Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-09-02
CAPITAL NOT WANTED.
THE CITY TRUSTEES SIT DOWN HEAv-
lily ON MR.. HENRY.
They Impose Conditions That No One
but an Imbecile Would Think
of Accepting.

Yesterday afternoon the Board of City
Trustees took up for final reading the pro-
posed ordinance amending Section ofthe
ordinance granting franchise to the Cen
trail Street Railway Company SO as to per-
NIT the erection of poles on the streets for
electric power purposes.
]. H. Henry, the proposed purchaser of
the road, informed the Board that he had
made arrangements with the Electric Light
Company by which he was to be allowed
the use of the poles now erected, which
would save the erection of two poles in
three. He expected to have to put in his
own electric plant, as the Electric Light
Company could not furnish the power
necessary for nineteen hours use in TWEEN
ty-four, which the road would require.
a long and somewhat painful" silence
followed, when finally Mr.. Mclaughlin
asked Mr.. Henry what he proposed to do
with that portion of the street railway not
now operated.
The latter said he was not prepared to
say, but he would either operate it or aban-
don it and take up the rails. He could not
now tell whether or not it would pay to
operate it.
Mr.. Henry further stated that the cree
ton of poles could be saved in places by
hooking the wires to buildings when al
lowed by property owners to do so.
Mr.. Wolfe asked Mr.. Lewis if money had
not been subscribed by property-ownefs on
the Eleventh and L-streets branch to build
the road, and Mr.. Lewis replied in the
negative.
Then another long pause eDsued, and
was broken by Mr.. Mclaughlin asking
Clerk Mckee If there was any record of
the Board having accepted the Central
Street Railway.
Mr.. Mckee said there was not, and moth
ing requiring it. The ordinance granting
the franchise prescribed what was required
of the company, and under what conditions
the franchise could be declared forfeited
The members of the Board had. be said,
ridden over the road.
R. T. Devlin, President of the company,
told the Board that the object of munIci-
pal body accepting road was to bind the
city, but the, company was bound by the
terms of its franchise.
Mr.. Mclaughlin commended that the
streets had not been kept in repair along
the tracks.
Mr.. Mclaughlin here offered a substitute
for the amendment proposed by the COM
pany and Mr.. Henry. 1t recited the pro-
visions of the Civil Code prescribing the
liabilities OF the holders of franchises,
which are all embraced in the existing
franchise, but contained the further start
ling proviso that the City Trustees might
on giving sixty days notice, require the
company to remove its poles and wires.
Mr.. Henry said he was prepared then to
say that he would not accept any such con-
dition as named in the proposed ordinance
just read. That is. he would not come into
this city and invest $4,000 and allow the
Board of Trustees the right to order his
poles and wires down atany time at its own
will. Under that provision his entire in
vestment could be rendered valueless by
the Board by its simple order. With that
exception he would accept the conditions
which did not in effect materially differ
from those contained in the ordinance pro-
posed by him.
Mr.. Henry then reviewed the provisions
of Mr.. McLaughlin's proposed ordinance
at length. Some things in it he held to be
unnecessary, but he did not object to them.
But the provision giving the Board the
power to destroy his plant within 120 days
he could not accept. He asked Trustee
Mclaughlin if he could float bond on any
SUcn prOpOSlIlOn as tnaI.
There is no use" he said, 'in our vast.
ing any more time over this matter. That
is the only clause to which | object, and if
you gentlemen insist upon that l will go
back home; and it will be many a long day
before you will have an electric railway
under any such conditions. 1t seems to
me it can be settled right here in a few
minutes"
Mayor Comstock said it seemed him that
Mr.. McLaughlins proposed ordinance
asked too much of Mr.. Henry. He thought
the original franchise should be amended
as requested by that gentleman.
Mr.. Devlin said that Mr.. McLaughlin's
franchise guaranteed nothing, II simply
gave the company the right to erect poles
for electric power purposes, but reserved
the right itself TO destroy the franchise on
giving sixty days notice. That was absurd
and no sane man would invest ten cents on
such proposition. What value would at
tach to horse if given to a man with the
proviso that il might be taken away within
ninety days? And what value would rail
road franchise possess in the financial worlC
when it could be annulled in that time?
Mr.. Wolf wanted the matter to go over
another week. He wanted time to consider
the subject.
Mr.. Henry said that if any person could
find difference in the proposed ordinances
before the Board with the exception noted
he would walk here next Monday from
San Jose to accommodate the Board. He
had made four trips already. But the
time was growing short. HIS contract with
the company was about to expire; and
furthermore, If be was to go on with the
work, he must do it at once. He did no
care enough about the matter to go to any
further trouble and was willing TO take hi:
chances on vote now.
Trustee Mclaughlin moved that the
matter go over another week. Trustee
Wolf seconded the motion, and it was Sc
ordered.
Mayor Comstock said such action did no
suit him-that he thought, in justice Il
Mr.. Henry, the matter should be settled a
once.
And here endeth the fourth act of thu
municipal farce.
After leaving the room Mr. Henry re
marked that he considered that the last o
the matter. His contract with the Contra
Railway owners would expire to-day, anC
he proposes to so TO no more trouble abou
il. 1t looked TO him, he said, as if tn
Trustees did not want to encourage thu
enterprise, and he had wearied Of tn
struggle.