St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-08-11

Cne HrSJ ten Gays Oh July tuo meICuIy
rose to AS degrees every day before
noon. with no rain or clouds, and nights
nearly as hot. Even at l20 in the shade
it would not be inviting as summer
resort. This part of the world is get
ting its full share of the best weather
of the season.
ELECTRIC MOTOR FRANCHISE
The benefit resulting from public
discussion of the question of granting
street railway franchises is apparent in
the ordinance reported by the commit
tee on streets, and which will be SUBJ
mitted to council for the approval of
that body. From time to time the
GLOBE has advocated the placing of
certain restrictions and limitations on
all franchises that are to be hereafter
granted by the city, and Of course we
are gratifed to find that the proposed
ordinance embodies all the conditions
that we have advocated. The ordinance
proposes to grant to the st. Paul City
Railway company the right to construct,
equip, maintain and operate six differ
ent electric motor lines, provided that
the conditions of the ordinance are
complied with. One line COM
mences on Fifth street at Smith
park and is to continue by way OF
Fifth, Wabasha and Seventh streets
to Tuscarora avenue; another begins
on Randolph street where the same in
tersects Seventh street, thence in con-
tinuous line to the Mississippi river;
the third line commences on Ramsey
street at the intersection of Seventh,
thence by way of Ramsey, Oakland and
Grand avenues to the river; another
commences on Robert street at the in
terSection of Fifth, thence across Rob-
ert street bridge by way of South Rob-
ert and Concord to a point near Arthur
avenue; still another on State street at
the intersection of Concord, and run
ming out State street to Annapolis ave-
nue.; and the sixth line to commence on
Wabasha at the intersection of Seventh,
running across WabaSha street bridge
by way of Dakota avenue and Winifred
street to Ohio street.
The ordinance provides that the
street railway company shall signify
its acceptance in writing within ten
days from the passage of the ordinance
by council, and shall file bond for
$4,000, condi toned for the fulfilment
of the provisions of the ordinance,
which require the various lines to be
completed and in operation within one
year from the date of the publication Of
the ordinance. The common council
reserves the power to order storage
batteries in place Of the overhead wire
system whenever it is deemed adviSa-
BILE to do SO; the ordinance provides for
a system of transfer checks on trunk
and connecting lines; the use Of btu
minous coal is prohibited, unless by
consent of the council; 1t is provided
that council shall have the right to reg
ulate the speed of cars and to reduce
the interval between successive cars to
ten minutes; the right to grant fran
chises to other companies is reserved by
council, and this includes the right to
permit other lines to cross the lines of
the city railway company, or to use
their tracks upon the payment of a
just compensation, to be fixed by
board Of arbitrators; the company is
required to pay tax of S25 for each car,
and after four years from the date of
commencement Of the operation of any
Of said lines, to pay into the city
treasury l per cent Of the gross earn
ings for period of three years, then
2 per cent of the gross earnings for
another period of two years. and, at
the expiration of the last-named period,
to pay per cent of its gross earnings,
and annually thereafter as long as the
line or lines are operated. The com
pany is required to keep the streets Oc-
eLpied by its tracks clear of snow,
and to keep safe and unobstructed
track for vehicles. No rails are to be
laid on any street without the permits
sion of the city council. The franchise
is to continue in existence for twenty
years.
The provisions are mainly in the line
of what the GLOBE has always urged.
We are free to say, however, that the
limit of twenty years for the existence
of the charter is too short, and that the
section which grants to other companies
the right to use the tracks of the st.
Paul Street Railway company is unjust
to the latter, unless it were necessary in
case of crossing a bridge. Otherwise
the ordinance is all right. and we hope
to see council take determined stand
in the matter.
1t has been intimated that Mr.. LOWRY
will not accept the conditions of this
ordinance, nor will he admit the right
of council to grant franchise to any
other company. Whatever Mr.. LOWRY
or his associates may think about it, we
want to see this ordinance adopted by
council, with such notifications as we
have suggested, and without further
concession on either side. Its provisions
are precisely what the people of this
city want, and if there is question be-
tween Mr.. LOWRY and the people as to
the ownership of the streets, the sooner
that question is presented to the SUI
preme court for decision the better il
Will UOUll 1OI MI. LOW III dllu lOl GllC
people of the city. The longer it re-
mains an open question the more bitter
ness is likely to be engendered between
the disputants. There is no necessity
for quarrel now, yet there will be if
this dog in the manager policy is to be
pursued. We hope that Mr.. LOWRY
has thought better of it by this time,
and will accede to popular demand
which is so manifestly just. In any
event, council has but one line of duty
to pursue, and that is to adopt the ordi-
nance submitted by the committee Oh
streets. ana to adopt it promptly
Nothing was ever yet gained by tenn
porizing policy when principle was
involved.
DIVORCES. 1av
If there is any place in the world
where questions relating to marriage