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Show 1 The City Council Grants Petitions, Hears Reports, Listens to Telephone Noises, Passes Bills, Does Humane Work and Adjourns. The city council met In regular session ses-sion Wednesday evening, l'res. Robinson Robin-son occupying the chair. After prayer by councilman Baker, roll call showed every councilman present. Minutes of the last meeting were then read and accepted. Routine business was then taken up. Petition of Ezra T. Obray asking far $75 to replace a horse that was Injured In-jured in tho Ole Anderson runaway, and afterwards shot, was referred to tho committee on claims, with attorney attor-ney added. Obray states that Anderson Ander-son had borrowed his team, and that he believes the open ditch on South Main was the cause of tho horse's In-Jury. In-Jury. He feels that the city is morally moral-ly bound to reimburse him, inasmuch as the Anderson family is unable to do so. Mr. Obray's petition was backed back-ed up by another signed by the following follow-ing Logan cltlzcns:Gco.D. McCulloch, J. E. Cowley, A. M. McKcnzIc, Chas. A. Reese, J. C. Knowlcs, Fred Turner, Geo. Q. Rich, T. II. Humphreys and C. T. Barrett. Petition of Sam Spillman and others in regard to water pipes, etc., was re-fered re-fered to committee on water stocks. License to sell liquor was granted the City Drug Co. and Wm. nurst. The quarterly report of the city marshal mar-shal was read and on motion of Burrls accepted. The report indicates that during the past thrco mouths there have been 34 cases of disturbing tho the peace; 5 drunks; 0 fights; one transient tran-sient locked up; 10 coses of battery; one case of shoplifting; one illegal sale of whiskey to Indians; ono female Insulted; In-sulted; and one case of indecent conduct. con-duct. Report of City Auditor was read, on motion of Nielsen was referred to committee com-mittee on finance. The report showed that the city has resourscs exceeding liabilities to the amount of 932,000. This occasioned a smile all around the room, and as the list of resources was read off not a few comments were made. For Instance, the real estate owned by the city, other than park lots, Is figured at 116,415.76, when the real value is probably not more than 92,000. An electric light plant was quoted at 16,548.10, and inquiries were made as to whether the new plant had been installed, and it was further suggested that the "plant" on hand be offered at 50 cents on the dollar. dol-lar. The fire department equipment is estimated at $4,575, and fire department depart-ment buildings at $5,134,10. One of the oouncllmen said that the tower at the back probably had something to do with the high value placed on these buildings. This part of the report re-port of the auditor Is one that has been published each year for a number num-ber of years without correction. It was finally suggested that inasmuch as the council and the people were not fooled by these Inflated valuations it might be well to have the matter straightened out and the proper value reported. The committee on munlcpal laws reported in regard to a proposed ordinance ordi-nance compelling cleaning of ditches, etc. The report was to the effect that It would bo too cxponsivo to tho city to proceed along the lines Indicated Indicat-ed at a former meeting. On motion of N. M. Hansen the committee was lnstrlcted to draw up inexpensive ordinance or-dinance regulating tho matter. Telephone Bmlnesi. Tho committee instructed to draft ordinance regulating proposed franchise fran-chise reported and offered a very lengthy affair covering tho entlro ground under consideration. The ordinance or-dinance was gotten up In practically the same words as tho ono adopted by tho Salt Lako City council and accepted accept-ed by tho Utah Homo Telephone Company with tho exception of Article Arti-cle 15. This article as submitted by tho local committee reads as follows; "In consideration of tho granting of this franchise, and by tho acceptanco thereof, tho said grantee agrees to pay to said city tho sum of two hundred dollars per annum for tho period of four years from and after the acceptance accept-ance of this franchise by the grantee, five hundred dollars per annum for tho period of ten years beginning at the expiration of the four year period aforesaid, and seven hundred dollars per annum, for tho period of ten years, beginning at tho expiration of the ten year period last aforesaid, payable monthly from and after tho date of tho acceptance of this franchise fran-chise which said payments aro to be in lieu of all licenses, occupation or other taxes, except those for general purposes." pur-poses." Mr. Burrls offered tho following substitute to tako tho place of Section Sec-tion 15: "In consideration of the granting of the rights and privileges herein given and by tho acceptanco of this franchise, the Utah Home Telephone Company hereby agrees to glvo to Logan ono per cent of tho gross earnings earn-ings In Logan during tho life of this franchise, said sum to be paid to tho city treasurer of said city on or before be-fore the second Monday In January of each year." And as an addition to tho article tho following Is offered: "The franchlso and all tho privileges herein and hereby granted shall bo void and of no effect unless the grantee herein shall, within thirty (30) days from the passage hereof, file with tho city recorder of Logan, Its acceptanco In writing of this franchise, and all its terms and conditions." In the meantime tho following petition peti-tion had been handed In but action was deferred until franchise question was taken up: "We, the undersigned business men and taxpayers of this city, most respectfully re-spectfully request that your honorable honor-able body grant the application of the Utah Homo Telephone Co. for a franchlso to install a telephone plant in this city. We believe that competition in every utility should be encourged. The telephone is considered the greatest and most useful utility of today, and ono that every business man must use, to keep paco with the times, and it should bo furnished at the lowest possible cost. Only by competition can this be accomplished. The Home Company promised to cut the present rates In half for unlimited un-limited exclusive service, and give us the latest improved instruments, and better service than we now enjoy. Tho taxable value of property will bo largely increased, and tho money spent for installing the plant will find its way into every evenue of trade in this city. We think the concessions the applicants appli-cants are willing to grant are very generous and should be so considered by your honorable body. Wo cannot have it go out to the world that wo aro fostering monopolies monop-olies and building around our city a Chinese wall against competition. By all means give tho Home Company's Com-pany's application favorable consideration. con-sideration. For which your petitioners will ever pray. Sidney Stevens Im plcmcntCo. ,Henry G. Hayball, Aaron Farr, Jr., R. Lafount & Co., Consolidated Wagon & Machine Mach-ine Co., Spando Furniture Co., F. A. Newbcrgcr, S. B. Thatcher, Wm. Edwards, J. W. Barrett, C. M. Harris, Harris Music Co., Zeph Thomas, Co-op Grocery & Drug Co., Cardon, Burnham Ifc Co., Arthur Bateson, Logan Knitting Knit-ting Factory, Studcbaker Bros. Co., Moses Thatcher, J. W. Quayle, Cardon Car-don Jewelry Co., Robinson Bros., Jos. Morrell, City Drug Co., Andreas Peterson, First National Bank, Logan Dry Goods Co., Cache Knitting Works, II. A. Pedcrscn, Utah Mortgago & Loan Corporation, Isaao Smith, Frank K. Nebeker, Fred Turner, W. N. Hansen, Han-sen, J. C. Knowlcs, Cache Valley Mer. Co., Robert Murdock." When tho franchlso question was finally open for discussion tho council granted visitors tho privilege of speaking. speak-ing. Mr. Fcnlon of tho Homo Tele-phono Tele-phono Company took tho floor and in a few words told tho council that tho franchlso as offered by tho committee was practically prohibitive, no urged that tho substitute resolution bo accepted Instead of Article 15 of tho original, and that then they could and would accept. Ho Insisted that the council was asking entirely too much, much more than Is asked by tho Salt Lake people, who readily accepted tho terms set forth in the amendment offered by Mr. Burrls. Mr. G. B. Odcll of Salt Lake, another director of tho Homo Company, talked at some length, urging various reasons rea-sons why tho franchise should bo granted, and why terms should be made easy enough to admit of their coming in. Ho suggested that the demands of tho council as stated In the ordinance drawn meant tho payment pay-ment by them of $13,000 during tho term of franchise, 25 years, and that this Is more than an exchange here would cam In that time. Ho also advanced tho Idea that $15,000 or $20,000 would bo expended In Logan, and that her citizens would get tho benefit of this; that tho city would havo advantage of their poles for any service they might desire; that rates would bo cut in two; that a certain numper of phones would bo given tho city free; that the city has the opportunity op-portunity of buying their system at any tlmo it wanted It and at practically practi-cally Its own figures. Jos. T., Odcll then spoko a few words In favor of granting the franchise, suggesting that the business men of tho town wanted tho new company in hero and that the council should acccdo to shclr wishes. Mr. Seth Langton also spoke In favor fav-or of tho homo company, urging that tho company be permitted to como In on tho provision suggested In the substltuto article, and also lcfcrrcd to tho petition signed by more than fifty of Logan's business men as an Indication of their desire for competition competi-tion In this line. At this Juncture Councilman Nell-son Nell-son aroso and stated that certain of those signers had said to him that their names had been secured by misrepresentation, mis-representation, some of them saying that they were given to understand that the city was to recelvo $16,000 cash for granting the franchise. He also believed that many of the signers did not understand tho status of the affair. Mayor nanscn was asked for his views and reluctantly stated that lie was hardly in favor of granting tho franchise; that If the council saw fit to grant it, when it camo to him for his signature he iclght try and see his way clear to signing it, but personally could not see the benefit accruing. He believes that competition in the telephone tele-phone business is impracticable and brought out the Idea that not moro than five or six phones would be affected affect-ed by proposed cut In prices. The Mayors arguments were met by the statement from Messrs. Fenton and Odcll that tho Bell Company's directory showed that fifty phones would bo affected, and these gentlemen gentle-men also stated that In different towns where competition existed tho price had been cut to such extent that phones were not charged for at all, and that in some instances subscribers had been paid to keep their phones. There was a general exchange of Ideas concerning the matter and finally final-ly councilman Thorcson made a motion mo-tion to the effect that the Mayor call a meeting of the citizens to bo held at the court house or at any place largo enough for a big crowd, fcr the purpose pur-pose of discussing tho matter In fact deciding by a majority vote as to what sentiment is In regard to granting of the franchise. Tho motion was carried car-ried and Mayor Hansen announced that ho would call the meeting at as early date as possible and that duo notice would be given through the press. This ended telephone discussion discus-sion for the night and thoso interested departed. Ths council then Jumped back to routine business and passed an ordinance ordi-nance defining tho kinds of service and other pipes used underground In tho waterworks system. Arrnoi'iuATioNs. Tho following bills, representing a total outlay of $800.07, wero allowed. Robert McCulloch, $ 300 horso wrongly sold. Joseph Tarbet, salary 100 00 C. B. Robblns, Jailor and meals 28 00 Smith Bros., lumber 32 44 Nation, estray notices 2 00 D. C. Budge, year's extra work 180 00 R. LaFount, hatchet, nails.... 00 Republican, printing 10 25 Mario Chrlstensen, cleaning. . . 2 00 Thatcher Bank, Interest 3 04 K. C. Schaub, surveying 12 00 John II. Gnehm, 11 mo. 'phono 11 00 Wm. Peterson, grave digging. . 35 00 Quayle & Co.. supplies 4 80 Logan Power Co., streot lights 220 00 J. P. Smith 0 75 Peter Anderson, killing 3 dogs. 2 00 Samuel Pike, police work 3 00 (Continued on Pago y ii it iin.ru r ' '"' v-- ."-.- |