The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-04-13
GREAT BATTLE OVER.
M. r. & K. ARE GRANTED A FRAN
CHISE THROUGH THE CITY.
MR.. SIMMONS PROPOSITIONS.
Asks to Build the Road and Share the
Profits With the City but Is Turned
DoWn-Dramatic Scenes in the
Council chamber.

The long battle between the Milwau-
kee, Racine and Kenosha Railway Co.
and the Common Council of the city of
Kenosha is over ard after momentous
struggle of Tour years against great
odds the Milwaukee company have
won great victory and today they are
privileged to lay their tracks over the
streets of the city as soon as they desire.
The final struggle between the com
pany and the Council occurred at the
last meeting of the old Council at the
| City Hall last night, and little after IL
o'clock, after q memorable struggle Of
over two hours, the Council by ma
iority vote passed the ordinance grant
ing the company the coveted franchise.
The meeting of the Council last night
J will go down in history as the most
exciting one which ever occurred in the
! Council chamber. 1t was hardly
thought that the friends of the M. r. q
Z. franchise would dare to force the
issue, but dare they did, and they pre-
sented such formidable front to the
opposition, that although the greatest
possible weight was brought to bear,
not once did they swerve from their
fixed purpose. All the afternoon the
friends and foes of the franchise were
at work. It was thought that Aid.
Calkins was the pivot on which rested
the hopes of the franchise, but later de,
ve!Onments showed that the friends of
the company had clean majority from
the start.
The Council chamber was packed
and nearly every citizen voiced pro-
test against any favorable action. Pro-
tests, written and verbal were pre-
sented, and as many petitions were
urged in favor of the road. The citizens
of Ashland avenue north of Market
street, the citizens of Caledonia street
and the Board of Education, all sent
emphatic remonstrances in vain. Hon.
z. G.. Simmons, bearing as he does q
record of fifty years as s taxpayer, ap-
peared as an active protestator, but his
words of warning and his propositions
to the Council fell on those who having
ears heard not, and not once we're the
ranks of the majority, consisting OF
Mayor Petit and Aid. Gonnermann,
Brister, Berns and FRANKIE, broken, nor
at any time did any one of them show
any signs of weakening. All seemed to
have been arranged before the Council
assent led and the future deliberations
simply gave color and excitement to the
action which had practically been
decided during the afternoon.
1t was nine o'clock when Alderman
Gonnermann presented the ordinance
and stated that the committee were
ready to report in favor of it's passage.
The various petitions pro and con
were then presented and read, and laid
over for consideration later in the
evening
At this point Hon, z. G.. Simmons
addressed the Council. He said he
had come for the purpose of making
an emphatic protest against the
passage of the ordinance. He felt
chat there was no need of crowding it
through, and on permission, made the
following proposition to the Council,
| viz:
make the following proposition:
/ will accept the ordinance and
franchise now before your body as it
stands, and carry out all the provisions
thereof in good faith, and in addition
thereto will give the city compensa-
ton. The amount of such compensa-
ton to be determined as follows:
Divide the life of the franchise into
five year periods. At the end of each
period the city may call for or demand
compensation. If the city and COM
pany fail to agree as to the amount
that shall be paid to the city, the same
shall be determined by arbitration
The board of arbitration to be made
as follows: The city to choose one
man, the railroad company one man,
and the two thus chosen shall choose a
third, and the award of this board
shall be final for the period of five
years. This sum thus found to be paid
to the city shall be paid semi annually
for the term OF five years. At the ex
piration of each five years period the
city may call for additional compensa-
ton, which is to be determined in the
same manner as the foregoing, and at
the termination of each five year pc
riod during the existence of this
| franchise as the same manner of de
/ termining the amount of compensation
shall obtain. I will furnish the city
good and sufficient bond in the sum of
one hundred thousand ($100,OO0)
dollars for the faithful performance OF
this undertaking. z. g. SIMMONS.
He stated that the gentlemen from
Michigan had a right to ask for a
franchise, but no right to have more