, 1874-12-23
General Feeling About tho
WeDaeh Avenue OrGi-
nance,
Roprt TINT Aldermen and Others
Have Boon Corrupted,
attempt to Make q Raise Out
ct the Chicago e. South
Atlantic.
Mr. Cobb Fnyors Onc-EIorso Cars.

Tho action Of tho Common Council In Rdops'
inE. BY m almost unanimous yoto, an ordinance
granting to tho South Sido stroot-Railway Com
pany tho right to operate railroad track on Ya,
baal ayonuc, from Lake ntrcot to Twcnty-sccond
has caused moro comment. and more unpleasant
romarka upon tho motivcn Of Aldermen, thar
anything dono by that body for aomo yoarn. TX,
copting by those wlthin tho ring, this action VIE
totally uno1pcctod; it was thought by tho na.
jority that tho ordinance giving tho franchise tc
Potter pslmer and llis anaociatos stood tho bost
chnuco Of nuocoss.
THE F1RaT sTEra.
Tho movement for tho laying Of q railway
track on Wubaoh avenue began In january, when
several gentlemen, property-ownors on tho ayo-
nuo, caulo to tho conclusion that Btrcot.rail-
way thorc would natorially enhance tho 7nluo OF
their property. Tho first Echomo WAS that the
ptopcrty-owners themselves should tako stock
in the now Company, md build and operate tho
foad. Thotr programme Wns to run from Lnko
street to Thrty-nintll, Using two-ho1so cars.
They eecurcd With oHao tho BignnturcB at tho
majority Of tho propcr'y-owtcrs OH tho
aTcnuo, north Of Twcuty-sccund Gtreot, to
petition to tho Council asking that
body for this frnuohiso. Il month
later thoir idoas changed somowlat, and propo-
sition WA mado that tho Soull, Side Company
should operate tho road to bo built by thoHe gon-
slomou. This moycnont t|rhggcd along for q
While. and dropped ont Of uiyht in a committee
Of the Common Council.
iE1T.
A couple of months ngo there appeared an Or
1nunco granting to tho South sido hallway Coa,-
pany tho franchise for laying track from Lake
10 Twenty-socond stroot. Then tho Chicago t.
South Atlantic Railway Company submitted T.
proposition agreeing, in consideration OF
permission to ley G track from Lalto
Etreet to .ha city limits, to Keep tho
nd si9 o es S Cent q es M rosp 1sse sasfy
!ngs. Ihon another organization, comprising
Potter Palmer, aIr. Fargo, and othora, alao pro-
eonted their ordnanoo ngrocing to keep tho
streot in ropair, aud to give liberal bonus for
The privilege. Tho Ecoonl Of tho pr0positions
tho most llbaral Of them nll, apparently, has
steadily bncn tr1aEo1 With coutompt. Tho Vice
President Of tho road has officially stated that lie
declinod paying any money to promote and aa-
Eanca his fncusuro, and TINT may have had solne-
thing tlo to with tho contumcly with which 1t was
troatcd.
A few wcol.s ngo tho Company heat'ed by aIr.
Palmer, known MS tho Wabash Avenue etroot-
hallway Company, seemed TO he ahead, though
sono thought that 1t wus
a MENE rnETEyT
to cover tho operations Of the South 6lde Btrcot-
hallway Company, yet tho pyoyalout opinion was
That i was q genuine ,cntorrriao. and that its
moro liberal oilors would secure it tho frauohso
1t sought. Thcao two ordinances kept oven pace
with ono another In their progross through tho
Council. They woro reported Jointly from tho
Colnmitteo whioh Ind thom liz charge,
nnd wcro jointly roter1cd to tho Clerk
for engrosamont on ths proteuao that both
might ncyo equal chances to be considered.
HotA "ero alnanded 60 as to provide for tho
,':n. uf twoIlosRo cars, otc. Dott came up in
thu Council Montlay night, tho Wauush AvonUe
Company having tho preferenco This ordinance
TAILED TO SUCCEED,
1ecelvng only ~ yoteH, many Of which wore evi-
doutlv given it moroly for FORMS aalto, nnd thon
tho Council, havlng preserved appearances,
Company all tho limiting clauses, aud passed it
by m overwhelming majorisy.
Kojeoting ordinances under which tho street
would have bcon Kept IN repair without expense
would hayo derived q constant income or n largo
bonus; uuder which competition would haro
been assured and comfortable cnra guaranteed,
tho Council chose to pass an ordinance III l,s-
halt Of monopoly. nready. oppressive, without
c4actlug from it any conyenlcncos whatever.
WHAT wAs TIE REASON
fer this action2 What we're tho rcasons which
lHaucel Aid. Foley to rao from sick bed In
ct!ler TO cast his votc in favor OF this measure?
Why did Aldermen, who mad boon enthusiastic
advocates Of other schemes, suddenly fall into
tho spirit Of this ono Tho caEe 80 greatly TO-
6emblcu tho operation BY which the Sou,l. Side
Gas Company was blackmuilod in oshor yeaga, rs
to deserve investigation.
TRYING To MAKE RAISE.
Aroporter loarned Yesterday tllat about three
weeks ago-just after tho Council Ind doforrod
action on tho mattcr-a gentleman called
q ,nt;, the oe9 s;roo Of tug Chicago 4 Sonth til
Elock,. and requested an interview With
Tho officers. This Was accorded him, and lie
a.ated tl1at he came in tho interest Of q cliqno
who controlled the City Council that S30, 600 lad
to aecuto tho pasHaEo of the ordinance grant
avenue, thoy being in col1usion With
this City. Railway Company. After revealing
this astonishtng pieco ofinformatioa, he blandy
asked Ms. Rae, the President Of tho Company, II
ho could do any bottor. Doplring moro insight
into the achcmo, numhor ct questions woro
aakca BY those proHons lt tho conference. and
t:,oSe elicitod tho statement that tho moucy wns
to 70 into tho hands ct three mon, VhoHo nameB
wcio not to bo known, who wore to !" distribute
it contidentially," and no Inquiries were to bo
1nado uB to what became Of tlo money. The
proposition was rejected. and tho negotiator for
tho Aldornanio clique wont away. exnotng how
over pledge that Aia name would not bo Eiyon.
Non, in Wow OF these facts, let the Grand Jury.
whom it mcets next month, have before thom tho
o!ficera Of Tho Chicago e. South Atlantic, md
find out the namo Of this man, who, it il nnder-
ter, and SEQ it my light can bo thrown On tho
r'attes: 1t il understood that tho money has
not yet becn paid over, and little wholesome
investigation may result in tlopriying tho Alder
men OF their promised douceura. It IL reported
TINT not merely hayo Aldermen boon offered
money, hut that other city officers, whose CO.
operation was needed, have extended the Itch
lug palm.
:, Attention has alno beon called to the action Of
tho city
LAW DEphpr,yryr
Tl'o stroet~llaIlway Company inado \ contract
with thu eisy in 1H63 relinguislng their right to
lGy track OH Wabash ayo,ine, Lake, and othor
gtrecta, upon condition, among other things
that tho city should not, within twenty years,
grant tho right OF way to any other company
to lny down tracks on those atfeots When tl.e
project Of railway Oh Wabash avenue came up,
eolno Of the Aldermen were doubtful whether
tho city could grunt the franchise to tito City
Railway Company, mud they roforred tho nuos-
tlon to tho C!ty.Attornoy for m answer, Ills
opinion was that. assuIniug tint tho contract
was valid, tho city had tho right 10 do 10, tic
Legislature having conferred upon then. by
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