Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-01-10
COMPROMISE GRANT
OF POWER RIGHTS
TO FOSHAY KILLED
Proposal Was to Permit Appli-
cant to Furnish Supplemental
Power Service in Olympia.
MAJORITY OPPOSES PLAN.
Committee Submits Report Saying
Lake Lawrence Improvement
Will Give Ample Service.


Will Give Ample Service.
With the presentation to the coun-
Gil of the report Of its special commit
tee which Investigated local electric
lighting and power conditions 1t de-
veloped that a compromise ordinance
which would have permitted Wilbur
B. Foshay to furnish power in Olym-
pia and light only those place where
he sold power had been considered by
the committee and voted down. The
compromise ordinance was presented
to the council as a minority report by
Councilman George H. Funk, whose
suggestion it was.
Under the terms of this franchise,
Mr.. Foshay would have been permit
ted to install supplementary power
plant in this city which, Councilman
Funk argued, would have relieved the
dificulty Of shortage of power that has
arisen in the past, and would still
have protected the local company. as
the council desired. The ordinance
was killed, however, through the influ-
ence of certain members of the Cham
ber of Commerce. and the local cam
pany.
1t also developed that Mr.. Foshay
had offered the owners of the local
company, the. principal one being Haz-
ard Stevens of Boston, Mass. $425.000
for the plant. The public service COM
missions valuation is said to be $780,
600. This report, which comes from
an authoritative source. says the COM
pany first demanded 100000 for their
equipment and business and later lop-
ped off $4,000. but Mr.. Foshay declin.
ed to pay this figure.
The compromise ordinance resem-
bles in all its details the second ordi-
nance submitted to the council by Mr..
Foshay, with the exception Of the fol-
lowing section:
mo consumer shall at any time be
supplied with electricity for light un-
der this grant unless he is at the
same time consumer of electric pow
er under this grant, for purposes other
than residence or household use."
This section, according to Council
man Funk, kept Mr.. Foshay out of the
general electric lighting field and pre-
vented him from interfering with the
business of the local company in that
respect. 1t was acceptable to Mr.. Fo-
shay and to outsiders to whom 1t was
suggested 1t appeared to be solution
of the power problem.
The councils special committee.
however, consisting also Of members
of the Chamber of Commerce and pur-
chasers of power, submitted a major.
ity report In which 1t was stated that
with the completion of the Lake Law
renee Improvement, the Olympia Light
& Power company would be In posi-
tion to furnish much more power than
the city's industries now demand. The
committee also stated that the com.
pany's present supply was suficient
for the city's needs and permitted a
gradual growth.
The company is now working on the
supplementary storage basin which
has been found necessary near Tum-
water and the committee expressed the
belief that this would be completed as
rapidly as possible. On these grounds
the committee opposed the granting
of any franchise to Mr.. Foshay.
The councils refusal to grant him q
power ordinance, however, has so far
prevented the acceptance by Mr.. Fo.
shay Of the water ordinance passed
two months ago and his option on the
local water company's property has ex
pired. 1t was said to have been Mr.
Foshay's plan to combine the electric
and water plants and consequently
that the refusal Of one would preclude
his acceptance of the other.
Under the terms of his electric power
ordinance Mr.. Foshay agreed to fur.
nish a penal bond of $1,000 that he
would be furnishing power service in
this city within year after his &C
ceptance of the ordinance and would
be fully equipped to furnish at least
500 horse power. He also agreed to
pay the city per cent Of all moneys