The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-03
PASS BOTH OF THEM
ASSEMBLYMEN DISPOSE OF A LIT
TILE MORE STREET RAILWAY
LEGISLATION.
CHANGING THE CABLE LINE.
ORDINANCES PROVIDING FOR AN
ELECTRIC AND THE THOMPSON
LOOP GO THROUGH.
FIGHT OVER RUNDLETr REPORT.
Board of Public Works Submits It's
Plans and Specifications for
City Lighting.

way ordinances last night-the ord1-
nance drafted by Aid. Sanborn direct
ing the street railway company to
change the Selby avenue cable line into
an electric line, and the Thompson or
dinance providing for a union depot
loop.
The ordinances were not taken up
until all the routine business was out
of the way. A small delegation of bust
ness men, representing the retail dis
trict, was present, but none of them re-
sponded to the opportunity to be heard
that was offered xby the assembly.
There were eight members of the as
sembly present, Mr.. Craig being the
only absentee.
The ordinance converting the cable
into an electric line was introduced by
Assemblyman Kirke. 1t was the same
as that prepared by Aid. Sanporn n
discussed at the caucus Of the council
Tuesday night.
After the reading of the ordinance
| Aid. Sanborn briefly explained its ma
ture and provisions. 1t simply author
lied the street railway company to
change the motive power of the present
Selby avenue line to electricity. 1t pro-
vided for an annual tax of $40 pei car,
extended the time for paving between
the tracks on Third and Fourth streets
to Tune I, 1900, and further required the
company to pave those streets with as
phaIt. 1t also authorized the construc-
ton of a safety device or the Selby
line.
Mr.. Johnson moved the suspension of
H. I -; N,11, +lot 41n nT6in mo
might be placed on its passage. The
rules were suspended.
Then Mr.. AIbrecht arose and inter-
posed his objections of the other night.
Mr.. Albrecht urged his principal objec-
ton, that the proposed ordinance
would give the street railway company
a perpetual franchise. Another objec-
ton which Mr.. Albrecht considered Sc
rious, was the probability that, some
time in the future, the Selby avenue
line would naturally be the direct line
for rapid transit to Minneapolis. I'm
der the proposed ordinance, Mr.. AL
brecht insisted. the city could never
compel the company to build and OPP
crate an extension to Minneapolis
that is to operate an interurban line
down SeIby, Third and Fourth streets,
to Broadway. Still another provision
Mr.. Albrecht objected to was that as
to fares not exceeding 5 cents. The
proper provision ought to be that the
fare should at all times be reasonable,
and never exceed 5 cents. Under the
provision. as it stands, said Mr.. AL
brecht, the company could always
charge 8 cents.
GROUNDS FOR FORFEITURE.
In conclusion, Mr.. Albrecht ex-
pressed the opinion that grounds for
forfeiture of the cable franchise al
ready existed, and that if the company
refused to accept a reasonable fran
chise the city ought to apply to the
courts for a forfeiture of the present
one.
Mr.. Kirke here moved the the pas
sage of the ordinance, and MI. Johnson
seconded the motion.
Mr.. AIbrecht moved to amend by CT
fering a substitute ordinance. The
substitute, after reciting that the
street railway company had failed to
operate the cable line in accordance
with it's franchise, had not provided ad-
equate facilities for transportation,
had violated it's franchise by burning
bituninous coal at its power house,
and had neglected to comply with the
resolution requiring it to pave Third
and Fourth streets between its tracks,
authorized the street railway COM
pany to change the cable to an electric
line, and to put in a safety device On
Selby avenue hill. n provided that
the rate of fare at all times be reason
able and should never exceed the sum
of 5 cents. The vital section Of the
substitute ordinance provided that the
line should be operated under Ordi-
nance 1927, which grants a franchise
of fifty years to electric lines. In case
of the refusal of the county to comply
with the ordinance, the corporation at
tOrney was directed to institute pro-
ceedings to forfeit it's cable franchise.
Mr.. Kirke said he hoped the ordi-
! nance would not pass. The company
wouldn't accept it and the council
could not enforce it.
Mr.. johnson agreed with Mr.. Kirke.
The ordinance wOuld not accomplish
anything, but would result in a legal
suuabble that would leave the patrons
of the cable line without adequate
service.
The roll was then called on the pas
sage of the substitute ordinance. 1t
resulted as follows:
Yeas-Albrecht. Reardon, President
Arosin-3. Nays-Daly, Johnson,
Kirke, Dix, Thompson-5. The substi-
tute ordinance was declared defeated.
The Kirke ordinance was then placed
on it's passage and the measure vas
passed by a vote of V to three,
Messrs. Albrecht, Reardon and Presi-
lent Arosin voting in the negative.
The Thompson ordinance, providing
for the union depot, was next taken
up. The measure was modified by re-
versing the movements of the cars
| operating around the loop so as to re-
ouire them to run down Third n up
Sihley streets, coming from the west,
| and down WacOuta and up Sibley
coming from the east instead of down
Sibley and up Third and Wacouta
streets.
The rules were suspended and Mr..
| Johnson moved the passage of the or
dirance
Mr.. Dix objected and moved that the
ordinance be referred to the committee
on streets. The motion was lost by a
vote of five to three.
The ordinance was hen passed by a
vote of six to two, Messrs. DAILY and
Dix voting in the negative. A motion
to reconsider the vote received six
votes, but as sever were necessary, it
was referred to the committee on
streets.
RUNDLETT CASE AGAIN.
The report of the special committee
| appointed to investigate the action of
City Engineer Rundlett in retaining
for seven months, $50 of the $3.50 re-
allied from the sale of some scrap
iron, caused a lively tilt between AS
semblymen Johnson and Reardon.
The report, as already published, ex-
operated Mr.. Rundlett from any GRIM
inal intent in the matter. and criti-
cised Comptroller McCardy as lacking
in common courtesy for not informing
the council that he had placed the $3.50
! to the credit of the general fund, in
stead of the street, sewer and bridge