The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-19
A LONGTIME FRANCHISE
THE COMMISSIONERS GIVE AWAY
ONE FOR FIFTY YEARS.
Conceded a Foot Difference in Road
way Because "13" Was a Hoo
doc Number.

1t was said about the County Commits
sioners court yesterday that the mystic
49, cut an important figure in the negotia-
tons between the commissioners and the
Indianapolis &, Logansport Traction Com
pany, which corporation has been granted
right of way along the Michigan road to
the north county line. The franchise was
granted to the company yesterday Gcr a
term Of fifty years. One of the chief points
of contention between the Board of Com
missioners and the railway company was
the distance the track should be laid from
the center of the highway. The company
had suggested that the distance be eight
feet, but the commissioners had said they
would insist on more space than this be-
tween the track and the wagon road. Com
missioner Greer until yesterday held out for
thirteen and half feet
Yesterday when the final conference was
held it was stated that one of the chief Off
GERS of the corporation had declared his in
tention of withdrawing entirely from the
enterprise unless certain things were elimi-
mated from the proposition submitted by the
commissioners. It was said that the officer
was very superstitious as to the ''13' feature
of the proposition and had insisted that he
would have nothing to Go with the scheme
Will the inquire 10 III II. COIulllSSlOIltL
Greer ridiculed the superstitious officers
views and recalled that Albert j. Bev-
eridges first ballot in the caucus was rs"
The board finally agreed that the railroad
company should place its rails within twelve
feet of the center of the highway. Mr..
Greer consented to this reluctantly.
The commissioners were not unanimous in
granting a franchise to the company for
nifty, years. Commissioner Greer did not
think the board should give away a fran
chiSe for long "A time. He would
to a forty years franchise, he
said, but no longer than this.
hoard was already being called ''rascals
and robbers by the people, and the pub
lie press, and he thought the board should
very careful in its negotiations with cor
porations that are looking for franchises.
'phe peoples rights must be protected"
he said W. n. Harding, one of the attor-
neys for the railroad company, in replying
to Mr.. Greer, said that when he was an Of
ficer of the county he let his conscience
govern his actions, irrespective of what the
pubic or the pubic press liked. Mr.. Greer
declined to make further concessions and
continued to oppose the granting of a fifty
year franchise. Commissioners Harding and
McGregor consented, however, and the
county attorney was instructed to draw up
the entry
BY the terms of the franchise the COM
pany must begin work on the road by Sept.
10, 1883, and the grade must be finished with
in one year from that time. The company
will be required to complete the entire road
through the county by September, 1901
Should the corporation fail to live up to
The company win be allowed the use of
the county bridges. Nothing was said in
the discussion yesterday about the company
paying part of the bridge repair expense, but
Mr.. Greer said this would be put in the
entry. The company is to chare / cent a
mile for passengers and not more than so
per cent, of railroad rates for freight. 1t
is provided that no fare shall be less than
3 cents.
Those who discussed the matter with the
commissioners yesterday were George
Marott, Lewis c. Walker w. N. Harding
and A. r. Hovey. Mr.. Marott is presi-
dent of the new company.
Yesterday evening Attorneys Lamb &
Hill appeared before the board of commits
sioners in the interests of the Indianapolis
Cumberland and Greenfield Electric Rail
way Company, which is seeking a right Of
way over the National road from Irving
ton to the Hancock county line The COM
missioners have had this companys petit
tion under consideration for several weeks
and have not yet indicated what they will
do about II