The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-06-08
A,torney Hazen |. Sawyer Points Out
Why Keokuk Voters Should Fa-
vor Granting of
Franchises.
FEW COMPARISONS
they Give City Right to Regulate
Lighting Rate, Something That
Present One Does Not
Give

To the Editor of The Gate City:
As June II approaches more inter
est is being taken in the proposed
franchises for electric light and pow
er, and street railway purposes and
the writer finds that there is consid
cradle misunderstanding and miscon-
ception regarding the rights and priv
ieges contained in the proposed fran
chises
1t must be understood that under
the law of Iowa an electric light and
power company or street railway
company would have no right to use
the streets, alleys and other public
places in city unless the city first
granted franchise for such use.
Before the adoption by the city of
Keokuk of the commission plan 1t was
not necessary to submit the question
Of whether franchise should be
granted or not to vote of the peo-
pie. The city council had authority
to grant or refuse to grant fran
chise as it saw fit.
The city council could, If 1t desired,
submit the question TO a vote of the
people, or If twenty-five property own
ers, in each ward in the city, petit
toned therefore, the mayor was com
PEELED to submit the question to a
vote of the people.
This is the first time in the his
tory of Keokuk that the question of
refusing or granting a franchise has
been submitted to vote of the peo-
pie It Is now dore because the COM
mission plan law requires It, The
property owners OF the city under the
former law never asked that any fran
chise should be submitted.
If one would take the pains, as has
the writer, to compare the proposed
franchises with the franchise under
which the Electric Lighting Company
and the Street Railway Company are
row operating. one would be surprised
to see how little material difference
there is and what differences do ex-
ist are all In favor of the proposed
city granted to ]. C. Hubinger com.
pany the right to erect and maintain
an electric light and power system
Tor period of twenty years. In 1894
II granted to j. G. Hubinger company
the right to erect and maintain a
telephone system in the city for the
period OF twenty years. In June, 1894
the city granted to J. c. Hubinger. com
pany the right to operate street
railway system on all the streets OIL
the city for the period of twenty-five
years.
II will be seen that these three
franchises were granted to one ant
the same company but expired at diff
ferent dates.
The ]. c. Hubinger company If
1900, and before the expiration OF
any OF the franchises, desired to have
all Of the franchises run for the same
period and asked that each of then
De renewed for period OF twenty
hye years. And in June, 1900, the city
council renewed each of said fran
cAlses for period of twenty-five
years from February 5, 1900 The j
Y Hubnger street railway franchise
and the j. c. Hubinger electric light
ing franchise extended from Februar!
Q, 1900, for twenty-five years are the
franchises under which the presen
hghtlng company and street railwa!
company are now operating.
he Stone & Webster company de
sire their franchise to run for a per
iod OF twenty-five years for the same
reason that TIE j G.. Hubinger com
pany desired it's franchises to be ex
tended for a period of twenty-five
years In 1900. No harm can be dom
oy such grant. The grant is not ex
elusive. Under the laws Of Iowa thu
ety can grant twenty-five year fran
chlse to as many persons or companie
as the citizens may desire by thei
votes shall be granted 1t is obvious
however, that in cities the size o
heokuk and much larger two stree
railway companies Or electric lighting
companies could not operate
Il one will think for a moment on