The herald., 1895-01-03
GRLPPED BY THE OCTOPUS.

The action taken by three representa-
tivss in the city council OF Pasadena in
depriving President Lukens OF the chair
manship of the board of trustees OF
Pasadena for no other purpose than to
declare carried a motion that WAS ire
trieve bly, lost seems to US usurpason
OF functions not contemplated by the
laws governing parliamentary ussges.
1t was diabolical and insulting, and
fully illustrates the modus operandi OF
the corporation that doss business in
California under the friendly wing of
sister state.
This extraordinary prestidigitator is
surely adopting extreme measures when
it advises such an exhibition OF legerder-
main as was practiced at Pasadena yes
terday.
The eyes OF the public are on this octo.
pus, and will watch its proceedings at
Pasadena with great deal of interest.
Public sentiment will cry GU, against
the nefarious insult perpstrated upon
President Lukens by order of the South
ern Pacific company of Kentucky
through members of the board who. in
open meeting. declare they are rep:e-
eenting the interests OF Pasadena. while
| 80 per cent of its inhabitants are OBJ
! jecting to the entrance Of this corpora
ton into their city regardless OF the
rights of the property owners on Broad
way, and that, in the face Of a protest
signed by 260 of the most prominent
business men and capitalists OF the
community.
Both the property owners on Broad
way and the signers OF the protest
would be glad to see the Southern Pa
| citic road come into Pasadena If it will
once depart from its usual custom OF
grabbing, and will settle with the Broad.
way property owners and behave like
decent railroad.
The property owners on Broadway
have claimed that the resolution at
tempted to be passed at yesterdays
meeting Of the board would, II properly
passed, have the effect to grant the
franchise sought by ths Southern Pa
cifc. and. in order to ascertain whether
or not the members of the board who
were supporting the resolution under-
stood that such was it's effsct, and by
their action they were ate pting to
grant the franchise, a representative Of
the property owners asked the members
whether or not it Was their understand
ing that the effect OF passing the reso-
luton would be to grant a franchise.
( This was an eminently fair question.
and would have been 40 considered by
any fair mined official who was en-
deavoring to do his duty as public SER
want, and not nc aking the interests OF
the Southern Pacific param punt. Ger
tainly the citizens OF Pasadena, who
placed these memb ers of the city coun-
Gil in the position they occupy. for the
purpose OF serving the interests OF the
city ard its inhabitants, have right to
know what the intentions of such trus-
tees are in acting upon questions of
public concern, and the conduct OF these
gentlemen in refusing to give fair an
swer to the questions put to them touch
ing their understanding of the meaning
of the resolution, aud OF their real in
tentions in passing the same is cer-
tainly most reprehenaible and unprece-
denied.
In view OF the very extraordinary
action of the three members Of the
board vino favor the admission of the
Southern Pacific regardless of the rights
of property owners, and of the fact that
260 of the best citizens and business
men of Pasadena petitioned the board
not to grant the Southern Pacific q
franchise, unless it should first make a
fair attempt to settle with the property
owners, a suspicion naturally arises that
the three members who 80 vehemently
labored in the interest of the South ern
Pacific to have said franchise granted
have the interests Of that corporation
more at heart than the welfare OF their
constituents.