The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-15
RAND MAKES MOVE
For Further Taxation of Chicago
- Great Western.
RIGHT TO CROSS SECOND ST.
1t Looks Now az Though Ordinance
Would Be Hard to Z. s..
Get.

From the present outlook it is going to
be hard job for the Chicago Great Vest
ern railway company and the city council
to come to satisfactory understanding
in the matter of the ordinance giving the
company the right to cross Second street
+ S with three additional tracks.
Alderman Rand has led the opposition,
taking the ground that the company must
first consent to include all Of it's property
in the city as subject to assessment for
special improvements in return for the
privileges granted. The company has
thus far refused to accept these terms.
Now comes Alderman Rand with new
proposition intended to- reach the same
end by different vote. At last nights
meeting of the council he made motion
that the city engineer, city assessor and
the other proper city officials be in
structed to place all the property Of the
Chicago Great Western company within
the city limits on the list of assessable
property. The purpose of this is to COM
pei the company to pay assessments for
all special improvements in streets abut-
ting its property, whether the land is
used for railroad purposes or not. +,
Rand contends that this course is legal,
and justified by the fact that the company
pays but Q per cent gross earnings tax
to the state, instead of per cent-as re-
quired of most Of the other companies.
and that no exception Is made in the
company's charter in the case of special
assessments. 49,. -. l.Ass,xs-
The company is willing to stand for It's
share of all special assessment made
against the property involved in the de-
sired ordinance, but holds out against the
inclusion Of all it's property in the city
as putting too heavy a burden of taxation
on It,.
The motion was adopted by the council
without comment ..=-x
Alderman Powers is. not yet wholly
reconciled to the defeat of his three-cent
car fare ordinance at the previous meet
ing Of the council. While deeply disap-
pointed over the defeat Of the ordinance
he Is more concerned over the summary
way it was accomplished, he says. BY
denying the right, Of a minority to go on
record he insists that the council estab-
lished dangerous precedent, and last
night he asked that the minutes of the
previous meeting in this regard be cor
rected. The chair ruled that the records
must stand. and then to make the coun-
ellis course in the future plain. Alder
man Powers presented a resolution re-
curing that hereafter when there is
minority report both reports be read be-
fore any action is taken. The resolution
was sent to the committee on rules.
The council adopted the report of the
ways and means committee recommending
that the $400 bill of expenses of the last
charter commission be provided for in
the next tax levy.
Only one vote was cast against the re-.
port of the special committee recommend
ing the. adoption Of the resolu-
tion requiring the street railway company
to double the present service on all lines,
in the city between the hours of $3.50, $3.50
a. M, and z p. m. The new service
must be put in effect by April L.
President Jones announced the person
mel of the 1902 bicycle path committee as
follows. Main, Foell, Chatfield, Leighton,
Merrill, Holmes, N. ]. Nelson, McCune,
Mccoy, Sibley, Peterson, Castle and Suth-
erland.
The sum Of $500 was Appropriated to aid
in meeting the expense Of the eight hour
day league convention to be held in Min
neapolis next September.