The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-25


Asked as to the service, Mr.. Ross said
that he knew it to be very irregular, so
much so, in fact that he never pretend
ed to wait for a car when one was noc in
sight.
Mr.. Ross said that during his term as
mayor he had numerous complaints from
the best citizens regarding the poor ser
vice of the system and that he had been
tantaliZed by persons who almost con-
stantly complained of the poor service
and agitated the building of a new sys-
TEN. There had been daily complaints Of
cars running off the tracks and other
nuisances in connection with the opera
ton of the line.
Mayor Ross then went into detail about
the proceedings Of the council relating
u franchises and the propositions of the
owners of the line with reference to Sc
curing franchises and the equipments OF
new system, these statements being
brought out doubtless to show the efforts
OF the city to get a decent service and
the promises on the part of the railway
people that had been broken. He said.
as mayor. he had spoken frequently to
Mr.. Sweet, the former local manager. and
the condition Of the road. the improve
ment of the line and the building Of a
new system and they had admitted the
service was poor. He had also talked
with Mr. Bachelor when he was here
with others from Keene. y H, two years
ago, and asked Bachelor if he was not
going to rebuild the road He had sug-
gested thar It would only require about
$4,000 bat Mr.. Bachelor laughed at such
az idea and said It would require at least
$4,000 To put the line in decent shape.
and even then it would not stay that
way more than three or four years. He
had admitted TO Mr. Ross that the road
was dangerous then and that the city
very much deserved a better service; but
added that they were not road builders
and never bought the road TO run but TO
speculate on and wanted to sell it very
badly right then. At Mr.. Bachelors re-
quest Mr.. Ross called Il meeting Of the
street railway committee for a confer
ence at Mr.. Bachelors room al the Met
ropole. at which meeting Mir. Bachelor
again Acknowledged that the city needed
a better road and al the same time ask
ed a concession Of the hack paving tax
which had accrued against the property
TO the amount Of several thousand COL
lars. He said If he could Eec rid Of that
tax he could sell the road 10 parties who
would give the city an Up-to-date syS-
TEN. Bachelor then appeared before the
council and asked for concession on
condition that the city was to get new
line. Shortly after this. Bachelor sold
20 Church. and an understanding was had
by which Church was 20 begin the build-
ing Of the new line within Two months.
NIr. Ross was then taken by The attor-
neys for the defendants and said that Re
back tax for which Bachelor wanted a
concession was contention anyway. and
thar B2cholder did not think the city
would ever get the tax by law. but that
h wanted It ont OF the way entirely 50
he could dispose OF h road. This vas II
1877. shortly after this the council gave
a franchise 10 II. 3 Church. AZ the time
time binding Church 10 begin work within
thirty days and "a complete the line IN six
months. bur. Mr.. Ross said. there vas
nothing said about stopping the cars or
prohibiting the OLD company from .un-
ming them. The defendants are putting
a great deal OF strength on this point. IS
they claim 10 be now operating. not on
the Church franchise bu- under the old
franchise granted by ordinance No. So.
Mr.. Church failed IN his first contract. :
was granted an extension by giving
Acnd Of $1,000. failed on that and the