The record-union., 1891-07-21
FOUGHT TO A FINISH.
Henry and His Capital Are Completely
Knocked Out.
The Trustees Unanimously Refuse Him
P-Street Franchise Mr..
Carey's Branch Line.

consideration and discussion of electric
railway franchises. The substitute ordi-
nance of Trustee Mclaughlin for the
original franchise. asked by r. S. Carey
for road on Third street from X to O,
and thence east along o street to Tenth,
was taken up and read the second time.
The ordinance provides that after
years time Mr.. Carey shall operate the
road by electricity or cable power, and at
all times shall allow the city to attach
telegraph or fre-alarm wires to his poles,
provided he adopts the overhead wire
system of electric road.
On roll-call the ordinance was passed
by unanimous vote.
THE OTHER COMPANY KNOCKED OUT.
The Central Electric Company's pro-
posed franchise for road on Eighth
street. and on p street from Eighth to
Twenty-eighth, was read the second
time.
Numerously signed petitions asking
the board TO grant the company the fran
chise asked for, were received. The
SlgnerS, who are prOperty-oWnerS on p
street, agreed to pay the cost OF grading
and graveling the entire street, provided
the city allowed the electric company
the privilege of building the road.
The petitions were placed on file.
Mr.. Henry, the President of the COM
pany, made a few remarks to the board.
lie said he was willing that his franchise
should be subjected to all the amend
ments that were made to the one granted
TO Mr.. Carey. He thought MIR. Nc
Laughlin's objection had been overcome,
because he had gone farther up town
with his crosS-rOad, and the district in
the southwestern portion of the city
could not claim that they were forever
barred from having road on streets in
their nelghborhood. He did not think
any member of the board was going to
oppose the granting of the franchise be-
cause the road was to compete with that
of Mr.. Carey on O street. a point that
the board should consider was the in
crease in the valuation of city property
that the road would cause. He believed
it would increase the assessed valuation
over $4,000 He wanted to know, in
case the board voted down the franchise
he asked for, whether or not there was
any street between Front and Tenth on
which the Trustees would allow him q
cross-road. He wanted to know whether
the members of the board were opposed
TO his company on general principles, or
whether their objection was to his using
any particular street.
Sir. Haney, a property-owner on p
street, made an appeal to the board to
grant the request Of Mr.. Henry, and his
remarks were applauded by those in at
tendance.
Trustee Conl<lin said there had been a
doubt in his mind as to the propriety of
granting franchise on j street while
that street was being graded and graveled.
The contractors might claim that they
were hampered by the laying Of the track
while they were doing the grading.
Mr.. Henry met this objection by declar-
ing that he would deposit $50, 900 in any
bank IN Sacramento and place ii subject
TO the order of the board, should the con-
tractors claim any damages by reason of
his laying of the road while the street was
being graded.
This declaration was greeted by a burst
OF applause from the spectators present,
and Mr. Henry further strengthened his
position by stating that he would make
the amount $4,000 twice as much as it
cost to grade the street,, as guarantee
that the city would not be responsible for
any damages.
Trustee Mclaughlin took advantage of
the point made by Trustee Conklin and
declared that it was out of the question to
think of granting the franchise while the
street was being graded. 1t was unlaw-
ful to do so.
Mr.. Henry asserted, that Mr.. McLaugh-
Inns objection was not tenable, and he
offered to prove that il was not by en-
ploying at his own expense any attorney
whom Mr. Mclaughlin might name, and
abiding by his opinion on the question.
Mr.. Mclaughlin said he was opposed
to 1t anyway, and he did not care to hear
anything further.
r. S. Carey addressed the board and
asked that Mr.. Henry's request be re-
fused. He claimed it was not fair or just
for the Trustees to allow anyone to paraI-
lei his road and injure his property.
The roll was called on Trustee Nc
Laughlin's motion that the franchise be
denied, and all the members voted ave,
thus killing the franchise.
G. A. Luhrs then asked that the peti-
tionS presented by the P-street property
owners be returned but Trustee Nc
Laughlin said they were the property of
the board, and he would refuse to vote to
return them.
Wells Drury said that it would be a
high-handed outrage for the board TO re-
fuse to return the papers presented. They
We're merely given TO the Mayor for his
information and consideration, and any
legislative body would consider it it's
duty 10 return the property.
The roll was called, and the board re-
fused to return the petitions, the Mayor
and Trustee Mclaughlin voting no. Mr..
Conklin said he was willing to return the
papers and he voted aye
Before Mr. Carey had left the room Mr.
Mclaughlin asked him who was respon-
sible for the statement which was often
heard, that Carey owned the board
Mr.. Carey turned around and declared
that he never in his life offered any men,
Der of the board anything in the shape of
bribe, and he thought any man who
would stoop so low as to do such thing
was not worthy to be classed as respect
able citizen. He never offered an in
ducement 10 any member, and would
not do so under any circumstances. He
said he felt that the members of the
board We're conscientious men, and
would not allow any person to injure the
interests of another.
Here the matter ended. The franchise
granted Mr.. Carey requires him TO begin
work on his branch road within sixty
days and TO complete it within six
months. BY the expiration of one year
he must have it in operation by electricity
or gas-engine power, but in the mean
time can use horses or mules. He must
run car over it every fifteen minutes
between o'clock in the morning and I
IN the evening, connecting at Tenth and
. streets with his present line.
The franchises under which Mr. Carey
IS now operating his lines do not provide
Tor the use of any motive power except
that OF horses or mules, and he has not
asked TO have these franchises so
amended as to introduce electricity.
But Mr. Carey has publicly stated that
he intends to do SO Immediately, and the
public Will expect him to keep his prom
Use. The people will not be satisfied with
anything less than the best service and
this he promises to give them.