The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-04-14
Hall Wants City to Probe Re.
port That Bell Company
Owns Independent.
CONTRACTORS MUST HIRE
RESIDENTS OF SALT LAKE
Committee Will Investigate 10
Find Means of Stopping
Auto Speeding.

As result OF a resolution introduced
by Councilman l.. Il, Hall providing for
an investigation into the persisten,
rumors that the Utah independent Tc,s-
phone company is controlled by the Rockv
Mountain Bell Telephone company. an in,
tercsting discussion took place II, tho city
council Thursday night. The resolution
which went over until next Monday nlghr
provides that the president OF tie ciiy
council shall appoint IL committee, of
city attorney shall be members, To Ioak
INTO the charges. The resolution states
that the r'mor has recently been pub
in Chicago
In Introducing the resolution. Council
man Hall declared that ii the rumor that
The independent company is owned by
the Bell Telephone company is true the
franchise should be revoked.
The people say we have known this
10 be true Tor several years" said Mr.
It is UP to this body to take immediate
action toward giving the peoples inter
es,s u fair deal"
{, Couneilman Walter g. Lyme declared
people owned considerable stock in the
Independent company, However, he de-
clared that he though, any action on the
part Of the council was useless. He de-
clarcd that the Bell company would not.
say that II was not interested In ihe
other company. but would no. admit ths,
II was. and II would. therefore, bc dIf-
flcult TO ascertain the exact standing OF
the stock,
Wants Rumor Probed.
Councilman j. w, Mckinney declared
that the rumor should be probed 10 the
bottom-that lin the minds OF the people
IT was true. and 1t was therefore. a mat
ter worthy of consideration of the city
council.
Councilman Mark Rcedall declared that
he did not know whether or not 1t would
be well for the council TO act in The
matter. He declared that the lndepen-
dent company had forced the Bel fclc
phone company to improve its service aut
that the elimination of the one company
might simply mean that the Bell COM
pauv could 90 just about as II pleased
in the way of rates and on, AS il then,
would have no competition. \ maximum
rental rate is designated in the franchise
of the Independent company-thercfore
the rates OF tine other must conform In
business competition. Mr.. Reedall ex-
planned.
Mr., Hall suggested that it might be
good idea TO put the proposition up 10
the interstate commerce commission for
investigation.
Councilman McKinncy's resolution pro-
vidins that clause he inserted in al!
contracts for city work hereafter pro-
vlding that contractors shall use every
reasonable means TO obtain the services
of bona iidc residents and taxpayers on
all contracts for public improvements was
UNANIMOUSLY passed.
Councilman Mckinney's ordinance
against bull lighting. dog lighting, cock
ing mains and bear lighting and fights
between any animals or birds. passed It's
third and final reading
The city stable matter went over until
next Monday night, Councilman Mckn-
ney presented a resolution providing that
the Utah Light & Railway company be
requested TO institute ten minute street
car service on the Ashton avenue line IN
stead of ,he fiftcen-minUte service, which
now prevails. This was passed unanl-
mously.
To Stop Auto Speeding.
4 resolution introduced by Councilman
Mckinney directing Chief OF Police ;. ".
Barlow 10 enforce the speed ordinance
TO the letter was referred TO the police
committee. with the chief associated. II
was stated that there was not sufficient
facilities III the police department 10 stop
the speeding. and IL was referred to the
Members of the council declared that
they were heartily in favor OF giving the
police department more men and more
motorcycles in order 10 prevent speed
fends from transforming the city thof~
oughfares into race tracks.
The offer of G. w. Earl 10 sell the city
a power site in American Fork canyon.
which several weeks ago was nleu on the
recommendation OF the public grounds
and waterways committee, was referred
back To that committee again THURSDAY
night on motion of Councilman Mchin-
ney. 1t appears that this is one OF the
last power sites which the city will be
able to acquire for a municipal lighting
plant. and several OF the councllmen are
not In favor OF passing the matter up
without d thorough consideration.
Prior To the special session the council
met as a committee OF the whole to con-
slider the Seventh South street Viaduct.
The committee decided TO recommend 70
the council that a viaduct should be
built over the tracks on Seventh South
street aud that the special committee on
the question. consisting of the mayor.
president of the city council and the
from the Second ward, to-
with the city engineer. he N
structed To bring in a report as to tne
length and dimensions OF the Vladuc'
The committee also decided TO recon-
mend for adoption the resolution provid-
Ing for the building of two public COM