Grand Rapids herald., 1892-07-08
JOHN RUBBED Ill In
BY Asking for sic interest on
the Bill
FOR LIGHTING The CITY IN MAY
The Charter OF the Reeds Lake Eiee
tic Road Win Probably Be An
nulled by the Council.

The session of council committees
was unusually well attended last night
and the aldermen rang OF on story tell
ing long enough TO transact q good
grist OF necessary business.
The committee on streets considered
lengthy report from the city attorney
relative 10 the injunction served on the
Consolidated Street Railway company
by the Michigan Trust company for lis
clients. the mortgages OF the Reeds
Lake Electric railway, restraining the
former company from continuing the
construction of lines out Lake avenue
10 Reeds Lake. The Consolidated COM
pany referred the matter 10 TIE coun-
Gil and that body IN turn 10 the com
mlttee on streets The committee
asked for an opinion from the
city attorney. tie recommended
that the council declare VOID the fran
chise OF the Reeds Lake Electric rail-
way TO operate lines on various streets
anu highways in the township OF Grand
Rapids. now included within the cor
porate limits of the city OF Grand Rap
ids, on the ground that said company
mas failed In every respect To comply
with the ordinances Under which IT
WAS permitted 10 operate It's lines. And
further that the company has fated
to comply with the provision by which
1t was TO run cars at stated intervals
the year round, and III fact il has not
run cars for period of eleven months
and has allowed Its line to get out OF
repair and impede traffic.
n Resolution for Annulment
The attorney appended to his report
the full text of u resolution for the
annulment of the franchise. All
members OF the committee have not
yet signed the report. but will probably
do so. The same committee consld-
cred the petition OF the Consolidated
company To extend its lines north on
Ottawa street from Lyon street to West
Bridge street. Several members of
the committee are adverse to recon-
mend the granting OF the petition on
the grounds that the company VIII
then swing its Piainfield avenue and
other lines from the northern part or
the city from the connecting lines IN
Canal street up to the proposed line
IN Ottawa street and thus put all traffic
from the northern part of the city into
Monroe street by the way of Ottawa.
This, it is claimed, would result in
making the Canal street district veri-
table deserted village and punching
business in the southern part OF the
city, which is not deemed desirable.
Other aldermen say that they will re-
commend the petition if the company
will agree to take up both lts outside
tracks III Canal street and pave the
space vacated with asphalt.
The committee also decided to re-
port against the petition of residents on
Fountain street for the Improvement
of said street east of East street, as
there is as yet no sewer in the street.
The petition was met with largely
signed remonstrance, the signers ask
ing that sewer be put in first. The
petition for sewer will be referred to
the committee on sewers.
storing the Old Lamps.
The committee on lamps decided to
let the contract for collecting and stor-
ing the lantern portion of the old gas
lights to +. A. Connolly. There are
677 lamps, and they will be boxed and
stored in the city hall. Mr.. Connolly
offers $50 for the cedar posts OF the old
naphtha lamps. An effort was made
some time ago to sell the old lamps to
some smaller town, but the offers re-
ceived are % small that tnev hardly
cover the charges for Grating and
freight. The stock is really worth sew.
eral thousand dollars.
K. b. Woodcock and others appeared
before Alderman Saunders of the fifth
ward and tried TO persuade nm to have
the railroad tracks In front of their
property on Taylor street removed.
The tracks are on the east side of Tay-
lor street, between Quimby and Sweet
street, and are on the sidewalk line
The property owners have been ordered
TO lay a sidewalk, but cannot do so
according to the ordinance which re
quires that the planks be laid crosswise
Alderman Saunders did not show
any Signs of yielding 70 TO the
wishes OF the petitioners.
Manager John Hayward of Grand
Rapids Electric Light q Power com
pauy appeared before the committed
on lamps and showed a disposition x
rub it into the committee with vigol
and enthusiasm. He not only refused
TO make a deduction on the May light
| ing bill. in which action he is sustained
by the city attorney, but also present.
| bill for Sl6 interest. The committe,
has engaged outside legal talent, an,
ss result has decided TO report to tn,
council IN favor of letting the whol,
matter be settled In the courts.