Los Angeles herald., 1890-09-30
A RAILROAD DAY.
The Council Passes the
Electric Road Franchise
And Hears a Number of Rail
road Men Talk.
Mr.. Luitweiler States What He In
tends TO Do.
A Number of Reports Received and Passed.
The Discussion About the Franchise
of the Electric Road-The
Wooden Mill Ditch
Matter Again.

The city council met in regular weekly
session at 10 O'Clock yesterday morning,
President Frankenfield in the chair, and
all the members present except Mr..
Summerland, who telegraphed from San
Francisco for leave of absence for ten
days on account OF the ill health of
his wife.
The city engineer presented the fol-
lowing report:
In the matter of repaving Main street
between First snd Third streets, recon-
mend that the clerk be instructed to ad-
vertise for bids to put in the necessary
concrete, and to surface the street with
asphalt, as it is in very bad condition.
So ordered and the city attorney in
structed to prepare an ordinance.
Present herewith ordinances of inten-
tiioIl TO grade Twenty third street be-
tween Maple and San Pedro streets, and
to change and establish the grade of a
portion of West First street. So order
ed, under suspension of the rules.
Recommendation that the street
superintendent be instructed to repair
Eighteenth between Figueroa and Flow
er, adopted.
On an ordinance of intention to side
walk Temple street from New High to
Grand avenue, action was, on motion,
ordered deferred and the street superin-
tendent was notified to inform the prop
erty owners to lay their sidewalks In ac-
cordance with the official grade.
The report of the city tax and license
collector showing the collection of taxes
up to date amounting to $6, 1872 "a, which
had been duly turned over to the city
treasurer, was referred to the city audi
tor.
The city auditors report for the month
ending August 81, showing balance of
ferred to the finance committee.
The report of the superintendent of
streets, recommending that the Electric
Railway company be allowed to redeem
its franchise and track for 1898 81, the
amount for which it was sold by him
to the city, was adopted and he was au-
the rized to receive the money and re-
lease the property.
The report of the board of public
works, as already published in these col
umns, was adopted.
The draft of an ordinance granting to
B. 0. Carr and his assigns the right to
construct and operate an electric street
railway along certain streets in the city
of Los Angeles was then read, and after
few trivial amendments had been
made the ordinance was, on motion of
Mr.. Hamilton, placed upon it's passage.
The bond accompanying the franchise
was not approved by the city attorney.
as the justification had not been prop
erly made, but in order to prevent delay
on this score certified check on the
California National bank for $4,000, in
favor of Mayor Hazard, was presented in
lieu thereof. This having been accepted,
S. G. Hubbell addressed the council
as citizen and on behalf of large body
of taxpayers. He said that he did not
believe that any capitalist either here,
or in any other country, was big enough
fool to put so much money, as it was
claimed would be invested, in so large
an enterprise in this city at such time
as the p:esen:. The proposition should
be viewed with great care and every pre-
sonally in favor of granting franchise
to so large an enterprise, as it would be
grand thing for the city. But the
managers of this affair had studied the
matter with the view of running through
every ward in the city and the result
was that they had tickled the magma
ton of every member of the council
and especially those whose property was
most likely to be benefited. He then
spoke of the dangers attendant upon
overhead wires, and pointed out several
defective points in the franchise, by
which he claimed the new company
could wriggle out OF their bargain. He
suggested that the taxpayers be granted
further time in which to examine the
new ordinance.
Major Bonsall said that almost every
one knew the route of the proposed Belt
line. as it had been published fully in
the newspapers already, although I'M
officially
S. w. Luitweiler then addressed the
council on behalf of the Los Angeles and
Pacific road, and announced that the
managers of the new scheme had found
out that he was working upon project
to join his road with the San Gabriel
Rapid Transit road by an electric road
{ across the city, and were simply at
tempting to forestall him by applying
for franchise over Also street, thus
crowding him out.
]. A. Muir asked leave to correct this
statement, and denounced it as an alb
solute falsehood, as no person connected
with the new company had any know
ledge of this scheme, until a few days
ago, after the Belt line matter had been
made public.
Major Bonsall was of the opinion that
although Mr.. Luitweiler's application
for franchise came late, the interests
of existing enterprises ought to be pro-
tected.
The matter was then argued at some
length by Capt. Barrett, on behalf of
the new company; J. F. Crank for the
g. story v manager aar q the san Gabriel Cab
Rapid Transit company; and at the
close Of their arguments Mr.. Van Dusen
called for the question. President
Frankenfield said that although the
question had been called for, he hoped