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Show 0. 1 PARMLEY POINTS TO SGTS OF THE CITY B01 With the passing of time since the new 50-year light and gas franchises of the Utah Power & Traction company com-pany were signed by the Ogden City commissioners, in which the public has had its first general opportunity to consider the questions involved, much unfavorable comment on the hasty action of the commissioners has heen heard. In speaking on the question this morning, O. A. Parmley, manager of the Ogden Steam laundry, and one of Ogden's most prominent citizens, said: "Though I have not considered the matter thoroughly as yet, not having had an opportunity to do so prior to the publicity given it in the Standard, since the new light and gas franchises were signed, it seems to me that u matter of such grent importance should not have been decisively acted act-ed upon so hastily. The old franchises fran-chises still have between thirty and thirty-five years to run, so there was plenty of time for the consideration or new ones. "I do not believe the public was taken Into the confidence of the commissioners com-missioners with regard to the contents con-tents of the franchises, as it should have been. The franchises also have been given publicity before action was taken upon them and more time Bhould have been given for public expression ex-pression the old and new franchises could have been published, showing the changes that were to be made, I believe there would have been a hotter hot-ter feeling among the people of the community. "As far as I can make out through my brief study of the old and the new franchises, privileges accorded the city In the old one have been waived In the new for the consideration of a Bmnll reduction in the rate on light nnd gas, 10 per cent. This reduction, or course, ls of some account, but it is a question if It will prove sufficient or satisfactory. In my opinion, no rights hold by the city should have been waived for any consideration. The granting of a 60-year franchise, if a mlBtake, Is a very serious one, as not many such could be made in a lifetime "With regard to the rates granted under the new franchises, that for gas is not as low as the Salt Lake C'itv rate has been for years past and I can think of no reason why the rates for the two cities should not be upon an equal basis. The light company, com-pany, too, could grant further reductions reduc-tions in the rate for electric current and still make a good fair profit. Ogden Og-den people at the present time, are and have been for some time past, dissatisfied with the light question, as when the Merchants' .Light & Power company was organized the expectation expecta-tion was that it was to be a competing com-peting company, but it has now been absorbed by a larger company. The city's privileges, too, that were held under the Merchants' Light franchise are not to be found in the one Juat granted to the Utah Light &. Traction company." In closing the interview, Mr. Parmley Parm-ley stated that he did not like to have anyhing done that would delay the establishing of municipal light and gas systems and that, in his opinion, opin-ion, the grnntlng of any long-time franchise would have this tendency oo |
