The herald., 1894-12-22
PASADENA AND THE RAILWAY
Vigorous Protests Against the
Seizure Of Broadway.
Interviews on the Subject With
Representative Citizens.
a Most Determined Opposition to ths
Conf fscation of Property Owners'
Rights by the b. r. Co.

The citizens OF Pasadena have at last
awakened to the danger with which
that city is threatened by. the avowed
intention OF the Southern Pacific cons
pany to take possession Of one OF the
residence streets for the purpose oi
running a branch line of their road into
the city. The history OF the case briefly
reviewed 10 Of interest. The company
asks that the council grant franchise
up Broadway into the center of the city.
This the council was willing to do, pro-
vided the company would agree to settle
ths matter OF damages by arbitration.
The Southern Pacific has, however, re-
iscted this proposition. and demands
that they be let in without restrictions.
Since the company first applied for q
franchise the HERALD has steadily op-
posed giving the railroad anything for
which it was not willing TO pay, and
now the citizens OF Pasadena have taken
up the fight and are determined to
bring the company to time or keep them
out.
Tuesday morning the HERALD pub
lished q petition to the city council
eigned BY 240 citizsns, 120 OF whom
were prominent business men, asking
that no franchise be granted until the
company agrees to arbitrate the matter
OF damages.
A HERALD reporter interviewed
number OF leading buainess men in Pas
adena yesterday on this matter.
Mr.. Il. w. Wood, OF the firm OF Week
& Wood, druggists, said: II believe
that the company should be made TO
arbitrate this matter of damages be-
tween them and the property owners on
Broadway. The principle of arbtra-
tion is universally recognized as fair and
just to all parties, and ths railroad
should not object il 1t is inclined to do
the right thing. Let the company Be-
lect two men. the property owners two
and these four fifth. All questions Of
damages could be easily and quickly
settled by such a board"
Mr.. Ed Kennedy, OF the firm OF KEN
nedy & Co., grocero, wanted to see the
company come in, but thought that the
property owners should be paid for all
damages, and not be forced to 90 iato
the courts and fight for them.
This talk ofgetting damageB through
the courts reminds me of the maxim Of
the Burlington company, which was,
Never 60 out of our way to run into q
lawsuit, but never get out of tha way of
one.' The property owners would stand
poor show Of fighting the Southern
Pacific in the courts, and the couucil
should see that they are settled with
before issuing franchise"
Mr.. I. j. Martin. grocer. said: II do
not believe that the council has any
right in equity to grant this franchise
until the railroad has paid for the dam
ayes inflicted on the property owners
down there on Broadway. They may
have technical right to do 80, but not
in Justice"
These people who have built their
homes on Broadway have right to ex
pect protection at the hands of the city
council and should get it.
Mr., A. @. Vroman of the firm OF Glass
cock & Vroman did not think the city
had any use for the railroad unless it
was willing to pay for its way in. II
threre was business enough to justify
the company in coming in ut all il would
not stop at the matter OF expense for a
rlghl.ot-way, and II there was not bu5l-
ness enough, the road had better stay
out. They could not furnish anv better
service between Pasadena and Los An.
geles than is at present given.
H. F. Vail Of North Fair Oaks avenue,
formerly editor of the Star, wanted to
see the Southern Pacific get in, but
thought they should be treated az any
other individual and be made to pay for
what they got. No portion of the COM
muDity should be robbed to let this
com pany get into the city. The plan of
arbitrsting the question of damages
seems very fair and the company should
be held down to it by the council.
Mr.. Scudder, prominent citizen OF
Galsna avenue, ssid he had signed the
petition against the company coming in
without arbtrating the damages, and
was still OF the same opinion.