The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-30
THE FLAG OF SURRENDER
Request for the Freight Fran
chise Is Withdrawn.
THE WHITE FLAG WENT UP
It's the Best of Good News for the People
Of Butte-The Unconditional Sur
render Is a Matter of Con-
graduation.

The white flag was hoisted from the
top of the street railroad office at the
southwest corner of Main and Park
streets at 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
1t was the flag of surrender. 1t meant
that the street railroad company had
been forced to bow to the decree of
public opinion and withdraw it's re-
quest for a freight franchise on the
business streets of Butte.
That certainly should be good news
to the people of Butte generally. For
while a large proportion of the people
refused to believe that the aldermen
woul vote the franchise, yet there was
a disquieting rumor around to the eff
feet that Mr.. Wharton had nine alder
men laid away on ice, n the prevail
ence of that rumor caused some uneasi-
ness. Hence the unconditional surren-
der of the street railroad
was a matter for much quiet congrat-
ulation after the white flag went up.
The street railroad company fought
long enough to save it's honor, which is
quite as sensitive as Spanish honor,
with even more frills to it.
The surrender of the street railroad
company was formally in
eAiiS St1lI 10 IHe mdNOr
yesterday:
ITO the Honorable Mayor and City
Council of the City of Butte: Gentle
the 18th day of August an or
dinance was introduced in the council
to amend the franchise of the Butte
Consolidated Street Railroad
and to allow the railroad to haul ore,
coal, wood and timber on it's lines in
the city of Butte.
While the amendment was general
in its terms and provided for the haul
ing OF ore n mining supplies on all
the streets, it was never my intention
in the event the privilege was granted
TO haul freight On Main street or on
any OF the business streets of the city.
III would be dangerous TO attempt to do
so on Main street.
The freight hauling clause. as pro-
vided by the proposed amendment of
the railroads present franchise, was
requested for the purpose of enabling
me to haul ore n heavy mining sup
plies to and from the mines and smell
ters in and around the city of Butte,
and the privilege if granted would
nave been exercised only on such
streets as | expected you to designate.
M which expected would be the side
streets of the city and would have been
the means of protecting the streets,
such as East Park, Granite and Broad
way, from becoming impossible. as
they were for weeks this spring, by the
hdru usage they now get from the
heavy ore wagons.
In fact, the amendment was inspired
by the many complaints / have heard
against the ore wagon nuisance and
the Tear that even your paved streets
would soon be ruined unless something
We're done to keep them off.
However, as some of the good peo-
nln nf Rflftn Axrf1a-tI,r
a mistaken idea of what / proposed do
ing in case the privilege / asked was
granted are opposed to having ore
and mining supplies hauled speedily
and noiselessly through the city on the
lines of the railroad, but prefer the
running process of the ore wagons.
write you this letter to inform you that
l hereby withdraw my request for the
passage of the ordinance amending the
franchise of the Butte Consolidated
company, and request thai
ordinance be withdrawn and that
action be taken thereon by your
body.
Thanking you for the kindly consid-
l have always received from
you, | am yours very truly,
u. r. WHARTON"
Mr.. Wharton. as one of the conditions
of surrender, is allowed free egress
from the country, and will cave to-
for Boston or some other foreign
country. One of the things Mr.. Whar-
ton fails to explain in his communica-
ton is why on earth he asked the coun-
ell for a freight franchise on Main.
Broadway, Park and Granite streets. if
he only proposed, as he says, to oper-
ate on the side streets.
Why should a man ask a license to
sell whiskey and beer If he only intends
10 sell soft drinks? Why should a man
ask for a license to run a hotel if he
intends to run a ham and egg
cart? Why should a man want the
whole earth if he only intends to use a
mail slice of IT?
Is it because some people get so used
20 asklng and receiving, that in asking
hey find it impossible longer to limit
to what they really want,
inc by second nature ask for every
hing in sight?
However, it is well that the matter
been so pleasantly and s~atisfactor-
ly settled. Even a soulIess corporation
las some sensitive spot. and the people
20 TO that sDOt