Telegram-herald., 1889-07-30
A TOWN FRANCHISE
Grand Rapids Township Discusses
the Kent County Railway.
ARCCNESTS. CrSS BORDS AsDBLOBS
asetiag OF the citisen. aud To~0shiP
omei2ls Heid Last >i.ht-The ObJsc-
tors Out "A toFce-~soLae " arm Dts-
cgssiOn-N0 Formal Action.

Aboutt~O hundred men and boys as
sembled IN the school house ca Lake
ave. last night - discuss the question
Of extending the time ior the franchise
OF the Kent County Street Railway. The
railway company WAS represented by
D. H. Donovan, :. b. Tiooets and Geo.
B. DuntOn and tie 0ppos non vas led
by Fred H. Hosford. The discussion
Was hot and animated aud the SlcAers
were out n full force. The k.ckeFs
are principally those who live near lhe
western terminus OF the road and tlslm
that their property 5 deprecated ln
value. There are few WnO are SAut
out from the street 0y "a al IA Tie grade
and IL IS quite natural they should
complain. Another argument against
the road was that there was 40 pro-
vision for carrying passengers % tho
center or the Clly. Iney CLAIMED that
the cOmpluy had no franchise IA tile
city nor any contract with tne other
companies Tor transferring 10 Their
lines George DuntOn cOntTasted the
high price of real estate south OF the
Clty Lmlts With the prce on the eastern
boundary, ana s.ld that the great dit-
ference was solely because there Was
good transportation tOg people "a the
former location. and II the people cast
az the city mad as convenient ifs1ls-
p0rtauou their property would double
n valiie. MI Donovan sad
that lac had not known unul
day or two ago that there
WAS any such spirit OF opposition
TO the railway Or he would have been
better prepared 10 meet II. lie SAID
that ne had the assurance OF the lesl-
dent officers OF the Cable company that
| they would take their passengers IN
transfer 10 the centerof thcclty, butas
some of the officers OF that company
! lived IN Chicago and ST. Paul he WAS
not able 10 make contract in writing
rs yet. He SAID, also, that he had or
dered two Brosser nolseless motors 10
run on the line, and II they were not
satisfactory he had insulated the ties
SO that an electric motor could pe ptt
| IN. tie was Interrupted Il good many
| times by different ObjectOrs, but
| finally he became - eXasper-
ated that he lost hIs temper.
HOSfoTd insisted that he was giving
| them a great deal of wind, and he re-
Piled that he was giving facts aud
putting ms money into the township
| tor its improvement. HoSford insisted
| that il was all wind and nothing else,
and Mr.. Donovan emphasized his
| denial with swear word, for which ne
| was reprOved by the Rev. Mr.. krIlkard,
and then rendered an apology. Mr.
Linderman, one of the residents on
Fulton-st., said that he was heartily IN
favor of the road and considered. -yen
| the grading a decided benefit 10 the
public, although 1t left HIM below
the level of the road. The road,
he believed, would double the
value of his property. A petition
claimed to represent twO-thlrds oI the
| property frontage on FultOn-st. was
| presented, asking that the extension be
| granted. A numerously signed remon-
STRANGE was also presented. Inc dis
| cusslOn waXed hotter Is IL proceeded
and finally there was a scramble and
an attempt ut fisticutfs between two Of
| the parties IN the rear of the room.
| Chairman Hayens called Tor a show OF
| hands merely - show the sentiment OF
the majority. Llnderman sald that two
thirds OF the frontage OF tultOu-St. was
! strong IN favor of.tne road amt frontage
| ought 10 count, not numbers. Tins
! was objected TO. He then SAID that he
thought that those who lived close to
the lac OF the road should be the only
ones 10 vote on the question. But tie
whole assembly insisted on voting.
After the sheep and the goat, We're
| separated the OblectOrs were found 10
| be III a large majority. The board
| then adjourned TO the oItce ot Town
arated IN good ORDER The board took
no acton last evening. but viii Mold a
| meeting today. The foreman OF the
gang working on the grade sad he
| would keep right on at work
unul served with an injunction. The
| grading on the public streets is nearly
completed, and most OF the work re-
naming to be done IS on private
! property.