The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1898-06-30
SEEK A FRANCHISE.
M. r. & x. MANAGERS FINALLY
TAKE SOME ACTION.
ORDINANCE rs PRESENTED.
And Asks For a Franchise to Run the
Line Into Kenosha for Fifty Years
No inducements or Remuneration
To the City.

Racine & Kenosha railroad, after sew
eral months of activity have finally
taken some action, and the result will
come as. great surprise to nearly
every citizen of the city.
Their action was nothing less than
the introduction of an ordinance in the
common council Monday night, asking
that they be granted franchise TO
build and operate through line in the
city of Kenosha. The ordinance was
introduced by Aid. Tarbell, and proved
as much surprise to the members of
board as it will be to the public at
large. For some time it has been
claimed that the company had been
negotiating with the promoters of the
Comstock ordinance, in order to gain
the right to use the tracks which may
be laid by this company, but from their
latest action it seems very evident that
all the published reports bave been
simply small talk gathered by Racine
reporters in the rotundas of hotels in
that city. The company have made
repeated efforts to find way into the
city and have even tried to bluff the
aldermen by declaring that they would
give Kenosha the go by entirely, but
the presentation of the ordinance shows
cOnclusively that the company must
have way of getting into the city in
order to make the southern branch of
their road a paying investment
Messrs. Slush and Bishop have made
a great many visit to the city in the
past few weeks and the ordinance
seems the results of these visits.
In itself the ordinance presented by
Aid. Tarbell, differs very little from
the street railway ordinance presented
by same parties during previous ad
minstrations. 1t asks for everything
and gives nothing in return. 1t gives
no assurance of local line, but simply
seeks an entrance into the city proper
by the through line with privilege of
stopping or passing on through, as the
future policy of the M, R. q K. may
demand.
The ordinance is simply a stere0typed
copy of the others and asks for fifty
year period, with the privilege of using
any motive power, except steam or
horse power. The route, as laid out,
is in two sections, the first starting at
the north city limits and proceeding
along Milwaukee avenue to North Main
street, and from thence to the
bridge. This is the portion of the
through line. The other section, as
proposed, starts at the bridge and runs
south on Main street to Wisconsin
street, thence west to Ashland avenue,
thence south to the city limits.
The ordinance further states that the
line shall not carry freight, except be-
tween the hours of IL p. m. and 4 a. m.
Of course the company agree to put in
all modern equipments and to pave the
street for one foot on either side of the
tracks, but in all the ordinance not one
word is said concerning the repair of
bridges.
The council is to have full control in
regard to the regulations to be placed
on the road when it is oncei in action.
The ordinance further provides that
the company shall nave six months in
which to construct the first section of
the road but any time in the next two
ears will do for the remainder of the
local line, but they are not compelled
to build it at all. The limit for running
the cars will be one hour and non use
of the tracks for period of ten days will
make the franchise null and void.
For the benefit of other companies
who may in the FUTURE desire to lay
down local line the ordinance makes
the wise provision that when such a
company shall have laid three miles of
track it shall have theright to run cars
over their tracks by paying one half
the cost of building and the mainten-
ance of the road. With few minor
provisions of the usual order, such is
the franchise.
When it was presented to the council
no action was taken, but Aid. Weier
opposed it, claiming that it gave the
city nothing in return for the valuable
privileges asked for. It was finally re-
ferred to the committee of the whole,
and no time was set to consider it.