The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-04-01

a Franchise for a City Route Asked for
the Proposed Line to Greenwood.
Terms Required of the Broad Ripple Company
Considered Severe. but They Are the
Best That Can Be Obtained.


chance, tho supply of the great desiderafum
will soon equal the demand Along with
the proposed Broad Ripple Fl anchise comes
the indianapolis g. Greenwood Suburban
Railway Company. which. through Its at
torneys, Messrs. McClain d Baker, MED
petition for franchise with the Board OF
Public Works on Monday. The principal
stockholders of tho company are james
Polk, proprietor of the Greenwood canning
factory; Grafton johnson. Morris Howland.
AleS ander Hanna and Colonel Ray. Inc
petition states that the company Is regular
" incorporated under the laws OF the STATE
for the purpose of operating passenger
railway in Indianapolis and Green
wood and between the Two points. ana ae1
sires to enter Indianapolis to discharge ana
receive passengers at some centrai poIn..
IL petitions for authority under sucn Terms
AS may be mutually agreed to lay tracks,
switches, ETC., and operate railway osoi
one of the three following routes:
Fi,xt- From the south line of the Union Rail-
way Company's tracks on Meridian street, tnence
south along Meridian street to Madison avenue,
thence enthusiastically along salu aVenuo. -,
Union street: thence south along Union streou ~
Grand avenues thence east along Grand asenas
TO Madison avenue; thence south along saia
avenue to Raymond :. street. s thence east a'o"e
seeoyd-From the south line of tho Union Rail-
way ConIpany's tracks on Meridian street; thence
south along Meridian street to Madison avenue;
thence along Madison avenue 10 Raymond street;
thence east along Raymond street 10 Last sIreSt'
Third-Froln the south line of the Union kall
way COmpany's tracks, on Merldlan street,
thence south along Meridian street to Madison
avenues thence enthusiastically along Madison
avenue to Nebraska streets thence cast aione
Nebraska street to East street; thence south tong
East street to Raymond street; thence west
along Raymond street TO Madison avenue.
The company does not specify what kind
Of power it desires to use. but ON electric
lIno is contemplated. its proJectcrs
thought it proper to leave tnat open lor
discussion with the board.
ALL CAN HAVE AN EQUAL CHANCE.
$50 far as the board is concerned" said
Mr.. Defrees. in conversation with Journal
reporter yesterday, ''any company Is
welcome TO como IN unoer the
terms that have been given to
the Broad Ripple Company, or the old
company is welcome to change itH ola sys.
tenn to rapid transit under them. don
adopt that would state this fact more
emphatically than does the contract we
made with the Broad Ripple company. Ii
all the Council wants is fair and equa!
show for all companies 1t may rest assured
that all will DO treated precisely alike"
1--WE are perfectly willing to give the
Greenwo God people franchise" said Presi-
dent Conduit yesterday. ION abont the
same terms as the Broad Ripple. They DO
not want to come through so rlch part OF
town, and possibly could not stand quite
so much, but the conditions would be
nearly the same AS to the Broad Ripple
contract, / think it was guarded very
carefully against any speculative deal.
Nothins is given Away ~ t meS SI5y bs aa
vantage to sell the franchise, for others can
be gotten upon the Same terms, and, a. o
matter of fact, IL Is not franchise at all
until the road is bniit from Broad Ripple to
the CITY limits. We have not considered
the Greenw God petition yet, but about all
we will have to consider is the question of
the best route from the Union Statl0n to
the point where Madison avenue cuts the
corporation line. The terms VIII be sub
stantially the same as those In the Broad
Ripple contract"
But the Greenwood company oess notwan
to come in upon those terms. Il am sur
prised," said Mr.. McClain yesterday, 'shae
the Broad Ripple company's officials shoui1
have accepted such terms; and the fact that
they did is the one thing that makes me
ddabt whether their road will be built.
Now, will say for our company that 1T
means business The men in it are sub
stantial citizens and have the money to
build the road. And the road Is needed. 1t
cost Mr.. Pope $3.50 q day to trans
port his help to and from Green
wood last summer. The south
ern part of the city is crowded and needs
chance to spread out, and this can only be
done by rapid-transit lines Our people are
in no sense spectators; they want to build
and operate their line"
THE BROAD RIPPLE CONTRACT.
Opinions upon the terms given the Broad
Ripple people differ largely, but two thirds
of the men to whom the subject is men,
foH IN hnU ho
crate an electric lie at profit under it.
The point that hurts is that it must run ev-
cry car to Broad Ripple when, during eight
or nine months Ill the year, the travel to
that place will be very light. It is said
that the projectors hope to get this clause
modified after the road is bnilt, but Presi.
dent Bosom denied any such expectation.
said yesterday. "but we believe we can Op-
crate under them and do it at q profit if
not during the first year or two at least
after the country along our line ls
built up somewhat. 1t does not
have in mind line in Pittsburg, full of
curves and ups and downs. that is operated
at 9 cents a car per mile. You may rest as
sured that the road will be built if the
tracts for both the road and equipment are
Professionally let. but both will require
considerable revision. as the board re-
quires w rails side poles above st. Clair
street heating of cars and other things not
originally contemplated.
NO." continued President Bosom in re-
ply to q question. 1--WE do not anticipate
trouble in the Council. l do not see what
objection any councilman could have to
such a franchise as that, and, as
q matter of fact, several MEM
bers have expressed themselves as
in favor of it," If Mr.. Blossom
has gotten any expression out of the coun-
has been able to do. All express themselves
in a general way as in favor of anythin Q
that will give the city rapid trasit upon q
fair basis, bat oil of them prefer not to 90
into details.
Both Mr.. Yontz and Mr.. Casper declined
to express any opinion upon the subject,
but they will hold meeting of the COM
mlttee on railroads this week to consider
the subject.
The first remonstrance against the route
will come from the commission merchants
on South Delaware street. Mr.. w. w.
Herod, as their representative, was hurting
for the Board of Public Works Yesterday
to remonstrate, but was told that the mat
ter was in the hands of the Council. The
commission men say the double tracks
would not leave room tor the grocery
wagons Co congregate in front of their
places of business RESPONSIVENESS will al
so come in from Bellefontaine, Cherry and
East streets.
President Shafter. of the Citizens' com.
pany, was out of the city yesterday, and
none OF his associates felt authorized to
say whether or not the Citizens company
would accept the same terms for a fran
chise to change any of it's lines to electric
power. However, if the Broad Ripple road
is built, it would force the Citizen9 com