Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-09-17
EXPECT PASSAGE OF
FOSHAY FRANCHISES
NEW ORDINANCES TO BE con-
SIDERED AT SPECIAL MEET
ING NEXT WEDNESDAY,.

Members of the city council in
special session next Wednesday night
are expected to pass three ordinances
road for the first time at this weeks
meeting, granting Wilbur b. Foshay
a 5O-year light and power franchise,
giving him a contract to sell the city
electric current, and also granting
him a new 50-year steam-heating
franchise. Both franchises permit
the city to take over the industries at
the end of five-year periods, upon
valuations fixed by board of arb-
ters, while the proposed contract
would also permit the city to sell
commercially light and power bought
from the company, if it cares to en-
gage in the business.
These are the latest developments
in the local light situation, and fol-
low the consultation with Mayor
Mottman and other city officials last
Saturday by Attorney William Hardy
of Portland, who has represented
Foshay in his dealings here for the
last two years. Until the franchises
appeared at Wednesday nights coun-
Gil meeting the city authorities kept
mum" the proposals made by Hardy.
Some news of them leaked out. how
ever, and it is believed that they
prompted the latest proposal made
by the Olympia Light & Power COM
pany, considered at a special meet
ing Of the council Monday night, in
which the company offered to accept
q five-year contract on the same
terms it had originally made on a
10-year basis.
Whether the city authorities ex-
pect the latest Foshay project to go
through or whether they are using
It as a CLUB" to force still lower
rates out Of the Olympia Light &
Power company. is a question upon
which local people are indulging in
considerable speculation. AS both
franchises are drawn. Foshay must
show Mayor Mottman and the coun-
Gil, within 80 days after they are
passed. that he has the money to put
the project through, or they become
void, while the proposed contract
with him is made contingent upon
the city's purchase prior to Deecm-
Der 81. 1917. of the waterworks
owned by Foshay.
Agreement on Water Plant?
The fact that the ordinances were
proposed on Foshay's behalf and
that the contract is contingent entire
ly upon the city's acquiring the water
plant, coupled with the resolution
adopted by the council forfeiting the
two power and steam-heating fran
chises granted Foshay two years ago,
has given ground for the report, too
that the city and Foshay had reached
some agreement with reference to
the water plant, but If there is any
thing of this kind. it has not yet de-
veloped publicly.
The proposal of the Olympia Light
& Power company was first discussed
at a meeting Of the council as com
mittee of the whole Monday night
when it was pointed out that the
company's latest offer meant that II
would light the city for the next five
years for practically half Of what Il
had been paid in the past and fol
$500 per year less than 1t had pre-
viously offered on a five-year con
tract basis.
The offer is the lowest of severa
made by the company when th'
council called for bids and was 1T
original 10-year contract proposal
The payments to the company in th'
past have averaged approximatel.
1880 per year, while under 1T
latest plan it would receive 1925
for the service. The city bulge
Provides but $4,000 for lights mex
year and on the month to montl
basis now prevailing, this would b.
used up in about five months, leav
ing the city without lights the re
mainder of the year.
Details of Franchises.
The council was to have consld
cred this proposal at this week
meeting, according to advance re
ports. but did not, the Foshay ordi
nances being the only matters dis
cussed. Under them and the contract
the city is to pay $50 per horsepowe
per year for power for the first fiv
years and SIS per horsepower there
1ter and binds itself to take mir
mum Of $50 horsepower, or $500
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