The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-30
SHALL THU CARS RUN?
RANDOLPH STREET LINE IN THE
HANDS OF a COUNCIL
COMMITTEE
ITS POWER IS QUESTIONED

City Attorney, a Resolution Or
dePtng Thus VIII No Doubt he
AdOpted-Property Owners Are
Interested.
The question as to whether the city
can compel the street railway company
to operate the Randolph street line
was considered for few moments at
the meeting Of the aldermanic COM
mlttee on streets yesterday afternoon.
In order to settle this point the cor
poratfon attorney was directed to con-
Ter With M. d. Mum, attorney for the
street railway company, and S. l..
Howell, the attorney for the property
owners who had paid the $4,000 bo
nus, ascertain the facts and then SUBJ
nit, in writing, an opinion to the coun-
Gil.
Several of the property owners along
the line, which has now been aban-
doned by the company, were present
TO give the committee some facts as
TO the payment of the bonus and the
contracts entered into by the street
railway company
AID. Shepard, who, as chairman of
the committee on streets, was also
chairman Of subcommittee, consist
ing of Aldermen Reeves, Murphy and
himself, which was appointed to in
VeStlgate and report, Informed the
members that the subcommittee had
been In conference with President Low
ry and M. d. Mum, at the office Of the
attorney for the street railway COM
pany, for couple Of hours.
The committee. he stated, had met
at Mr.. Munn's office for the reason that
Mr.. Lowry and Mr. Cochran, as we'll
Of mi 90
could at that place speak more freely
IMAM though the meeting was held in
the committee room.
Mr.. Shepard said Mr.. Lowry, Thomas
Cochran. M. D. Mum and the subcom-
mittee had gone over the matter pref
ty thoroughly. Mr.. Lowry had stated
that the line was abandoned during
his absence in the East, and he had
no knowledge Of this action until his
return. ST PA.
Mr.. Lowry, according to the state
ments Of Aid. Shepard, claimed that
the street railway company never had
any interest in the road except that
the company built it In the opinion
Of the alderman from the Eleventh
ward, there was nothing to do but re-
fer the question to the city attorney
for an opinion as to the rights the city
had to compel the line to be operated.
Mr.. Lowry had STATED at the close Of
the conference that the line would not
be operated unless the courts so di-
rected.
Mr.. Howell, who was also present
at the conference with Mr.. Lowry, sug-
gested that the corporation attorney
submit his opinion to the city council
before the property owners and their
side Of the case were heard, as in case
the legal department of the city should
decide that the city could compel the
line to be operated, there would be
no need Of listening to the tale Of woe
which could and would be told by the
men who had paid a bonus for the
construction and operation of the line
Aid. Sanborn inquired as to what the
facts were which had been brought out
during the talk with Mr.. Lowry and
Mr.. Cochran.
Aid. Murphy said, as he understood
Mr.. Lowry's explanation Mr.. Coch-
ran and Archbishop Ireland had agreed
to have the line built by the North
western Electric company, in 1891, and
operated. The company for some rea-
son failed to 90 the work and the
street railway company was substitute
ed, the understanding being that the
company was to receive 100000 for the
work and operating the line for one
year. According to Mr.. Lowry there
had been no agreement or contract
with MesSrs. Cochran and Ireland as
and the company had no business or
connections with the property owners.
Aid. Murphy further stated that at
the conference Mr.. Cochran had said
that at the time the agreement was
made and the bonus paid over to the
company the understanding so far as
he was concerned was that the COM
pany was to operate the line the same
as the other lines Of It's system
Mr.. Howell at this point presented
to the committee an agreement between
Morltz Smith and the st. Paul street
railway company, bearing date May 49,
1891. By the terms of this agreement
Smith agreed to pay to the street rail-
way company, providing the Randolph
street line was constructed and operat-
ed, $1,000, this sum being decided and
agreed upon owing to the value of the
land owned by Smith being enhanced
by the operation of the line In con-
sideration and inducement to the COM
pany to build and equip the line, Smith
agreed to pay the 81 200 in three equal
installments on Aug. 1, 1891, Jan 1, 1892,
and July l, 1892. -.-.t.
The agreement, while duly signed by
Smith, was never signed by the street
car company, but instead Smith was
given a new agreement bearing date
June p, 1891, in which Smith agreed
to pay to the Reserve Loan and Invest
ment Company of Minnesota, in the
event Of the line being built and operat-
ed, $1,000, and In order to insure the
payment Of the amount, Smith mort
gagged to the company his property.
The back Of this agreement between
Smith and the Reserve Loan and In
vestment company, showed that $4O0 Of
the amount had been paid to Cochran
& Walsh. Dec. g. 1891 $400 April 80.
1892, and the remaining $500 Dec 10.
1892
This first agreement, while not sign
ed by the street railway company, and
afterward exchanged for the agreement
with the loan company, Mr. Howell
cCntended, refuted the statement of
Mr.. Lowry that the company had
nothing to do with the bonus business.
Aid. Murphy was also of the same
opinion after hearing the first agree
nIent between Smith and the railway
company read.
Aid. Sanborn suggested that the first
agreement was of no account, as 1t was
not signed by the street railway Off
Gals. Mr.. Howell admitted that this
was true, but it simply showed that
other arrangements had been made in
order that the street railway people
might cot be held.
The Reserve and Loan Investment
company, Mr.. Howell said, was a COR
poration in which Messrs. Cochran e.
Ireland were interested
The line, Mr.. Howell informed the
committee, had been run as far as
Hamline avenue up to about three
weeks ago, when it was abandoned al
together. The property owners had
paid the bonus and were entitled to
some relief. Mr.. Lowry had stated that
all the company received was S35. 600
in cash out Of the 100000 bonus. but