The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-22
RESOLUTION BY ALBRIGHT
CALLING FOR A WHOLE LOT OF
IMPORTATION ABOUT THE
COMPANY,
IT'S FRANCHISES AND EARNINGS
Also It's Indebtedness, It's Business,
Its Market for Purchasing
Supplies, Etc.


investigation by joint council COM
| n1ittee, of matters pertaining to the
street railway company. The resolu-
| tiCns were as follows:
What the committee on streets. sewers and
| bridges of the assembly and board of alder
men. acting jointly, be and are hereby IN
! structed to investigate and report to the coln-
mon council. with suitable recommendatiohs
| and without unnecessary de4ay, upon the
! following matters, relative to the st. Paul
| CITY Railway company, and the Twin City
! Rapid Transit company, to-w1t
! First-What lines of street railway are
| now being operated in the city, under what
| franchises. specifying the dates on Wh1cn
each of said franchises expires, and what, II
! any, franchises have been abandoned and are
not beng complied with.
Second-The nature, qua ~ and adequacy
of the service furnished by said companies
on each of said lines of street railway.
| Third-The number of cars operated on
each of said lines of street railway and what
sums, if any, have annually been paid into
the city treasury as license fees upon sald
cars.
Fourth-As nearly as can be ascertained,
what work. If any, has been done by each
! of said companies toward the cleaning and
repairing OF, as well as the removal OF snow
from those portions Of the public streets
occupied by such lines of street railway. as
may be between the rails of each track and
| between the lines of double track and for
| a space of two feet on the outside of such
tracks; and what, If any, amounts have here
tofore been paid each year into the city
| treasury by either of said companies on ac-
count Of the cleaning and repairing of and
| removal of snow, and what amounts have
| been expended annually by the city for such
work.
| Fifth-What amount of taxes and other
! public charges have been paid into the city
| treasury from each year since the granting
| of such franchises.
! and assets of said companies in said city,
as nearly as can be ascertained, and the
present value and original cost thereof.
Seventh-The gross earnings of each COM
! pany in said city for the year 1896 and prior
years as far as deemed material and the
| operating expenses and disbursements there
| of each year; as nearly as can be ascertained,
| the amount of capital stock of each COM
| pany, the average market value thereof in
| the year 1896 and prior years so far as deemed
| material together with the amount and rate
! of dividends paid thereon during said years,
| and the date, amount and purpose of each
issue of such stock and the consideration
realized therefor.
| Eighth-The amount of the bonded indebt-
| edness of said companies at the present
| time, upon what lines of street railway liens
| have been created on account thereof, the
| duration thereof and the interest paid there
| on.
Ninth-The number of passengers owri "a on
| each of said lines of street railway, and
the number of transfers issued 10 such pas
sengers during the year 1896 and prior years
so far as deemed material.
Ientn-The cost, approximately, of change
! Of motive power on the Fourth street and
| Selby avenue cable line, so-called, from cable
| to electricity.
| of said companies are purchased locally and
! what part of their local earnings are cur
rently deposited in said city. The scale OF
wages paid employees on each OF SAID lines
| of street railway and the conditions OF en-
ployment, and such other matters as may be
| deemed material by said committees.
Mr.. Albrecht thought an investiga-
| ton of this kind was necessary. 1t
was a question of what are the con-
dition of affairs and the public should
| be informed of such facts as could be
secured This council had been in
| power eighteen months and great
| portion of this time had been spent
| in preparing and trying to pass reas-
| enable ordinances and resolutions on
| street car matters. The result was
that the coucil formulated an ordi-
nance which was returned by the
company with the proposition that the
ordinance did not suit them. The
| time for compromising had gone by
and the council, if it went one step
| farther. would violate the confidence
reposed in them by the citizens. 1t
might be said that the council was
| treading on the company's private
| business, but this was not true. The
council had the right to see that the
| business of the company was properly
carried out as to the interests of the
| DuDIlc. Inc street railway was a
| quasi public corporation, and as such
| the council had a right to make
reasonable investigation.
Mr. Kirlxe questioned whether all
the information asked for could be as
certained in the life of the present
council Mr. Albrecht thought it could
as most of the information was in the
hands of the city comptroller and
other officials. The resolutions passed
| Iov q 11n9nin1OuS vote.
The resolution passed by the board
! of aldermen at the request of the city
engineer, directing the payment OF the
cost of cross walks from the general
| fund. was concurred in. The amount,
about $4,000. Comptroller McCardy had
insisted. should be paid from the
street sewer and bridge fund. This
nroposition was objected to by the
| city engineer, who contended that
under the charter the expense should
be paid from the general fund:
When the motion came up, Mr.. Rear
don said that the comptroller had re-
onested him to have the resolution re-
| ferred to the committee on streets.
| CORPORATION Attorney Markham ad-
yised the assembly that under the
charter the money must be paid from
the general fund
Mr. Reardon, however, insisted that
the comptroller be given chance 10
be heard before the committee ol Tic
question.
Mr.. Albrecht argued that it was a
| legal proposition solely, and as the
legal department had given an opinion
it would be a waste of time to nave
the committee consider it. The motion
to refer and give the comptroller
chance to explain his construction OF
the charter was defeated by vote OF
< to 4. those favoring the reference
being Messrs. Craig, Dix, Thompson
and Reardon. The resolution was then
! adonted bv a vote of to 1, Mr.. Rear
don voting against 1t.
The reuuisition of the police depart
ment for authority to purchase $50
worth of hay and oats was recon-
mended not to pass by Mr.. Reardon, of
the requisition committee. Mr.. Rear-
den stated the provender had been
purchased and used before the requlsl-
practice, Mr.. Reardon said, which the
present chief of police had followed
for months He suggested that the
corporation attorney inform the coun-
| oil if purchases made of this kind
could not be charged up to the officials
ordering them, if no requisition had
been received. The matter was sent to
the committee on ways and means.
The adverse report on the final order
for the paving of Arundel street was
adopted. The final orders for the paw
ing with asphalt of Nelson avenue,
| from Summit to Western avenue, and
Kent street, from Ashland to Selby,
were passed.
The communication from Secretary
Innis asking for funds with which to
employ a stenographer and for other
expenses went to the committee on
| WAYS and means.
| rrI- oa+ 1an+xr 1n 0it tu ND