The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-03-01
AFTER A FRANCHISE.
Well Known Waukegan Capitalists
Come to KenOsha to Find a Route
for an Electric Railway.
TO CONNECT FOX LAKE LINE.

of Chicago, pass on the Proposed Line Be- |
tween This CITY and waukegan and State
That the Line Will be Built = Franchise
Ordinance Coming Monday.
Whatever may be the plans of the
Milwaukee Electric Light and Traction
Company in regard to extending their
tracks through the city of Kenosha, it |
now seems very probable that railway
will be built into this city during the
coming spring, but it will come into
the city from the south instead of the |
north.
Yesterday party consisting of ex-
Mayor DeWolf, Robert d. Wynn, Del
Bue1, of Waukegdn, and w. F. Dim
mick, of Chicago, were in the city and
they announced to a representative of
this paper that they were in the city
preparing the way for an attempt to
secure franchise to build an electric
railway into the city. The matter has
been working for some time and it was
the plan of the promoters to keep the
matter profound secret until after
the matter had been introduced into
the City Council. Yesterday, however,
the men made trip over the proposed
route and after they arrived in this
city one of them announced that the
route was a perfectly practical one
and that visit would be made to the
city on Friday to bring the matter be-
fore the people. According to the
statements of one of the party, the
men behind the deal are a party of
Eastern capitalists. A short time ago,
: through the assistance of Messrs.
Wynn and Dimmick, the same party
secured a right of way from Wauke-
gan, ILL.,, to Fox Lake for an electric
; line eighteen miles in length and they
were so pleased with the prospect that
they decided to make an effort to build
a road connecting the cities of Wauke-
gan and kenosha. AS to the complete
plans for the route and the manner of
entering the city the men refused to
talk, but they all stated that the route
had been approved by the engineer and
: the road will undoubtedly be built if
the people of Kenosha will express a
willingness to allow the route to enter
the city. If this permission is refused
it is very probable that the line will be
built to the south limits of the city at
Rowland avenue.
One of the gentlemen in speaking of
the line, stated that the company de-
sired to be perfectly fair with the city,
and that they were ready and willing
to make all reasonable concessions
in order to come into the city with the
: good viii of the people, He denied
that the company at present seeking
opening in Kenosha were in any way
connected with the Milwaukee COM
pany, but admitted that if the line was
built that it would sooner or later come
into the hands of the owners of the
Chicago and Milwaukee railway.
On account of the near approach of
the city election it is not probable that
the company will attempt to force the
action of the city more than to report
an ordinance asking for the franchise
and asking that it be referred to the
proper committee for investigation. If
the company is in for business it
will be met half way by the people of
! the city. There is no doubt of the fact
that majority of the people in the
city Of Kenosha are in favor of the
t construction Of an electric railway and
if the company is ready to do the
right thing by the city the granting of
franchise is only a matter of the
near future.
Other members of the party speak
ing of the proposed route stated that it
would be great thing both for Keno
sha and Waukegan. It would open up
new territory for trade and the con-
nection of the line with the line to Fox
Lake, which is now in process of con-
struction, would serve to furnish
connection with a portion of Illinois
and Kenosha county which has long
been desired by the people of the city.
The men were anxious to have it
understood that the scheme is not
shot air. scheme, but a plan with
plenty Of capita1 behind it and one
which will be carried through. While
the members of the party made no
positive statement in regard to the
matter it is understood that an ordi-
nance asking for franchise will be
council next Monday evening. The
men who are managing the scheme
are certainly hale fellows we'll met
When they were found at the Grant
house last evening they made the dar
ing statement to the reporter that they
had been. foxhunting and had decided
to drive home instead of taking the
train. Later however they admitted
that they had beer prospecting.
AS to the proposed route which will
be taken if the franchise is granted
nothing is positively known, but from
the conversations with the representa-
tatives of the company it seems that
the company will take the route over
Rowland Avenue. This route was sur
veyed some six weeks ago and at that
time it was announced that the COM