Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-06-14
SHUBS WAHAnAKER.
Philadelphia Mayor Threw His
Letter Into The
Street.
MERCHANT OFFERS So, 500, 600
For the Franchises Which City coun,
ellis Voted to Give TO Men With Po-
liticaI influence For Nothirs-The
Mayor Signed the Ordinances.

Philadelphia. June 14.--In the mat
ter of the granting of street railway
franchises by city councils, ex-
Postmaster General John Wanna
maker sent a letter to Mayor Ash
bridge, offering to pay to the city
s2,5o0.00o for the privileges, rights
and franchises granted and intended
to be granted by Il ordinances OF
council. These IA ordinances give to
a number of capitalists, who are
friendly to the dominant faction in
the Republican party in this state the
right to construct underground and
elevated railroads on streets now oc,
cupied by surface railway companies
and to build surface roads on those
streets not occupied by other com
panies, The speed with which the
enabling acts We're passed by the leg
islature, and the passage by city coun-
ellis in three days OF the IA city ordt-
nances, has aroused opposition in GER
tain quarters. 1t has been understood,
but not officially announced, that the
Union Traction company, which ee-
eupies most of the streets of the city,
would contest the granting of the
privileges along which Albert John
son, who desires to construct street
railways and charge Scent fares. Up
TO this time Mr.. Wanamaker had not
figured in the matter but his partiei-
patton against the granting of the
franchises did not come with sur
prise
Franchises OF Enormous Value.
Mr. Wanamaker. in his letter, said
he believes the franchises granted by
these ordinances are of enormous
money value, that the people will get
nothing for these franchises; passen
gers will have no cheaper transporta-
ton, and that the only gamers will
be those financially interested In the
projects. He urged the mayor to veto
the ordinances before him in order
that new ordinances might be drafted
comforting the franchises in question
only upon the payment of sum Of
money into the public treasury com
mensurate to the value of the grant.
Mr. Wanamaker said he would cheer
fully pay the sum of $2,500000, but
suggested that il the new ordinances
required the franchises to be put up
at auction and sold to the highest bid
der an amount largely in excess OF
that which he had offered could be
readily secured. His offer, he contin-
ued, was merely an indication in con-
crete form of the magnitude of the
gift conferred upon private citizens
without return to the people. ut
seems to me-" he concluded, that to
give away such franchises for moth
ing when others stand ready to pay
millions for the same rights is little
short of public plumber
Threw Letter Into Crowd.
In order that the offer might reach
the mayor before he signed the ordi-
nances, Mr.. Wanamaker prepared
two letters. One was sent to the
mayors private residence and the
other was personally handed to the
mayor by Mr. Wanamaker's secretary
during the exercises incident to the
formal acceptance OF the new mint
building by the United States gov
eminent. The instant the mayor rec
ognized the handwriting of Mr.. Wanna
maker he threw the letter into the
crowd without reading it. This ac-
ton Is readily understood when it is
remembered that the mayor and Mr..
Wanamaker are not on friendly terms.
The mayor spent the entire evening
up to midnight in his office, and 1t
was presumed that he was going over
the ordinances. He refused to be
seen by newspaper reporters, and
what action he will take in the mat
ter of approving the ordinances Is
not officially known, but it is more
than probable that he will give them
his approval.
Mayor Signed Ordinances.
Mayor Ashbridge late last night
signed the ordinances passed by the
city councils Wednesday granting
franchises for city railways, surface,
elevated and underground. He re-
fused to talk with reporters about
MI Wanamaker's protest against his
signing the bills.
3. & Q. STOCKHOLDERS.