The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-12-12

THE city council did not grant fran
chise to the railroad company at its meet
ing on Monday night. Indeed there was
no proposition from the railroad COM
pany asking for franchise and it is not
fair to the city council to ask it to grant
what is not solicited and what may not
be accepted. The railroad company asks
the city to furnish the right of way and
pay for all damages which might result
from extending its line to the lake shore.
That is the question before the city coun-
Gil so far as the railroad company could
determine it, and the consideration of
any other question is simply boys play
until definite proposition for fran
chise, and nothing more, is submitted by
the railroad company. The city council
has no power to grant right of way
and franchise will not be accepted IN
less right of way goes with it. If a few
public spirited men with full confidence
in the professions of the company and
feeling that sufficient aid has not been
already given the railroad would guar
antee the right of way, the subject on
which the council could act would be
properly before it. AS it is the council
is put in the attitude of granting what it
is said plainly by the officers of the road
will not be accepted. If the railroad COM
pany will accept franchise and purchase
its own right OF way, why not say so?
There are assurances from parties having
no authority to make them that the COM
pany will be satisfied with franchise.
But the people of the city want these as
surances from competent persons. What
is the use in beating about the bush? Give
the city council something tangible on
which to act and its action is more likely
to be favorable thanif it is put in the posi-
ton of a sutton with the probability OF its
overtures being rejected. The position,
in brief, is this:
% The railroad company asks for
right of way which includes franchise.
GU Ii the business men will subscribe
sufficient sum to purchase the right of
way then the city council in granting a
franchise is acting upon something de-
finite.
(0 1.-THE railroad company is willing
to accept franchise and procure its own
right of way let it act in business way
and say so.
Grnn
assurance that it will lead to anything
is boys play and something which the
city council in self-respect should not in
dulge in.
If franchise is asked for and nothing
more, with its validity dependent upon
the establishment of line OF steamers
from this place to Michigan port, there
is not man in the city who will not
urge the city council to grant it, But no
one wants to accept the promises of ire
! sponsible parties. If the railroad ccm-
pany's ultimatum is that the city or the
business men OF the city must procure
the right of way that should end The
agitation. If it will accept a franchise
let the fact be stated and We'll get down
to business. It is the easiest matter in
the world to settle this question if the
proposition comes from the railroad CON-
pany, direct and explicit Let those who
know what the railroad company means
state its purpose authoritatively and not
by inference and the whole matter will be
settled in five minutes. Isn't this bust
oecS2