The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-07-05
INTEEURBAN ROADS,

INTERURBAN ROADS.
The municipal commission has before
il number Of propositions for inter
urban hoads. Some of these interurban
roads, such as the extension of the
street railway system of this city to
Holiday, are easily handled. because
the connections with the street ear
system are naturally or automatically
made. There will be no difficulty in
the matter of the Holiday extension,
but the company will ask the privilege
of hauling in vegetables and dairy pro.
ducts upon that line in cars specially
adapted for the work We trust that
the Commission will see its way clear
TO grant this request. because it is
evidently 10 the advantage Of the pco-
pic of tins city to have quick and
cheap transportation TO the people here
of ail sorts Of farm products, and if
n free local market could be opened in
connection with this interurban line,
or IL it could be connected with the
Second West street farmers market,
~ "oUlu De sllll Detters
Two independent interurban PROPOSE
tons the one headed by Mr.. Samuel
Newhouse and the other by Mr.. Abel
i. Evans, arc also in the hands of the
Commission The Tribune trusts that
the Commission will see its way clear
to grant both of these franchises on as
favorable terms as possible. The build
ing TO this city of these lines will uu-
doubtcdly be of the greatest possible
advantage to our citizens. The details
can be settled later on, but the general
principle that the city Will he inn
menselv helped by the construction of
snch lines cannot he doubted The
routes and terminals and methods of
to be brought in, are all proper sub
lects of municipal control, but such
control should be made as easy as
possible, and as encouraging as it can
be made to those who would put their
money into these enterprises. We do
not believe in giving any special To-
cality advantage in, the construction
of such lines by way of requiring the
companies to put in public improve
ments. They should be made, OF
and to pave and improve the portion
of the street which they use, In ac-
cordance with the improvements that
are already in, or that may be ordered
by the city administration; but fur
thcr than that ii seems to us the policy
of encouragement should be the pre-
dominant one. 1t is true that as be-
tween the alternative of requiring local
improvements for the benefit Of ad.
joining property owners by such COM
panies, it is better as we have stated
heretofore, to impose some form Of
general payment by the companies to
the city at large. But the question is
whether ii is not better, in order to
get these lines built, to waive such
small sum as might be obtained for q
considerable period Of wears, and not
impose present obligations Of this kind
upon the companies. The charters Of
course should not be so drawn as to
forbid the levying of proper taxation
upon these companies, after they have
become paying concerns. but in the
meantime, and until they get to be
revenue producers, we are inclined to
think that the advantage to the city
by the construction Of these lines
would be sufficient to induce the ad-
to waive all claim Of pub.
lie revenue from the companies for the
present
The great thing in all these enter
prises is TO be assured that the fran
chise is to be acted upon, that it is
not merely hot air, and that it has
substantial backing that will result in
the actual building and operating of
the lines With this assured, much
else can be advantageously waived.
We all agree that this region needs
transportation; il needs as great facili-
ties for intercommunication as can
possibly be put in; and it is a Ger.
tainty that the easier. the cheaper, and
the freezer the transportation Of needed
farm and dairy products to the city
can be made, the better it will be for
the inhabitants of Salt Lake; while
the incoming Of visitors, who may rea-
sonably be expected to trade more or
less while in the city. should be ex-
pressly encouraged.