The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-18
GOOD FOR FORTY-ONE YEARS
CITY RAILWAY GETS ITS COMO
INTERURBAN FRANCHISE
Board of Aldermen Passes the Grant
Asked by a Unanimous Vote I'm
der Pressure From the State Fair
and Hamline Residents-BrOad-
srs7~ -
way Loop Is Ordered Constructed
at Once,

-
The city railway company at the
meeting of the board of aldermen last
evening was granted a forty-one year
franchise for the operation of the pro-
posed electric line on Langford avenue,
through a part of Como park to the
fair grounds and to ST. Anthony park.
But two votes were recorded against
the franchise, Aid. Kenny and PreSi-
dent Bigeiow voting in the negative OF
the roll call, but later changing their
votes, making the concession the unan-
imouS act of the eleven members of the
board.
The franchise granted is practically
the same as the enc adopted two weeks
ago, except that it gives the company
rights extending over period of forty
one years, the contract terminating
Sept. 20, 1889, whereas the original
franchise was granted but for fifteen
years.
This latter fact was responsible for
the refusal of the railway company to
accept the first concession, the claim
being advanced that bonds on SO short
q franchise could not be sold, and last
evening Aid. Allard had the vote
whereby the first franchise was adopt
ed reconsidered, and offered the long
term agreement instead.
The only opposition to extending the
time Of the franchise came from Pr; 81
dent Bigelow, who said that the claim
Of the company about not being able
to market bonds on the fifteen-year
contract was nonsense. These bonds
Were as good security to those desiring
to invest, President Bigelow said, as
those issued on a long term franchise,
and he further declared that if the
company was figuring on bonding the
proposed new road for more than 1t
cost to build 1t an outrage would be
perpetrated upon bond purchasers.
A large delegation of st. Anthony
park residents was present to urge the
granting of the franchise under any
circumstances, as were several men,
bers of the state fair board, and sever
al of the delegation were heard on the
matter.
! Ex-G Gov. McGill said the people of ST.
Anthony park have been working for
better transportation facilities for
years, and while somewhat in sympa-
thy with the views of President Bige-
low, if a general reform in granting
franchises was intended, he did not
think the term Of the pending agree
ment should result in deriving the
park ST q street car system. The pfopos-
ed ordinance, he said, applied merely to
q branch Of main system, for which the
company had already been granted
forty nine year franchise, and to refuse
TO extend the time so as to satisfy the
Company, Gov. McGill said, would be
an unfair discrimination against the
residents of st. Anthony park and the
yi vicinity tra,yyersseed by the nr9pesed line.
! Ex-Gov. McGill said the franchise
should be granted regardless. of the
term Of duration demanded by the COM
pany.
President ]. w. Cooper, of the state
fair association, urged granting the
franchise as. he said, it would furnish
better facilities between the city and
the fair grounds.
The roll call, under suspension of the
rules, for the final reading of the fran
chise, showed nine votes in the aff1rma-
tive and two in the negative, President
Bigelow and Aid. Kenny voting no.
These latter members changed their
votes, however. and the franchise was
declared unanimously adopted.
Superintendent Smith, of the City
Railway company said after the meet
ing that the company would accept the
franchise and at once begin the con-
struction of the new line.
Besides extending the time, the new
franchise provides that the company
shall complete the line within the year
1898, while the original agreement pro-
vided that the line should be finished
by July Is, this year.
A resolution was introduced by Aid.
Kenny ana passed by the vote OF every
member of the board except that Of
Aid. Shepard, providing that the street
railway company be forthwith advised
that it must Immediately commence
operations looking toward the compile
ton of the Broadway loop. Following
Is the resolution:
Resolved, That the corporation attorney
is hereby authorized and instructed on he
half of the city Of st. Paul to demand Of
the st. Paul City Railway company that it
forthwith comply with the terms and pro-
visions of ordinance No. 1926 passed by the
board of aldermen May 4, 1897, the same be-
ing found on page 116 of the pubic council
proceedings for the year 1897.
And if said company shall not forthwith
proceed to put in the necessary appliances
and connections and operate the cars speci-
fed in said ordinance upon and over the
route therein designated as therein required
or shall fail to comply with any of the pro-
visions Of said ordinance, then said CORPORA
ton attorney is hereby directed to institute
the necessary proceedings to comply with
the terms and provisions of said ordinance
A resolution was passed appropriate
ing SIS, 500 from the city treasury for tho
payment of election judges and clerks.
The judges are to receive $40 each for
their services, while the clerks will get
Sc for the one day each served
Mayor Doran handed in a commune
cation vetoing the claim of Nels j. Ness
for $500 against the city, as allowed by
the council. Appended was a legal
opinion from the corporation attorney
setting forth that the claim could not
legally be granted, this being offered in