The herald., 1897-05-14
City Fathers Ignore the Peoples
Wishes
FOR THEIR OWN Benefit
SOME TALK OF INSTITUTING g IN
JUNCTION PROCEEDINGS
u Well Devised Plan to Make Money
for the Pasadena and Los An
geles Road and Place the
Burden on the People

The theory of government "of the
people, for the people and by the peo-
ple'' is generally conceded to be correct,
but as working proposition there are
limitations. In municipal affairs it
appears there are exceptions to it's be-
Ing accepted as a working hypothesis,
and at Pasadena an older fashioned
mode is being followed in the matter of
the railroad franchises now agitating
the citizens resident in the Crown of the
Valley.
The members of the city council, while
doubtless most estimable men in the or
dinary relations of life, appear in this
matter of franchises to echo the Van
derbiltian dictum, 1.-THE people be id"
It is the opinion of Mayor Hartwell and
the other members of the council that
in them inheres the right to act for the
citizens who returned them to Office
and in that they are right, despite the
protestations of the larger portion of the
voting population of the city-and in
that they are wrong, just trifie. The
trif1e, however is worth just about $780,
boo, and in the results flowing from it
may amount into quite respectable
figure.
AS matter of fact the vital question
involved in the controversy whether the
Terminal railroad shall be permitted
to enter Pasadena or monopoly of that
privilege be granted to the present cleo
trio road fits nicely into a nut shell.
A representative of The Herald yester-
day made the attempt to gauge the
wishes of the business community at
Pasadena, and there seems little doubt
but that the sense of the community
is in favor of the granting of a franchise
to the Terminal road. III such case it
only remains for the city council, either
by word or in deed, to say that they are
superior to the people who elected them
to office and grant the franchise that
will forever prevent the element of COM
petition from becoming factor in the
transportation situation in the suburb
an burg. The original fare from Los
Angeles to Pasadena was IS cents, and
the incoming of new road reduced it
to As cents; a third competing road
brought about another reduction to 35
cents, and more lately still a 25 cent
fare was inaugurated Competition did
that, but with a monopoly assured to
the Pasadena and Los Angeles Electric
company competition Will be throttled
Mayor Hartwell tried yesterday, how
ever, to show that this would not be the
case. THE city signs nothing" said
he, "but we hold the company to it's con-
tract CT lighting the city free of all
cost. and the bonds of the lighting com
pany will be deposited as guarantee for
the faithful execution of the contract
The city signs nothing, and if desirable
we can let another lighting franchise
at any time"
That appeared at first glance such a
remarkably good proposition for the
city of Pasadena that there seemed
ground for the suspicion that a gentle
man of decidedly brunette complexion
was hiding himself behind the franchise
woodpile. But the council is
composed of business men, first,
last and all the time, and it
is only the interests of the city that they
have at heart.
"A COLD-BLOODED PROPOSITIONS
"It's just cold -blooded business prop.
osition," said Councilman Washburn
From what he had heard the HeralL
man thought so, too, but waited fol
further light. "On the one side" re
sumed the councilman, "the city is as.
sured of free lighting at saving to tn;
city of about $11, 900, the city having tn,
privilege of putting in all the additiona
lights it needs, so long as it puts up thu
poles and strings the wires. On the othe
hand, if the Terminal road is permitted
to come in the city will receive only PEI
cent of the gross receipts of the roat
within the city limits. What would tha
amount to? A mere trife''
But, don't you think" Mr. Washburi
was asked, "there might be found al
alternative that would result in larg
er measure of profit to the communit,
than the one you advocate? There ar,
several companies developing wateI
power that are just waiting for chance
such as your city is Offering. Electrical
energy can under such circumstances
be delivered at such nominal cost as tt
make it possible for even the poorest cit
izen to use the light. While the cit,
would still,perhaps have to pay for light
ing, the expense would be comparatively
small, and the citizens at large would
benefit so largely in their individual ex
penses that the difference would be fal
more than made up"
1t was pretty long-winded remark
and Mr.. Washburn laughed it to scorn
and Mayor Hartwell, who was standing
by, also gave it the tee-hee
'Where are they?" inquired the latter
"Where are these companies? The,
haven't got into running order in River
side yet, and if they wanted to make ;
bid for lighting, why didn't they do /
three months ago, when they had tn,
chance?"
Either the mayor or Mr. Washburn, o.
both, must have tinge of Irish blood il
their veins, for they exercised what l.
considered the Irishman's privilege. a.
will be perceived, of answering a ques
tion by asking several others.
But we've guarded the interests o,
our own company" continued Mr.
Nashburn, and have insisted that tn.