St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-06-09
THE TWENTY THIEVES.
An Enormous Amount Of Money Distribu-
ted Among Members Of the Chi
cago Council.
The North Side Railway Company Pays
Handsomely for Very Valua-
BILE Franchise.
The Sum of $4,000 Said to Have
Been Given to the Doodle
Aldermen.
Some of the Bride Takers Came High,
But Others Sold Themselves
Cheap.
A High Priced Gang.

Special to the Globe.
CHICAGO, June S.-The principal topic
OF conversation in Chicago to-day was the
manner in which the city council last night
pushed through the ordinance granting to
Gne North Division Railway company the
FRANCHISE to run cable cars. Every amend
menu offered by the minority to protect the
public or restrict the company in the matter
OF fares or'otherwise was voted down. The
action was SO queer that every morning
paper to-day raised the question in some
form or other: Have we jake Sharp?'
There has been talk in usually well informed
circles that it wouldn't do to repeat. The
Times, however, on facts which itclaims to
have in its possession, wall tomorrow make
direct charge of bribery. The Times will
say:
For the sum of SLIT 900 to be divided amonr,
less than twenty of its members, the city
council on Monday evening after prolonged
debate passed an ordinance giving the North
chicago Passenger Railway company the
right, etc.
This amount reliable sources state was
paid the alderman, some of whom have
always had their price, and as one of them
put IL While the measure was being dis
cussed pro and con: '.By Give are earn
ing our money"
was valuable one, the aldermen rated
themselves high, but their figures were ae-
cepted and the ordinance was passed and
Will no doubt be signed by his honor, who,
1t is alleged. has already announced his in
tentlon not to veto it. The aggregate
amount of the ''boodle'' is larger than any
that has ever been offered for a single
franchise that the city had the au-
thority or legal right to grant, and
while there are at least six of the
aldermen who are really glad of
it, there are others who are kicking them
selves, being possessed of the knowledge
that they are suckers" and sold them
selves CHEAP" AS near as can be ascer-
tanned the money was put up by men who
sympathize with the corporation, and while
there is hardly citizen OF Chicago who
would not accuse them of completely in
any questionable transactions, it is known
positively that a North side president
handled the snap" highly satisfactory to
the producers. Among
THOSE WHO RECEIVED THE MONEY
there were three grades, those who received
not less than IS, 600 or SO, 900 each, those
who were given few thousands less, and
those who were glad to take about 81, 500
each, and were highly delighted to receive
that much, having been elected as reformers
and never having seen that much money in
limp before. A peculiar feature of the
deal is, that several votes for the measure
were perfectly honest and on its merits,
and the price has been paid only when all
dermen have promised not only to pass the
cable ordinance, but also to give the La
Sale street tunnel to the company, and If
this agreement is carried out the 'spro.
ducers" will have reason to feel grateful.
iotr,
have seldom figured otherwise than as tax
payers who wanted to ''see'' the aldermen,
and though they are good church members
and ''reformers," the franchise sought for
was so tempting that S127, 900 seemed a.
small sum to eXpend for it.
COMMENTS OF THE PAPERS.
CHICAGO, June e.-The papers comment
severely on the councils action in the matter
of the street car franchises. The News
heads its account of the session with "Does
1t Mean Boodle?' The Herald inquiries "Has
Chicago Its Jake Sharp?' Stress is laid upon
the fact that Yerkes, president of the North
Side Street Railway company, is q Philadei-
phian and was at the head of syndicate
which secured many privileges from its city
council. The Philadelphia ordinance, how.
ever, contained many restrictions and re-
qurements which were voted down here. It
was urged that the ordinance inclosed the
Value OF the company IrancnlSe TO the eX-
tent of $1,000, 600. Amendments to compel
the company to issue transfer tickets to
other divisions of the city, to compel the
company to sell twenty-fve-ride tickets for
81, to impose only Scent fare for short dis
tances, to compel the company to keep the
snow off the tracks, and prohibiting it from
obstructing the streets by piling the snow on
either side of its roadway, were all defeated.
Aid. Colvin appeared to lead the forces for
the car company, and whenever an amend
I
better vote that down, I guess and the
'boys'' invariably did so.