Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-03-09
A MOTOR LINE VETO.
Mayor Darcy Attacks the
Granting Of the Fran
chiseS.
THE LTIEySE ORDINANCE SET ASIDE.
Salem Houses to be Renum-
bered - The Viaduct =
Fr0nt Street.

At the special session Tuesday
evening to consider the bids on
South Commercial street viaduct,
Mayor Darcy submitted veto
message to the council returning the
ordinance granting Parkhurst and
others motor line franchise:
THE MAYORS VETO.
Gentlemen of the Common Coun-
Gil of the City of Salem: l here
with return ordinance No. 236 ian
ordinance granting to E. F. Park
hurst, his associates and assigns GER
tain street railway privileges and to
repeal ordinance 1873 and"
without my signature aud approval,
for the reason that no person or cor
poration should have the exclusive
use of any street in the city for any
purpose or for any length of time;
much less for fifty years. 1t would
be monopoly almost certain to
become burdensome and odious.
Enact this ordinance and if in the
course of time the Capital City
Railway company should wish to
adopt motor lower it would be pro-
hibited frcm using it over the pCr-
ton of State and Commercial streets
its track is now laid, as it limits
that company to "tle right of way
heretofore granted" in the use OF
those slreets-that is the right for
electric power. Adopting G the motor
pow er over the balance of the road
it would be stopped ut the intersec.
Iion of State and Liberty streets
and compelled to change to electric
ity there, or not operate its road or
State and Commercial streets. If il
become an oppressive monopoly the
right to relieve the people
from it by granting privilege t.
another company would be forbid
den. The right to use the unsightly
poles upon the streets is granted by
the ordinance for half a century
Some better substitute may be dis
covered before the end of that time
and the city should not forfeit th'
right to compel the said parties anC
their assigns from adopting it. Th'
said parties and assigns should b'
compelled. to use an established
street railroad rail, offering little OBJ
struction to vehicles using the street
and the right to use any other kinC
should not be granted. A stone o.
cement curb not less than eigh
inches thick should be placed out
side and along the rail. This woulC
furnish buttress to the pavemen
or other improvements of the stree
that may be hereafter made.
Horse power has been almos
wholly superseded by electricity
steam and cable and the right Il
use such power in other cities j
rarely ever granted and should no
be here. The time table filed by sec
ton Z, of said ordinance may be righ
at the present time, but the council
should reserve the right to increas
frequency of trips if the charges O
fifty years should require it. Tn
council should also have the pOwe
over fares and the right to regulat
them. If the road is extended on
block beyond prescribed limits
Twelfth and Trade and Center an,
Commercial streets, the parties abOv
named could charge over five cent
and what they chose. The rate c
license should not be fixed now fo
fifty years. II ought to be greatl
increased during that time II Salen
attains the size IL is destined I
reach. A fairer way would be TO re
auire the road to pay the city
specified per cent. of its gross II
ceipts. There are no definate spec
, fications as to the kind of steaI
motors that said parties and assign
are to use. 1t seems to me thi
should be more specific. The polio
regulations and penalties confaine
In section l0of this ordinance shOul
not be irrevocably for fifty year