The Helena independent., 1894-11-28
PUT OFF TO FRIDAY.
The Council viii Then Dispose Of the Mat.
ter Of Raising Fares on Street
Cars,
A PROTEST FROM THE slxTH.wARD
The Company Says Some Of the Lines viii
Have TO Stop n Fares Don't
Co Up.

It's recently acquired rapid transit line
came up In the city council last night
ana was advanced TO the stage where
II will be considered az a special meet
Ing called for the purpose on Friday
evening next Alderman Freeman,
chairman OF the Judiciary copmlttec.
which had charge OF the ordinance
allowing the change, Is on hunting
while Alderman Fuller is confined 10
his home with Illness. The latter can
acnrcely get about IN time for the meet
Ing on Friday but Alderman Free
mans friends viii take care that he
Ii notified that the meeting IL 10 be
held. With the exception OF these two
members. all the aldermen were pres
ent when the street car fare matter
came up In the council last night,
numeroualy signed petition from
residents OF the sixth ward was pre-
sented to the council. asking that the
power TO raise street car fares be re-
fused. IL referred 10 the condition OF
| The times, and said the increAse would
be especially severe on school children.
| The petition was referred 10 the COM
mittce on Judiciary. Shortly after this
Alderman Morris, on behalf of the ju-
dietary committee, presented the re-
| port on the matter. IL was signed by
| Alderman Lissner and recommended
that the privilege asked for be granted
after some amendments had been made
One OF these amendments made II
instead OF 3 per cent. that the company
should earn on it's capital stock before
II could be compelled TO reduce fares Ia
5 cents again. The other amendment
required the company to file
sworn statements Of it's receipts and
expenditures annually. with the
changes recommended the proposed or
| dinance allowed the company 10 charge
10 cents for single fare and compelled
II to sell eight tickets for so cents, six
teen for a dollar and fifty for $3.50.
II was provided also that the council
could not compel the company 60 lower
this rate OF fare until II had earned 6
per cent upon its capital stock, and
that the company should make an an
| nual sworn statement of receipts and
expenditures.
Alderman Norris said that he and
Alderman Lissner, in the absence OF
Chairman Freeman of the judiciary
committee. had decided TO make the
report to the council for the action OF
that body. But they had since found
there was desire on the part OF the
other members to postpone the matter.
President Parchen, of the railway
company. asked the council TO appoint
an earlier day for considering the ordi-
nance than the next regular meeting.
| The winter, he said was coming on and
the company would have to make the
necessary arrangements for running
its various lines. Without making any
threats he would say that unless some
1 . -. A a
have 10 shut down such OF the lines as
did not pay and only run such as did
pay. He was willing that the council
should appoint committee 10 examine
the books Of the company The books
would show that the company could not
earn expenses with n five-cent fare.
Ex-Mayor Kleinschmidt urged on the
council the Importance of early action
He said IL was hardly fair not to grant
one road what had been granted the
other. IL was not the province OF the
council 10 ask who owned the Rapid
| Transit line.
Mayor Weed said the request for
eayly consideration was reasonable,
and on motion OF Alderman Lissner II
was decided TO hold a special meeting
on Friday night next to dispose OF the
matter.
Chairman Edwards of the police COM
mittee, recommended that on and after
| Nov. 30 the police force be reduced from
twelve to eleven patrolmen; that the
| sixth ward and the Northern Pacific
depot have one instead of two men al
night, and that the stock officer and
overseer OF the chain gang be dispensed
with. Alderman Howe offered an
amendment that the force be left as II
is. He said one patrolman In the Sixth
ward at night would not have sufficient
protection, as there were few citizens
moving around there late at night. The
minority report was rejected and the
majority report adopted.
/ Chairman Morris of the committed
on sewers, reported that the conduit
from the sewer farm To Prickly Peal
creek was about completed, and thal
he would be able 10 report Its cost az
the next regular meeting. He also said
that the Spencer street sewer was
nearly built
The mntetr Of the payment Of $50
premium for the insurance upon the
city hall came up. The majority OF the
| committee on public buildings recon-
mended the payment of the bill In cash
| Alderman Post made statement III
| the nature OF a minority report, IN
which he said he was opposed to pay
ing cash for city insurance when there
were a number of agencies In this city
| which would gladly take pay In war
rants. He thought II was folly To pay
out money for insurance when war
rants would accomplish the same thing
and he moved in the interest OF econ
omy the adoption OF his report. Before
| the motion was put, Alderman McMur-
ply, member OF the committee, asked
Alderman Post to give the names OF
those agents who would take pay foi
premiums In warrants. This Alderman
f.Post promptly did, giving the names ol
two agents. Alderman Posts motion
was lost on the following vote, Ayes
0 post Flnherty, Edwards, kenck and
Iiswel: nays dslssner, Morris, Walker
Pintt. McMurphy and Fischcr). The re-
port OF the majority was then adopted
on motion OF Alderman Lissner tho
street COMMISSIONER was ordered To re-
pair that portion Of the road in Dry
Gulch leading Ia Lump Gulch that Is
IN the city limits.
PC. McNamnra and Others petitloncc
the council TO put state street between
ChRucer and Beatty i'm pngsablc con
dtion. The petitioners said that tn,
council had recently ordered the street
improved, but that only few hours
work had been done when the work was
ordered stopped. They asked the city
TO nt least put the street In an good
condition as II was before the work
was commenced. The petition WAS re
ferred 10 the committe on streets ant
alleys
A potitoin for the building of side
walk I'm front of certain property on
benton avenue was referred 10 street
committee and commissioner, with
power To act,
Two communications. one from Pres
! ton H. Leslie and the other from sew
crnl taxpayers residing on Breckln
ridge, asking the city TO grade that
street between Raleigh and Dakota
streets so that walks can be laid, wni
referred Co the proper committee, RS
| 1nerInI nctIou further time WAS granted