The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-15
NO TAXES RELATED
Mayor Ross Explains Street
Railway Matter.
AGAINST THE BALL PARK
Petition to Move the Grounds
Again,

At the session Of the city council last
evening under the head of railways and
street railroads, information was asked as
10 what action the city had ever taken
toward rebating to the street railway
company any part OF their taxes. The
mayor replied that so long as he had been
in the Office the council had never related
cent Of taxes 10 any corporation or rail
road. Mr.. Mclean explained that there
was never any contract or agreement
whatever about that, but the situation
was simply this: That if the new com
pany would agree to put in a new system.
with complete new road bed twenty new
cars, lighting plant according 10 con-
tract, and all other details of the fran
chise, then the city might agree to dis
miss a suit which has been dragging along
for about eleven years, and involving
something Ike $4,000, in which the city
has already been beaten twice and which
leading counsel have declared the city
cannot collect. In addition. the city
might rebate the paving taxes on Main
and Douglas, now due, providing the com
pany pays its personal tax of 1897, which
st has done. All this was never in the ma
ture of a contract, nor even a certain
promise, but merely what might happen
should the company carry out all the de-
tails Of its contract and franchise.
petition was presented to the body by
residents south Of the city in the neigh
borhood Of the new location OF the hall
park praying that the alley be not closed
or in other words to prohibit the manage
ment from locating down there O. A.
Reach was present in behalf OF the resi-
dents, and addressed the council on the
matter He said he had investigated the
records and found the alley was there and
no one had a right TO fence it in. and fur
htermore he believed it was wrong TO al
low what might be public nuisance TO
Iocate right under the windows Of tax
paypers. at least directly across the street
from several Mayor Ross suggested the
council had no authority to prohibit the
park from going there unless, Of course.
IT in any way blocked a public highway.
or If it really was nuisance. and he was
not prepared to think it was such if con-
'1cted in an orderly manner. 1t was vot-
ed that the matter be referred to the city
attorney and judiciary committee. they 10
Judge RuggIes was present and received
permission to present petition 10 the
council regarding the repeating Of the or
dinance recently passed relating TO the
hauling off OF dead s,p%naYs. He was
there In behalf Of Frank Smith and ]. J. |
Jameson who own and have been con- !
Quoting a dissicating works on Blue Is
land for several years, taking the bodies /
Of defunct animals from the city and con- |
verting them into fertilizers, grease soap. /
etc Since the passage of the ordinance /
their business is ruined. and Mr. Rug
giles argued at length 70 show that this T.
was creating monopoly and running COM /
petition in a legitimate business. He cit (
ed court decisions TO prove his point and .
asked the repeal of the ordinance. his eli
ents agreeing TO haul off these carcasses
free Of charge It was moved by NJ.
Smith and seconded by Mr.. SchelI that
the matter be referred TO the city attor-
ney and judiciary committee, which was
carried.
The report of Judge Hatton Of the DO
lice court for the month of February
showed a total Of 81, 66S.45 collected in fines
and forfeitures for the month. Placed on
file
The monthly report Of the city treasurer
Showed the amount on hand February 18th I
$50 033. q in the general fund.
The usual bills and accounts were pre-
scented; several sidewalk petitions pre-
sented, and appropriation ordinances pass
ed. when. as is th- INV procedure Of
late, the council went into the usual week
lv executive session