The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-09
WILL TRY FORCING
YinewOod People Declare They
VIII Get What They
Mean to Have From the City
Monday Night.
STRANGE PROCEEDINGS
COuneilmen Say No Protest
Filed by Merchants.
Petition on File Asks Council to
Grant Franchise.
STRANGE PROCEEDINGS

Many people believe that there is lit
tie doubt that at the council meeting
Monday night the Vinewood park rail-
way franchise will be passed. The
amendment required by Mayor Parker
viii be embodied IN the ordinance as 1t
is of course satisfactory to the Kansas
City Yinewood company.
The council seems to be determined to
give Kansas City capitalists. who wish
q loop around the business heart of the
city. just what they want and give it
to them absolutely free. Our readers
win please carefully set down for future
reference the names Of the councilmen
who thus give away an invaluable fran
ehise-one worth thousands OF dollars.
Councilman Burgundthal. who has
made a staunch fight to prevent the
granting of the franchise without Sc
curing some compensation for the city
in return said today:
7 do not intend to be present at the
council meeting Monday night. I in
sist that this meeting win not be legal.
am willing to go on the witness stand
and swear that my motion was to ad-
journ, and that no time for the next
meeting was set. If this meeting Mon
day night takes any action 7 believe
that such action will be illegal and will
be so declared by the courts Besides
this. I have other business which de-
mands my attention Monday night. The
delegates to the Knights Templar state
convention will be coming in. and 1 am
one of those appointed 10 meet them at
the trains"
Samuel T. Howe, who has also been
staunchly opposed to the granting of
the franchise in its present form, said
today.
47-z-
to oppose the passage of the ordinance
The councilmen who voted for the ordl-
nance before will certainly vote for it
again, and probably Councilman Neil
them eight votes. I am opposed to the
ordinance, and while I do not expect to
make any fight on its passage, I shall
vote against it. I think that the ordi-
nance should have in it a section re-
curing the company to make annual
reports. It is right and just that this
should be required. If we had required
this of the Topeka Water company, we
would now be able to determine from
the reports the exact value of the plant,
and all this difficulty would be at an
end. If we could amend the VinewOod
ordinance by requiring annual reports
one of my greatest Objections to the
passage of the ordinance would be
overcome. But the company declares
eFnphatically that it will not accept an
ordinance with this section, and eX-
pect the council will allow the company
to have its way"
win you introduce this amendment
Monday night2"
mo, it would not be any use. If
the company has seven votes in favor
of the ordinance, they have seven votes
to defeat such an amendment. I don't
believe there is any doubt that gen.
eral ordinance requiring annual reports
would be unconstitutional. If we get
such reports we must get them through
our franchise.
Il am in favor of granting franchise
to This company, but 1 think it should
protect the city, and I think the city
should derive some benefit from it.
would be glad to vote for a franchise
for company which would give the
people of the southeast part of town
some street car facilities. I know that
my motives IN opposing this franchise
have been severely criticised, and it has
been said that I was working in favor
of the city street railway. However, my
motives are satisfactory to myself. I
have been acting as I thought would be
for the good of the city, and I will stand
| by my convictions"
Councilman Weber SAYS that ne is
! responsible for the calling of the coun-
ell meeting for Monday night.
Mr.. Bergundthal is all right in what
! he says about the notion, said Mr..
/ Weber today, but he evidently forgot
that about an hour before he made that
motion, I had made motion to the eff
I feet that when we adjourned we should
/ auJoufn TO meet AOnGay nl&nl. 4naE
motion was carried unanimously. Mr..
/ Bergundthal's motion therefore simply
/ had the effect of adjourning the meeting
] till Monday night
This contention Of Mr.. Weber is sus-
/ tanned by the city clerk.
The friends Of the proposed gift-fran-
] chise say that nothing can now stop the
I passage of the ordinance. Councilmen
/ Nichols, Griley, Weber and Blossom. all
! of whom are in favor of the franchise,
/ expressed the opinion today that the or
/ dinance would be passed. Only four
councilmen are considered certain to
vote against it. They are Howe, Cha
ney, Snyder and Bergundthal If he is
1 present.