St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-07-19
The DOUBLE CROSS
Given Anderson & Douglas by
the Council Joint Com
mittee.
The Salient Features Of Their
Ordinance Cunningly
Formulated
Into a Proposition for New
Lines Which Lowry Is In
vited to Build.
Noofiponc m tho Fro n chico
Meetings on the Franchise
in the First, Third and
Seventh Wards.

great zeal OF ueldy Whispering
back and forth and caucusing before
the committee was called to order, and
it was 9 o'clock when Aid. Warren took
the chair. Everybody expected fight
ing session as the committeeman
drew up their chairs and took
off their coats because the
night was hot, and proceeded to
listen. Aid. Russell, Gray, LOye,
Enstad, Durham. President Johnson, R.
j. Anderson, G. G. Goodrich and a few
other spectators were present also. Aid.
Warren called Aid. Bradish to the
chair and began to read what he called
the report of the subcommittee of five.
Aid. Cole Uninterrupted, saying: "When
was that committee called? | was ap-
pointed upon it, but never received no
tice of a meeting"
Aid. Warren You must have been at
the Holmes hotel. l notified you per
Sonally.
Aid. Cole-But you did not leave no
tice for me-a written one.
Aid. Warren-NO.
The report of the subcommittee was
read. 1t embodied the same recon-
mendations as the report adopted by
the full committee few moments later.
and was merely accepted. Few of the
committeeman caught on to the slgnlf-
icance of the subcommittee report
until it reappeared in the report which
Aid. Warren presented. Then the An
derson & Douglas men saw the game.
temperature was very low in
the Anderson d Douglas corner.
1t simply embodied all the
salient features of the Anderson &
Douglas franchise and gave the Lowry
company an option of ten days in their
acceptance. Aid. Sterling Immediately
rose to question the last phrase of the
report and moved to strike out that part
which pledged the council to grant no
more street railway franchises. He was
voted down, of course. Aid. Cole
moved to take up the business referred
to the committee, and Bradish informed
him that motion to adjourn had pre-
ceded him. The adjournment was
carried, of course, and the aldermen
dispersed after short, silent but i'm
preSsive meeting.
After the adjournment Aid. BradiSh
said: That is pretty stiff report TO
come from boodlers. They can hardly
charge us with being partial to the
Lowry company after putting such a
burden as that on them.
w. p. Douglas remarked: Well, they
have cut the stomach out of our propo-
sition and given it to the other COM
pany, but they have not got it through
the council yet.
Aid. Bursell-It was all awful dose,
but it was the best thing to do. There
is no question but what the company
will accept.
Aid. Warren-If ,the street railway
company accedes to the proposition, it
means 100000 or $1,000, 000for the city,
anyhow. There are twenty-Seven miles
of cable in that proposition.
Vice President Goodrich could not
say whether his company would accept
the proposition or not. Mr.. Lowry
would have to say. He thought it pretty
stiff and he smiled in wan sort of
way that showed he was somewhat
dazed by the turn matters had taken.
The committees report, which is
signed by all the members but Cole and
Sterling is as below:
To the Honorable City Council, Gentlemen.
The undersigned, your special committee
on railroads and ordinances, to whom was
referred an ordinance authorizing r. j. An
QerSOn ana waiter I. douglas 10 construct
cable and electric lines, and also PROPOSE
ton from the Minneapolis Street Railway
company, TO build any and all lines which the
council may order, and to operate them
and any other lines as the council
may designate, with such power
as the council may direct, respectfully re.
port that they have with thoroughness inves-
tgated these important questions and report
that at the threshold of the investigation
they recognized the want of more rapid
transit and improved facilities for travel
upon the streets of the city. They have
carefully examined the different sections of
the city to learn its present accommodations
andt ascertain its present and prospective
needs; that survey thus made shows that
the city has system of street railways cen
tering at or near Hennepln and Washington
avenues; that on the east end there are three
main lines, all crossing over on
one trunk line to the West side.
On the West side are eleven main
lines reaching we'll out through the occupied
territory Of the city, and all converging at
the street junction above mentioned. That
four branches are already ordered by this
council, or are about TO be built; that other
lines are needed, and to which special atten-
ton is hereafter called.
Second-ThAt the pressing need Of the city
is quite as much rapid transit on lines now
operated as the extension of new lines.
Third-That a system of transfer checks
for continuous passage on the lines now op-
Grated would be of the greatest benefit,
Fourth-That cables on present trunk lines
and branch lines, together with transfer
checks, standard gauge and revenue from
the cars on the cable, electric and motor
lines are OF more value to the people than
new parallel lines.
be secured from the Minneapolis Street Rail-
way company they are of greater benefit to
the city and the people than new lines.
SiXth-That the occupying of the streets
with railway tracks and cars, except where
the growth of the city makes additional
tracks and cars necessary, is an I'M ury and
not benefit.
Seventh-Tbat in view of the fact that the
Minneapolis Street Railway company have
acted for years in the belief OF the exclusive
character of the contract the council should
first demand of the present company the best
facilities, and afford to them the right to
construct build and operate rapid transit
lines of street railway before granting new
street railway franchises.
Eighth-That the present company have
never refused to build the lines ordered by
the council and that the council is morally
and, your committee believe, legally bound
to demand whatever street railway service
the council think necessary to the city of
the. present company before granting
such license to any other, and when
the present company shall refuse to so per
form, it will be time to consider another con-
tract, and not till then.
Ninth-Tnat under the present contract the
council is clothed with ample authority; that
all the benefits claimed or expected to arise
from competition can be more promptly Sc
cured by proper and aggressive action of the
city council i'll ordering needed lines and eX-
tensions, and adopting improved power, than
by granting new franchises.
Tenth-That these Improvements, if &C
cepted by the Minneapolis Street Railway
company, will be secured promptly, and
without any litigation and possible expense
to the city.
Eleventh-That in the judgment of your
committee the proposed new lines do not and
can not supply the most needed 1apid tran
sit; but that must come from the lines now
occupied by the present company, because
said lines are along the densely populated
portions of the city. and that to obtain from
said lines rapid transit is the first duty of The
council.
Your committee therefore recommend to
the end that the wants of the people may be
better served that the Minneapolis Street
Railway company be licensed and required
to construct of the most improved plan and
best material, cable line railway, beginning
at Twentieth avenue north and Washington
avenue south. along Washington to the cor
ner of Washington avenue and Cedar ave-
nue. to be completed and in operation before
Nov. l, 1890, and When completed that shall