The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-09
THEY WANT AN EXTENSION
Broad Ripple Company Asks the Board
of W0rkstc Extend Its Franchise.
Referred to the City Attorney for an Opinion
What DR.. Light Has TO say-Robert Ken
nington Satisfied-Bills Allowed.

At the beginning of yesterday mornings
session of the Board of Public Works q
communication was handed the board by
Clerk Parker from the Broad Ripple Rapid
transit Company. The board Is very much
averse to reading long communications
but this one was gone through. 1t was as
follows:
The Indianapolis and Broad Ripple Rapid
transit Company under the terms and pro-
vvlsions Of the charter already. granted by said
quest that Jour honorable board would, by the
powers reserved TO you In said charter, extend
our time for the compilation Of said road within
the city limits up 10 and until the first day OF
september, 1892. And We VIC Id ask that you
name any conditions that you would impose as
preliminary to the extension OK time requested:
In support OF our request for an extension OF
time for the completion of our road TO Broad
Ripple, simply desire TO say that after your
grant Of Q franchise we made contract with
the Edison Electric Company; some difficulties
arose and we avoided the contract. The said
company shipped material here and began to
work. Without any fault of ours they stopped,
against US as o corporation and fndfvid-
uals for more than 100000. Within
we prepared our answers, and within eight days
Judge Woods, OF the United States Court, sus-
tanned the answer In every respect, and the at
I'll the lst OF September TO file an amended COM
plant. Before said time they asked until Nov.
1: Before that time they asked until Jan. 1.
Upon said date, not having asked for further
time, and having failed to amend their Coin
plant, their pleadings were thrown out of court.
During this time they were holding their pre-
tended claim over US we were powerless to use
our franchise or to make a contract with another
company-all without our fault. We have
worked hard, In good faith, In this matter. and
been forced 10 allow our time to expire without
any fault or our own. We belive that IL Is no
Uf~1A t..4 hon
body should grant the extension requested. We
seek no notoriety in this matter, andsoppose no
oIner interests. We 90 not care 10 MAKE any az.
glad that you send us in writing, at your earliest
convenience, your wishes or discrimination in
WILLIAM BOSOM, President.
After reading it President Conduit ex-
pressed the opinion that the Broad Ripple
company had no franchise in the city. He
said 1T had failed to perform its contract.
and the franchise was, therefore, forfeited.
Mr.. Scherrer said he was laboring under
the same impression. He didn't believe
the Broad Ripple company had any fran
chise. now that the time for completing the
road had expired. Mr.. Defrees said there
was no charter 10 extend; that the failure
of the company to keep ITS contract left it
without any rights in the city whatever.
1t would have to come in like any other
corporation, and file q fresh petition for a
franchise.
no uulCdtlOu WAN, uOWoNCEs To-
ferred to City Attorney Bailey for an opin-
ion as TO whether or not the franchise 10
still in force. and could be extended.
DIR. Cal Light, secretary of the old COM
pany, was seen bysa Journal reporter yes
terdsy afternoon. At that time he was In
close conference with q prominent real
estate man. He said that If the franchise
could be revived or new one granted
sufficient capital would be forthcoming to
bulld and equip the road and that bond
would be furnished the city for faithful
performance of contract In answer to a
question. DR.. Light said the Detroit people
had not bought any of the rights of the
Broad Ripple company, and that 1t was
not the latter's intention to get its franchise
revived in order TO peddls it cut to
anybody. The only connection the Detroit
people would have with the deal. il any,
would be to construct the road. The
Broad Ripple company does not wish to
change its route in the city from that
named in it's former contract. The road
will be built over Bellefontsine, Cherry,
East. New York and Delaware Streets"
"Have you still got right of way in the
countyP DR.. Light was asked.
"Yes,D said he. I'VE have q twenty-foot
right of way along tho Monon road from
Broad Ripple to the city. If we can get
our franchise revived. the money will be
raised and the road built"
A number of local capitalist. not inter-
ested before. are now figuring on the enter
prise.