The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-08
The Interurban Companies VIII Seek
to Come Into the City Each
Over Its own Line.
GROSS INJUSTICE ALLEGED
COMPANIES CLAIM PROPOSED TAX Is
EXoRBITANT.
Representatives OF the Interurban
Companies at the Conference
Talk OF Situation.

Representatives of the interurban roads
now operating in Indianapolis mot includ-
ing the Union Traction Company and
those which will be operating. il is ex-
pected, within a few months, met last
night at the Grand Hotel and formulated
the details of application TO the Board
of Works for individual franchises grant
ing them the right to use the streets OF
the city independently of the Indianapolis
Street-railway Company. To compensate
the city for the privileges asked the inter-
urban roads which are parties to the agree
men will, in addition to paying the usual
taxes, establish for the benefit Of the pub
lie a 3-cent-fare system. The step taken
by the interurban lines last night was un-
expected by the city authorities or by the
general public. 1t is a virtual declaration
of war upon the Indianapolis Street-rail-
way Company. One of the gentlemen pres
ent at the meeting stated last night that
* is probable that if the franchises asked
for are granted by the Board OF Works the
Scent fare will not only be given the peo-
pie, but cars for city passengers alone, ir-
respective of the interurban cars. will be
put in service and convenient schedules
will be arranged. He stated that the plan
met the appreciation OF the greater number
of the representatives present
AUTHORIZED STATEMENT.
The following statement was given out as
the official action of the meeting:
with the exception of the Union I<ac-
ton Company and the Broad Ripple line,
representatives from all the interurban
railways centering in Indianapolis have
concluded they cannot afford TO accept the
terms of the contract proposed by the
Board of Public Works and Common Coun-
cil for the reason that il is unfair and ut
terly wrong. 1t proposes tax upon a
basis imposed upon no other enterprise or
property in this city, public or private. Ac-
cording to the method of this contract a
company having more than $4,000 Of
taxable property in this city. including
rolling stock, franchise and everything that
is subject TO taxation, must pay taxes
amounting on an average to 1856 per year.
as shown by the statement Of the Union
Traction Company. During the life OF the
franchise such company would pay $50
i'm taxes, or more than thirteen times the
entire value Of it's taxable property I'm this
city, including tangible property and fran
chise.
1T is reasonable to expect that within
a short time there will be ten or more in
terurban lines in the city IL proper encour-
agement is extended. According TO the
estimate of the Union Traction Company
these would pay Sl,SO0,OOO by this franchise
tax during the period Of the proposed fran
chise. The Indianapolis Street-railway
Company will pay only $1,000 franchise
tax during the life Of its franchise, yet all
such interurban lines together would not
use one-fourth the lines OF the local COM
pany and would not use the lines one
eighth as much. The gross inequality or
this is apparent. especially in view of The
fact that more than 30 per cent. of the in
terurban passengers are from outside the
city and are brought here by the interur-
ban roads 10 the benefit OF the city; and
this inequality becomes monstrous when IL
is considered that the local company will
get the larger part OF the city fares col
lected by the interurbans in addition TO all
its own business.
''The proposed tax also bears unequaliy
upon the several interurban lines inasmuch
as Il might be inconsderable upon line
one hundred miles long and be practically
prohibitive upon a line only ten miles in
length
In view Of the manifest injustice Of tho
proposed contracts all the companies rep
resented agreed TO apply TO the city au-
thorities for franchise to maintain and con-
struct their own tracks in the city. Their
application will be carefully considered so
as to make it as liberal to the city as prac-
ticable and will include a Scent fare within
the city limits"
WHAT REPRESENTATIVES, SAY.
Several Of the interurban representatives
who took part in the meeting expressed
the opinion that the Board OF Public
Works could hardly do otherwise than act
favorabIy upon the application. They
stated that the Scent fare had been de-
manded by indianapolis people for years
and that the board could hardly afford TO
throw away a chance To secure IL on such
favorable terms. On the other hand. II
is known that the members OF the board
regard the contract presented and signed
by the Union Traction Company as the best
N eans OF solving the interurban question
which can oe had at the present time.
The interurban officials who were present
al the meeting last night are: William G..
Irwin. OF the Indianapolis, Greenwood 81
Franklin line: Samuel r. Rauh and Horace
Stilwem OF the Central Company. which
proposes 10 build line 10 kokomo Charles
+. Smith. Of the Martinsville road. W. y.
Harding and r. q. Banker. OF the Green
field road. and S p. Minear and Edward
Adams. OF the Shelbyville line
Regarding the statements which had been
made to the effect that the interurhan peo-
pie were preparing 10 night the city i'm the
courts. an interurban official stated last
night that the idea was a product OF some
ones imagination. We have considered
determining the legality OF the hold up