The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-09
vINEWOOD WINS.
Secures Franchise Covering
Large Portion of City.
Given Right on Polk Street De-
spite Protests.
TO REACH WASHBURN
Martin & Dennis Route Changed
to Remove Objections.
Proposed to Tear Up More of
Quincy Street Asphalt.

nnal passage of the ordinance the vote
stood for and 8 against.
A strong lobby was present against
several of the proposed routes The
Rock Island depot route lobby succeeded
in sending the new line down Quincy
street instead of down Van Buren, thus
completing the probable destruction of
another of TCpeka's beautiful thorough
fares. The bitterest kind of a fight was
made on the proposed route out Polk
street to the DOuthitt tract but 1t fail
ed. in its object to turn the line over to
Western avenue. and the franchise as
passed gives the company the right to
build a single track down Polk. The
single track feature was in the nature
of a compromise with the Polk street
delegation. The proposed WaShburn
college route was entirely changed at
the request of the Vinewood company,
and the Objectionable features removed,
so the Washburn-D Dennis & Martin lob
by did not have a chance to make
speeches. The line to Potwin was al
lowed to go through without opposition.
When 1t came to vote on several of
the questions, the voice of a single
councilman was enough to turn the
scale one way or the other. On the ac-
ceptance of the Van Buren, street route
the vote was a tie and the motion to
adopt was therefore declared lost Ten
councilmen were present them. Later
on Councilman Blanch came in, and on
the Polk street route the vote was to 5.
Councilman Bergundthal was sick and
could not attend the meeting.
MUST BUY THEIR BRICK-
In a decisive manner the council last
night settled once for all tn question
of whether the Vinewood company shall
use the brick which it tears up in the
paved streets to repaVe its right of way.
The council twice went on record during
the evening as being opposed to giving
the company free of charge the material
with which to pave its track In the
future, the city viii get all of the paw
ing material which the Vinewood COM
pany takes out of the streets.
The first test of strength on this ques
ton came up when the franchise ordi-
nance was under discussion City At
torney Spencer stated that the ordinance
ought to provide who shall get the ma
terial, and he proposed two amendments
to the ordinance, one giving the brick
to the company. and the other providing
that the company shall pay for paving
its own right of way, the city to get all
the material from the streets. The lat
Manager Frank Kelley of the company
urged that the company should be al
lowed to use the material.
The second test came up when a reso-
luton was sprung signed by Council
men Nichols, Blanch. Wolf Swendson
Blossom, Griley. Neil and Tincher, adj
vocating that the Vinewood company
be allowed to use the city's material to
pave the intersection of Van Buren, and
Seventh, and on Fifth street from Van
Buren, to Kansas avenue. on both sides
of the track. Mayor Parker made a few
! spirited remarks on this resolution, and
demanded that the council stand by its
guns, and refuse to give the Vinewood
company any more paving material.
Several of the councilnen who signed
the resolution stated that they did so
on the advice of the city engineer, who
| told them that the Vinewood company
! agreed as compensation for the ma
/ terial to do certain leveling of the pave
ment to make it join better with the
/ grade of the track. The amount of grad
ing proved to be so insignificant, how
! ever that when the vote vas taken.
only Wolf, Nichols and Swendson voted
to give away the city's material.
There were a few minor changes made
in the body of the ordinance. One
amendment suggested by City Attorney
Spencer provided that the company
must begin work on the new lines with
| in y months. and must have them all
completed within two years.
On the final passage, Snyder, Neil and
Howe voted no, on the ground that the
franchise should not be granted with
out some suitable compensation by the
| company. Blossom, Wolf Weber
| Blanch, SwendSon, Tincher, Nichols and
Griley voted in it's favor.
CHANGED TO QUINCY STREET.
When the franchise ordinance came
up for consideration. the first fight oc-
depot line. The franchise provided q
route down Van Buren, street from
Fifth 1t was changed to Quincy from
Fifth north to First
Frank Thomas spoke on behalf of Var
Buren, street property owners. He said
| in part:
I'VE have nice street there. not dis
| figured with poles or wires. We don
want the court house corner dishgured
/ represent the Chester Thomas, Jr., es
tate which fronts on the court house
square. I know that I am opposed t.
having car line on that street Mrs
G.. G. Gage is greatly opposed to it, Os
car KrauSS is opposed to it F2the
Henry of the Catholic church is oooos
ed to it. Mrs. Gage would have beer
here tonight but said she thought i
wouldn't do any good This council give
the Vinewood road almost anything i
wants 1t has never refused ANYTHING
yet If the road wants the Auditorium
for carbarn il could get it. We ar
opposed to having a carline on tina
street.
Others who spoke against allowing th'
carline on that street were M. Council
Henry Eesper, representative of tn
German Lutheran church. and severa
others.
When the question came up for vote
a motion was made to accept the Val
Buren, street route. Councilman Webe
moved to amend by rejecting Val
Buren, street. The amendment was los
by vote of to 5. The original motion
was also lost by the same tie VOTE Gri
ley. SNYDER. Weber. Howe and Tinche
voted against this route.
After this peculiar outcome, Attorne.
T. F. Doran made speech in behalf o
the Vinewood company and asked tn
council to grant the company a right o
way down Quincy street instead of o.
: Van Buren,.
: Councilman Nichols moved that thi
request be granted. This time the vot
was to 4, and the Quincy street rout
was adopted. Councilman Tincher wa
the man who broke the tie on this vote
The four counciImen who OPPOSE
Quincy did 50 on the ground that RI
} people there had been given no chanc
to protest and that by putting line @
Quincy one of the best driving street
in Topeka would be spoiled. The coun
Gil followed its usual custom. however