The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-03
1t VIII Probably Go Through the
Council I'm Its Present Form
Without Trouble.
sTREET-CAR COMPANIES WIN
AGAINST a FEEBLE PROTEST FROM
COUNCILMAN MORIARITY.
Tied, He Said-Straight Five-Cent
Fares-City Affairs.

The form of franchise to be granted the
interurban electric companies now enter
ing Indianapolis and those which intend to
come into this city was agreed upon at
conference yesterday in the Office OF the
Board of Works, at which members of
the board, the councilmanic committee on
contracts and franchises, representatives
of the interurban companies, Indianapolis
Street-railway Company, City Attorney
Kern and Mayor Taggart were present
The conference began at IL o'clock in the
morning and il was $3.50 when Chairman
Sahm announced that the franchise was
ready to be signed. The representatives
of the interurban companies who were
present and who were conversant with the
amendments to be made to the franchise
from the form of contract originally agreed
upon by the Board of Works, Immediately
signified their willingness to sign. The
franchise will go to the City Council next
Monday night signed by the members OF
the interurban companies and the Board Of
Works, for ratification.
The changes in the franchise were prac-
tically the same as recommended by the
councilmatic committee on contracts and
franchises when II returned the franchise
to the Council with a recommendation that
Ii be sent back to the Board of Works
and be amended according to the views
of the committee. Since that time the
board, committee and interurban people,
together with representatives of the In
dianapolis Street-railway Company, have
held several meetings endeavoring to agree
on the franchise.
COUNCILMANIC VICTORY.
Chairman Sahm stated that he would
nnf 70 he
tho Council committee and the agreement
reached yesterday was virtually a victory
for the councilmanic committee.
The changes in the franchise provide for
straight scent fare to Indianapolis pas
sengers using the interurban cars with
in the city limits: abolishes the transfer
system so that interurban cars will not
have TO accept or give transfers to either
the indianapolis lines or to another in
terurban line; also, the tax of 2 cents per
trip on each car entering the city for the
first ten years and cents per trip for
the remainder of the term of the fran
chise. The franchise will be effective as
long as the Indianapolis Street-railway
Company's franchise is in force. In other
respects the franchise is virtually the same
as published some time ago.
When Chairman Sahm announced that
the board and committee had agreed on the
above changes Charles L. Henry. repre-
senting the Union Traction Company, arose
and said that his company would accept
the franchise. Elmer Binford, of the
Greenfield company, made similar state
ment. and w. G.. Irwin, Of the Greenwood
company, announced that the franchise
was satisfactory to his company. Council
man Moriarity arose and said:
"As a representative Of the Tenth ward
I will say that don't blame the gentle-
men for accepting the franchise. 1 think
it is the most outrageous thing ever ex-
ecuted in any chamber in the city,"
MIR. SAINTS VIEWS.
Chairman Sahm, Of the Board of Works.
muttered that Moriarity was about right.
but he was helpless. Mr.. Sahm afterward
said he had invited people to express their
opinions on the franchise question. and Mr..
Moriarity did not make his views known
until the franchise was agreed upon. The
office of the board was crowded at the
time, and before the franchise was accepted
Elder Vinson spoke against 1t, saying the
indianapolis people should be allowed TO
ride on the cars for cents, and that the
| interurban companies should be charged a
greater tax.
Chairman Evans, of the councilmanic
committee on contracts and franchises
said his committee had held a conference
during the day and agreed that they would
stand by the report that had been made
and the recommendations for the amend
ments to the franchise. The committee and
Board of Works met I'm joint conference
later, and Mayor Taggart and City Attor-
ney Kern were present. The latter ex-
pressed the same views on the franchise,
| il is said, as those recommended by the
committee, and when the opinion of MI
Kern was heard the members of the Board
of Works agreed to make the concessions
recommended by the Council committee
The board and committee both desired
| transfers, but Ii was agreed that the Clause
compelling the interurban companies to &C
| cept and give transfers should be omitted
as ii was ascertained that the indianapolis
| Street-railway Company could not be COM
PEELED to accept the transfers from the in
| terurban lines.
| The franchise will go to the Council mex,
| Monday night, and while it is known tina,
/ there are a few who are opposed TO II, II
| is believed there will be no trouble in rati.
4 flying il as agreed on yesterday.