The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-05
He Says the Companies should CO.
Operate I'm ESTABLISHING Proper
Terminals Here.
A CONFERENCE TO BE HELD
ON RETURN OF HUGH MCGOWAN AND
G.. f. M'CULLOCH.
Almost Impossible to Fix Freight
Rates for Interurban Lines,
the Mayor Says.

Mayor Bookwalter has determined to
bring about If possible the cooperation of
all the interurban lines reaching this city
in the establishment of terminals. The
mayor will upon the return of Hugh J. Nc
Gowan and G.. f. McCulloch from the East,
which is daily expected, invite them and
all other officers of the interurban lines to
conference with the Board Of Public Works
about the terminal question.
Il have reached the conclusion" said the
mayor. that it is just that the companies
should maintain terminal stations here not
only for freight but for passengers. 1t will
not be possible to permit all the lines now
building into the city to use the streets for
their depots. They are not competitors and
can very easily join in the construction OF
ample terminal stations. shall insist that
such course be taken, and 1T has been my
intention for some time to bring it before
the companies"
Mr.. MCGOWAN and Mr.. McCulloch are ex-
pected home this week. and 1t is probable
the mayor will call the conference for some
day early next week. 1t has been generally
understood that the roads now in operation
have not constructed either freight or pas
senger stations because they hope for a CO.
operative plan by which this expense will
be minimized. 1t is estimated that it would
require in the neighborhood of half mil
lion to provide proper system Of termi-
mails.
In speaking of the pending franchise of
the indianapolis, Lebanon Frankfort line
the mayor said: II told the shippers COM
mttee that il ii were possible / would re-
quire all new lines to fix their freight rates
before the franchise was signed by the
Board of Public Works. l had hoped that
would
when we took il up with the officers of the
Lebanon road they refused to consider such
| a proposition. Pierre Gray, attorney for
the road, and Mr.. townsend its president,
declared that any restriction OF that kind
would prevent the financing of the enter
prise. Capital, they said. was not going to
be invested in electric lines where the bust
ness OF the company was in circumscribed
limits. They would not undertake to agree
with any one what an equitable freight
| rate was. / asked City Attorney Joss for
an opinion as to the power OF the city, and
he said the city could only regulate the
freight rates in the city.
THE contract signed Is in no way a
breach of faith / deem ii far better 10 as
sist these roads in their efforts to bring
people TO and from the city than to insist
on provisions that would, In my estima ton,
destroy the possibility of their construction.
L have been unable TO find any one who is
ready to say what an equitable freight rate
is for interurban companies. In the con-
tracts we have made we have required the
companies TO establish freight service and
that the rates. whatever they may be, shall
not discriminate against Indianapolis.
There is general misunderstanding as to
| the freight business of these interur ba n
lines. 1t is a side issue with them. They
are primarily passenger lines and those
that have established freight service have
made narrow limits. Their freight is little
more than parcel delivery. So 1 think the
most Importance attaches TO the getting of
! these roads in here with the requirement
| that they shall establish freight service and
that their rates shall not discriminate
/ against Indianapolis
Some shippers assert that the Union
/ Traction Company is now maintaining
| freight service between Anderson and
/ Muncie, Marion, Pendleton, Alexandris and
! Elwood and that this service, which is 4: 1T
now reaching indianapolis, is assisting
/ those towns TO develope jobbing points
1 TO the injury of local trade. Mayor Book
! Mccullough offered to establish the same
service here-that is, one car a day-but
the shippers here wanted a larger service.