The Portland daily press., 1886-06-10
DISHONEST ALDERMEN.
si27, 900 Said to Have Been Paid
out in Bribes to the Chicago
City Government.

CHICAGO, June 6.-The regular meeting of
the Chicago city council Monday evening was
very stormy. The pending measure was the
ordinance granting the North Chicago rail-
way the right to change its horse car lines
into the cable system. The arguments last
ed nearly. five hours and finally the ordinance
was adopted by vote of "a to II.
The Times of this morning, referring to
the passage of the ordinance says
For the sum of $127O0O to be divided
among less than twenty of its members the
city council on Monday evening", after pro
longed debate, passed on the ordinance CIV
ing the North Chicago passenger railway
company the right to make all needful and
convenient curves, trenches, excavations and
sewer connections, and to place convenient
cables and machinery on any streets upon
which its railways are now constructed. This
amount it is learned from reliable sources,
was paid the aldermen, some of whom have
always had their price and as one of them
put it while the measure was being discussed
pro and con, 1--WE are earning our money"
The franchise sought for was valuable one.
The aldermen rated themselves high, but
their figures were accepted and the ordi-
nance was passed, and will no doubt be
signed by his honor, who, 1t is alleged, has
already announced his intention, not to veto
it. The aggregate amount OF the doodle"
is larger than any that has ever been offered
for a Single franchise that the city has au-
thority or legal right to grant, and while
there are at least six of the aldermen who
are glad of it, there are others who are kick
ing themselves, being possessed of the
knowlege that they are suckers" and have
sold themselves cheap. As near as can be
learned the money was put up by men who
sympathlze with the corporation and while
there is hardly a citizen. of Chicago who
would not accuse them of completely in any
questionable transaction, it is known posi-
lively that north side residens handled the
money in manner highly satisfactory to the
producers. Among those who received mon
ey were three grades, those who received not
less than $4,000 or $4,000 each, those who
were given few thousand less and those
who were glad to take about $500 each and
were highly delighted to receive that much,
having been elected as reformerS and never
having seen that much money in lump be-
fore.
The peculiar feature of the deal is that
several votes for the measure were perfectly
honest and on its merits, and a price had
been paid only where the aldermen have
promised not only to.paSS the cable ordinance
but also to give the Lascelle street turnout
to the company, and if this agreement is car
ried out the producers" will have reason to
feel grateful. The money was distributed
by people who have seldom figured other
wise than as tax payers, who wanted to
"see' the aldermen, and though they are
good church members the franchise sought
for was SO tempting that $127,O0O seemed
small sum to expend for it.
The Chicago Daily News this morning
prints long special from Philadelphia re-
specting the career of Charles T. Yerkes,
Jr., president of the North Chicago railroad
company which has just received a munifi-
cent grant from the city council. The article
shows that Yerkes was indicted at Philadel-
phia, together with James Z. Mercer, treas
urer of that city for the embezzlement of the
city funds to the amount of $478,000 1t APP
pears that all these city monies were turned
over by the city treasurer to Yerkes for in
vestment and were lost. The specific charge
against Yerkes was the larceny of check
for $33, ,04S, which amouat of money, it is
charged, he obtained from the city treasury
October IA, 1871, and declared himself bank
rupt October 16, 1871. Yerkes was sentenced
to the penitentiary for two years and six
months Mercer was sentenced to four years
and nine months. Both were pardoned at
the expiration of seven months, according to
the despatch, for political reasons and to pre-
vent disclosures of damaging character
against other public officials then in office. |
The publication has occasioned a great SEN
sation in Chicago in connection with allega-
tions made in the Times as to the supposed |
bribery in connection with the street rail-
WAY Ordinance.