Omaha daily bee., 1891-03-22
STREET RAILWAY FRANCHISES.

OMAHA, March 2i.-To the Editor Of THE
BEE: Having noticed some rather severe
criticisms in the press upon the action of the
city council last Tuesday evening, on account
of certain restrictions placed in the new char
ter ordinance of the Metropolitan street rail
way company / deem it but fair to the pub
lie and to the city council to review hastily
the situation at the present time. Many OF
our citizens look upon this as a channel in
which money may be expended, the distrlbu-
tioE OF which would stimulate local COM
merce for the time being, without consider
ing tho pernicious effects THAI would follow
as secondary consequence, should an un-
limited and unrestricted charter be granted
Municipal franchises, like municipal bonds,
are public property, and not rendered as
speciai benefit to individuals.
The question as to where the line should
be drawn, and as to whether bonds and fran
chises should be given, is not one easily de-
termlned, and can only be settled by a wise
and judcious weighing of the circumstances
involved. The public is, however, too often
ready to seize upon the opportunity OF
nickel in sight and shoot far from the mark
of the 50 gold piece later. Therefore by
system of legislation our laws provide that
such matters be first passed upon by the Of
ticers who are the guardians of the peoples
interests and then submitted for the ap-
proval or disapproval of the electors. Should
Aese cOunsellors hastily present requests for
franchises or bonds to the public they would
fall short of the duty of first investigating
and deciding
That su omission to the people for vote
upon bonds or franchises by municipal au-
thorities is a recommendation OF the same is
statement that none can deny. Therefore
all necessary restrictions should be placed
and all protection necessary be provided by
these guardians OF our common property, III
order to prevent the strong arm Of grasping
monopoly from making inroads upon our
common interests that would bc regretted
when too late.
If the above facts are true, and 1 believe
they will not be questioned, is it fair to rem
der hasty jud gment against men of we'll
known capacity and Judgment for doing
what seems fair, equitable and just to all
parties concerned in the question OF properly
restricting the new metropolitan franchlse'
A few words now as to the merits of any
new street car franchise. In 1857, the terri
tOrial legislature gave the Omaha street rail
way company fifty-year franchise and
carefully provided that at the expiration of
that time, all of the property should revert
under the franchise to the city Omaha was
then mere village, without even hope OF
metropolitan life; yet the road was built and
operated for many years by the then only
known method of horses, regardless OF mud
hee-d deep, and other almost nsurmountable
difficulties. II was nm institution to absorb
rather than MAKE money, but never stopped
Its wheels even when its owners held it by a
slender string through the key hole of the
sherltrs office
Nearly twenty-five years Of the life OF that
franchise is gone, and IN twenty-five years
more il must come back 10 the people under
the terms OF that charter. Notwithstanding
this formidable fact, it has kept pace with
the almost unparalleled growth of this city
in the past four years, and acquired by de-
velopment and consolidation with rival inter
ests all modern methods.
IL is only by pluck, energy and daring ad-
venture that the present owners, ut the risk
OF their lives earnings, have given Omaha a
system of street transportation now pointed
ut by the world as being the best and most
extensive in any American city of nearly
twice the population OF this
70 operate this extensive system, am told,
requires an expenditure OF about SiS0,0OO an
nualiy, all OF which is distributed at home.
Men are paid tho highest wages, and passen-
gers given the best possible service over
nearly one hundred miles of track All this
money is only taken cents at time, and
about thirty transfers are made, without
extra charge,
II Is not necessary after the above state
ment to tell this intelligent community that
the owners are not yetmaking for themselves
a single dollar. am also informed that ex
tensions are still being made as rapidly a:
possible by the sale Of bonds at u low pr. 90
on heavy market
To give any other company the right tC