The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-05-10
He OFFERS A BONUS.
E. P. DeWoIf Would Pay City S25, 900
for Franchise Without Milwaukee
Avenue Paving.
FAILED TO MEET. COMMITTEE.

But May Appear Before the Council and
Present His Proposition in Person
Well Known Chicago Real Estate Man
Says that Charles T. Yerkes, the For
mer Railway Magnate, Is Behind the
Haynes -clausen Deal.
The Railway committee of the City
Council gathered at the City Hall
Tuesday evening for the purpose of
holding conference with E. p. De-
Wolf, of Waukegan, in regard to the
presentation of his franchise ordinance
to the Council at the meeting tomor-
row evening. However, the meeting
was without effect, as the gentleman
from the Southwark did not show up,
and after waiting a short time the
committee disbanded. This is taken
as an indication that the Waukegan
man has retired from the field and the
Chicago men will now have clear
sailing.
The action of Mr.. DeWo1f in retiring
from the contest without even a Skin
mish is little unusual and it is stated
that he retires with proposition pre-
pared for the committee which is quite
as good as the one presented by the
other parties. In speaking of his
proposition Mr.. DeWo1f said Tuesday
that he had embodied all the amend
ments in his proposition which had
been accepted by the Haynes-Clausen
crowd with the exception that he
would not agree to pave Milwaukee
avenue with brick. He was willing to
pave the street with fine macadam,
but the company which he represented
would not invite financial failure of
the deal by agreeing to pave with
brick the entire middle of the street.
Another proposition which Mr.. De
Wolf makes will appeal to many peo-
pie in the city. He offers to take the
franchise and if the people are willing
to eliminate the Milwaukee avenue
paving he will pay to the City Council
on the building of the road the sum of
SIS, 900 in cash. This.is to be paid be-
side the building of new steel bridge
on Main street and the carrying out of
all the other propositions of the Spec
ia1 Council committee.
Both Mayor German and a number
of the mem bers of the Council have
asked Mr.. De Wolf to appear before
| the Council tomorrow evening and
make his proposition to the city, but
he is unwilling to do it as long as the.
committee shows a decided leaning
toward the Haynes-Glausen ordinance.
Is Haynes with Yerkes?
A prominent Chicago business man
was in Kenosha Tuesday evening, and
in conversation with newspaper man
he stated that the promoters of the
deal now before the Council were
always in the past the agents of G. T.
Yerkes, and he intimated that the
company who was planning 20 build
the line was backed by the big Chica-
go capitalist. This gentleman stated
that for some time the two men had
been employed in getting consent of
property owners in Chicago" and that
the same was duly sold to the Chicago |
companies. If such is the case, one |
thing is sure, and that is that the COM
pany has good backing, and if they |
manage to dispose of their franchise to
the Yerkes crowd there is little doubt
but that the road will be built.
will Accept Defeat Gracefully.
Mr.. De Wolf was called up over. the
long distance phone this morning and
in conversation said:
sin the News of last evening I was
quoted as saying that Messrs. Haynes
and C1ausen had no financial backing.
I think that this statement was mis- |
take as have no knowledge whatever
of the financial backing of the gen
t1emen. However from the way in
which they have shown their willing
ness to accept both my Eastern and
Western routes it looks very much as
if the franchise was sought for specu-
1ative purposes. If these gentlemen
really mean to- build line in Kenosha
and will actually give you better terms
than | can offer, you will see that l
know how to accept defeat gracefully.
In regard to my not meeting the
committee last evening all can say is
that the committee promised to have
my ordinance read at the meeting of
the Council Monday evening and when
they refused to do this / had no cause
for seeking a further conference with
them"