Evening star., 1901-06-14
WANAMAKER OFFERS $4,000, 900
For Street Railway Franchises About
tn Rn

For street Railway franchises About
to he Given Away.
A dispatch from Philadelphia last night
says: Ex-Postmaster General John Wana-
maker today sent letter to Mayor Ash
bridge offering to pay to the city 81, 100000
for the powers, rights and franchises
granted and intended to be granted by
fourteen ordinances of council now await
ing the mayors approval.
These fourteen ordinances give to a num-
ber of capitalists who are friendly to the
dominant faction in the republican party
in this state the right to construct under
ground and elevated railways on streets
now occupied by surface railway compa-
MES and to build surface roads on those
streets not occupied by other companies.
The speed with which the enabling acts
were passed by the legislature and the
passage by city councils in three days of
the fourteen ordinances have aroused op-
position in certain quarters. 1t has been
understood, but not officially announced.
that the Union Traction Company, which
occupies most of the streets of the city.
Will contest the granting of the privileges,
along with Albert Johnson, who desires to
construct street railways and charge B.
cent fares. Up to this time Mr.. Wana-
maker had not figured in the matter, but
his participation against the granting of
the franchises does not come with sur
prise.
Mr.. Wanamaker in his letter, says he be-
lieves the franchises granted by these ordi-
nances are Of enormous money value; that
the people will get nothing for these fran
chises: passengers will have no cheaper
transportation. and that the only gamers
will be those financially interested in the
project He urges the mayor to veto the
ordinances before him. in order that new
ordinances may be drafted comforting the
franchises IN question only upon the pay
ment OF sum OF money into the public
treasury commensurate to the value of
the grant
Mr.. Wanamaker says he will cheerfully
pay the sum Of 81, 10000, but suggests that
II the new ordinances required the fran
chises to be put up at auction and sold to
the highest bidder an amount largely in
excess of that which he had offered could
be readily secured. His Offer he continues,
Is merely an indication in concrete form Of
private citizens without return to the peo-
pie. 1T seems to me-" he concludes, that
to give away such franchises for nothing
when others stand ready to pay millions
for the same rights Is little short Of pub
lie plunder."
In order that the offer might reach the
mayor before he signed the ordinances
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
tne Unlteo states government. The in
stant the mayor recognized the handwriting
Of Mr.. Wanamaker he threw the letter into
the crowd without reading It. The mayor
and Mr.. Wanamaker are not on friendly
terms. The mayor spent the entire even
ing up to midnight in his Office. and it was
presumed that he was going over the ordi-
nances. He refused to be seen by news
paper reporters. and what action he will
take in the matter Of approving the ordi-
nances is not officially known, but 1t is
generally believed that he viii give them
his approval.