nine
oh lE
mont must necessarily lie idle, which
is indirectly a heavy expense. rail
road TO earn IFS maximum profit must
be operated regularly and not as the
circumstances of the case compel the
Saltair road TO be run under its present
Independent management. If the Salt
air road were n part of larger road
then the plant and the men and The
equipment could be used during the
lean winter months elsewhere. hence the
necessity from financial standpoint
of Joining hands with somebody.
No Terminals, No Bonds
Also the Saltair line has no termi-
nails in Salt Lake that look attractive
to prospective bond buyers, and the
Saltair people look to bonds for the
money with which to change from
steam TO electricity.
To be able TO float its bonds with
which to secure the needed funds to
electrify the road is said to be the
real reason. among others, why the Salt
air company seeks entrance to the heart
Of the city over the best possible
streets. and especially why that com
pany wants terminal in the business
section.
According to one creditable report,
the Saltair company offered 100000
worth of securities in the road to the
Oregon Short Line at so cents on the
dollar, this to give $240.00O. which
money would be spent on changing the
road from this city to Saltair beach
from steam to electric. This report.
however. was recently denied by the
Oregon Short Line management.
The Short Line, II Is understood. re-
fuses to consider the Saltalr matter in
any way as long as the Saltair com
pany is before the city council asking
for franchises. Also the Short Line
practically free ACCOMMODATIONS to the
Saltair line over the viaduct.
The Utah Light & Power company,
one of the subsidiary companies Of the
Oregon Short Line. was willing TO
grant the Saltair company the right
to use tracks and other, accommoda-
tions down West Temple. but not down
Main street because of the already
crowded condition OF Main street. This, |
however, would apparently put the Salt. !
air company In n secondary position, not |
being on the principal street of the |
city and having no terminal, So the
Saltair people decided 10 have ter
next to and behind the Cullen hotel, |
but it is understood this option will be |
allowed to lapse.
It is a recognized fact in financing |
electric railroads that such bonds cannot |
be sold, at least TO desirable advantage,
unless the road has suitable term-
inals A road without terminals is
not considered road in circles that put |
up the money. especially in the east,
1t is understood that the Saltalr peo-
pie had plans TO push their line on to
Tooele if it succeeded in getting the
desired franchises In Salt Lake that
would enable it to put the road under
is at present. The plans to electrify the
road, secure terminals in Salt Lake and
push INTO Tooele apply, IL is understood,
only to the road itself These plans are
said to have been quite independent of
the amusement and bathing resort,
Saltair Wants to Sell.
In fact, il is understood that the
Saltair management would be glad to |
sell the road between this city and the
resort to parties who would put it In
first-class shape. change it to electrical |
power, and handle the crowds 10 and |
from the resort in desirable manner,
the Hartman interests, for instance
This offer, it is understood was made
some time ago to the Oregon Short
Limo management, but the price asked
was too high, and the matter fell
through. According to all accounts,
there Will be no negotiations pending
between any of the Hartman interests
and the Saltair interests rs long as the
Saltair people try 10 handle the matter
of franchises and terminals.
There have been for some time