Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-03
STREET LIGHTING.

Il
One of the questions demanding the
most thorough attention and care is
| that of the lighting of our streets. II
is far step from the oil lamp and
! candle of our fathers and grand1athers
| times TO the modern system of pro-
vidtnG sufficient light for our city. So
| rapidly has scientific research gone
| forward In bringing into existence the
| various forms of illumination for dwell
ings. streets and public buildings that
| the highest degree OF technical skill
and cultivated energy have to be called
| into requisition in adopting and put
ting into efficient use those various
means of lighting. In conjunction
with this is the problem OF providing
| sufficient power to produce the energy
required for street lighting system,
| In a city undergoing so vast and rapid
| a transformation as ours 1t becomes
necessary with a view to safeguard
Ing the interests of our citizens To
provide for an increase in the number
Of street lamps; more especially so is
this true of the business portion of
the community. l should therefore
suggest that everything possible may
be done to provide system of light
ing as efficient as possible and which
may be consistent with the require
ments and demands Of the people. In
connection with these requirements
and demands is the necessity for an In
crease in the number of street lights,
particularly in our expanding business
district
Our city is fortunate in being pos
sessed of q water power which might
be sufficient. il utilized toward that
end, to furnish the necessary energy
for the operating OF a system of light
ing 1t might therefore be expedlent
to build and operate a plant which
would produce supply of electric en-
ergy sufficient for street lighting and
the operating of the pumping plant for
the intercepting sewer.
The city has the right under the
terms of the franchise heretofore grant
ed, to build and construct a system of
conveyance of electric power, such as
would be sufficient for all needs and
requirements of the city, so far as
a lighting system is concerned 1t
must be borne in mind, however. that
the institution of such a plant would
demand an expenditure of money that
would have to be met by the city If,
however, we should decide to carry out
the improvement herein suggested in
the course of a few years, the cost of
installation and the running expenses
incident thereto would soon be paid
1 have no doubt that your honorab BILE
body will give this matter your ear
nest and earliest attention. l would
recommend that a committee be ap-
pointed to make Investigations upon the
subject and report their findings.
LICENSE DEPARTMENT
The licensing department, in the mat
ter of collections. 1 am pleased to state,
has succeeded beyond our expectations.
The amount collected has exceeded dur
Ing the year. 1902 over that of the pre-
vlous year by about $4,000. This is a
splendid showing and is strong material
evidence of the growth of the city, dur
ing the same period. 1t might be well
to state in this regard that the audi
tors office is becoming OF greater i'm
portance year by year, and the work of
that office is increasing to such an ex-
tent that l should be in favor of placing
the matter of collection of licenses in u
department separate and distinct from
that of the auditors office 1t should be
no part of the duties of the auditor to
have the collection of license in hand:
an ordinance creating the office of IL
ccnse collector should be passed and
responsible person placed in charge un-
der such bond as might be deemed adj
visable to properly safeguard the inter-
estS of the city. Under the present svs-
tenn the city treasurer is the collector of
dog taxes and the supervisor of streets
the collector of poll taxes In the
event of the creation of the department.
of license. such department should
assume the functions of the treasurer
and street supervisor so far as It ap-
plies to the collection of licenses
PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.
the purchasing of supplies for the
various departments of the city gov
ernment is freighted with a large degree
of responsibility. so much so in fact
that It would seem to me to be advIs-
able that this function, in order that il
might be conducted on a proper bus-
ness basis, and therefore more efficient
ly handled that it should be placed un-
der capable and intelligent control. Ex-
perience has taught corporations. both
large and small that the only proper
and efficient method of conducting this
part OF the business is to have it taken
care of under a separate and distinct
head thereby cffecting a saving of time
and money. l should therefore recon-
mend the organization of such a de-
partment and it is my conviction that
an honest and fair trial will demon
strate 1t to be a valuable adjunct to our
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