The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-14
NUMBER 1898.
THE FRANCHISES GRANTED
PhiIadeIPhia's Mayor Signs tie
Street Railway Ordinances.

Mr. AsShridge Explains the WauI-
maker Letter Incident IN the Mint
RuiIdinG-Hfs Action Regarding
Municipal Privileges Denounced
PHILADELPHIA. June l.-MayCr
Ashbridge late last night signed the
fourteen ordinances passed by the City
Council yesterday, granting franchises
to certain corporations for city rail-
ways surface. elevated and under
ground. These were the ordinances
made possible by the bills recently
rushed through The Pennsylvania Leg
islature at the instance of the Quay
machine. No payment Of any kind to
the city is provided for in the bills
When Mayor Ashbrfdge's action was
announced. an effort was made to get
him to comment upon the letter which
he received yesterday from John Wan
amaker, offering to pay $2,5o0,000 for
the privileges granted in the ordinances
and urging the mayor TO veto the ordi-
nances in their present form, but was
unsuccessful Mavor Ashbridge said:
Regarding the alleged incident
which took place at the new Mint
RUilding. the facts have been grossly
distorted. AS I was sitting on the stage
a young man rushed up to me, after ell
bowling his way through the crowd, and
handed me q letter I did nCt know
what It was as 1t was handed TO me
upside down and I called to him Who
are you? What is thfs?' The young
man. who may have been Mr. Wana-
makers secretary, walked away rapid
Iy without looking at the letter, I
threw it after him. It struck him On
the back and fell at his feet For a
sncment I thought it might have baen
another letter from Johnson. When a
reporter picked It up and offered It 70
me I told him I did not know what II
was, and If there were any bonds in II
for him 20 keep them frequently re
ceive letters on such occasions, but have
10 time to read them This was another
instance, and there is no more TO say
about it,
Il hn Wanamaker when seen today
refused TO make any statement My
letter TO the mayor speaks for Itself
he said Comment upon his action IL
giving away rights for which $500, 900
Vas offered is slsperfuous."
All the morning papers denounce the
mayors action. and editoriaiIy this af-
ternoon the Bulletin which does not
print the Wanamaker advertisement.
and which, heretofore, has supported
the mayor, says:
The Wanamaker proposition sets
forth so plainly the unjust. inequitable,
one-sided, and vicious character Of this
wholesale gift of railway franchises
for private profit. that no minded
citizen who has the slightest regard for
the welfare Of the city can fail TO see
how the city is plundered by the dis
graceful methods which have been en-
ployed in the Councils and the LegisIa-
ture- a more wiIfuI and brazen def
ance OF the Dlainest public duty Of q
chief magistrate Of Philadelphia in
protecting the legitimate rights cf kis
feIlow-citizens has never been exhibit
ed il that Office"
Now that the ordinance granting
franchises TO companies to operate over.
on, and under more than I20 miles Of
the city's streets have been signed, a
definite statement concerning their
plans is expected So far almost Moth
ing has been given out relative o tbe
beginning Of work