The Indianapolis journal., 1896-08-05
Mr.. WoOLLEN EXPLAINS
SAYS l., l.. & C. RESOLUTION WAS
NOT PASSED sURREPTITIoUsLY.
Denies that the Company's Reprcsen-
tatives Were Not Notified TO
Attend the Meeting.

Evans woollen, secretary of the Com
mercial Club, says the interview published
yesterday relative to the action OF the d.
rectors In passing resolutions opposing the
Indianapolis. Logansport & Chicago rail-
road is incorrect in the differences drawn
Said Mr.. woollen last night:
1T is said that the resolution was passed
in 'surreptitious manner. IL was passed
at a regularly called meeting, OF whlcn
every director in the city Was notined- Inc
representative of the railroad was told In
advance of the calling OF the meeting tnat
II, upon inquiry, 1t should De found that
larger attendance of directors could be mao
at a later day the meeting would not be
held Monday. Inquiry among the directors
showed that a larger attendance could De
had Monday than probably on any day Tor
month The railroads representative was
notified of this and the call issued.
Il cannot believe that President Erwin
assured the railroad people that
no action adverse to their interests should
be taken during his absence from the city.
hs sbs two sr psse Mr 5Gr wou
be the last person 10 thus undertake 10
control the action of the board of directors.
one see9ha place. on & sSssct %as Mr. "a
Erwin and myself the day before he left
the city that a meeting should be called in
few days for final action In the matter.
on the day before he left the city Mr..
Erwin would unhesitatingly have voted for
the resolution adopted.
at N Richie was not. as stated in yes
terday's article, one of the directors who
voted two years ago for the resolution
which was readopted Monday. He was one
of the clubs. committee of seven on city
interests, TO which the matter was referred.
and which made report that was subse-
quent1y adopted unanimously at well-at-
tended meeting Of the directors.
1.-The statement OF your informant that
the directors at the meeting OF week ago
yesterday found that it would be unwise
TO spring the resolution until more Ia
vorabe time, when the railroad people
were not present and none Of the directors
favorable to them was on hand is false
and discreditable to him who makes IL.
Action was postponed for the expressed and
single reason that it was believed that
further consideration desirable before
a final vote. AT that time all of the -di-
rectors present except one who said moth
ing one way or the other, expressed them
luton, which was adopted at the later
meeting Monday, when three directors
were present who had not been present on
the preceding Tuesday.
E. G. Cornelius and N. s. Byram are in
terested in the road. Mr.. Byram was
quoted as saying yesterday that they were
not notified that the question Of the pro-
posed right OF way was to be considered
by the Commercial Club directors Monday.
When asked about that question, Mr.. Wool
len said:
Mr.. Byram's statement in this evenings
News that the railroad people were not
notified of the meeting Monday is incorrect.
Their Indianapolis attorney was notified
and invited TO be present, but declined
The statement is also made in the News
that 1t seems that it was not intended that
our the railroads) side of the case should
be heard AS soon as 1t was determined
that in response to the request of members
Of the club the subject should be con,
sidered by our board. / notified the railroad
people and invited them to send as many
representatives as they desired TO the
meeting which had then been appointed
At their request this meeting was post
poned. Again at their request there was
second postponement. When the meeting
was finally held a week ago to-day the
road was represented by it's president. its
secretary, its Chicago attorney and Messrs.
Byram and Cornelius. and unlimited op-
pOrtunity afforded them TO present their
side of the case
The contention of the promoters of the
railroad is that the whole scheme of hav-
ing the matter considered by the directors
of the Commercial Club originated in the
busy brains of a clique who have forced
the question upon the directors to further
their own personal ends. 1t is claimed that
the railroad company did not ask the di-
rectors TO consider the matter since the
last petition filed with the Board of
Public Works as. judging by the experience
of two years ago, they believed nothing
1t is said that other railroad men have.
friends in the club who are in the clique op-
posing the undertaking. The new route, 1T
is said, viii prove the most direct road 10
Chicago and that Ii might prove an active
competitor to the l. L. & w. when the
time comes for the Pennsylvania Company
to make a new contract for hauling its
cars. The L. E. & W. now has that con-
tract. The l., l.. & c., it is asserted, Will
also prove a competitor 10 the Big Four.
l. y. Richie. one of the committee which
reported adversely to the directors two
years ago, says he was not actuated by
personal feelings, although he owned land
says that the right of way asked is worth
at least quarter of million of dollars
and that as one member of the Commercial
Club he will oppose the attempt 10 come
through a residence portion OF the city.
NJ. A. Downing, president of the Board of
Public Works says the city has given the
petition no consideration so far, but that it
will probably be considered this week. He
looks upon the right of way as valuable
concession for which a railroad can well
afford 10 pay.
Members of the Board Of Trade COM
mented rather severely on the action of
the directors of the Commercial Club yes
terday They declared that such action
sence of Mr.. Erwin. Justus c. Adams,
president of the board, said last night that
the board will probably take no further ac-
ton, as resolutions favoring the proposed
route were adopted two years ago. AT that
time the same route as tnat now asked
The resolution," said Mr. Adams 'still
stands on the records of the board and
IL represents the present sentiment towards
the road. l talked to one or two members
the matter up, but II was decided 10 be
unnecessary to make a further expression
IS the position of the board is understood" /"