The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-20
If such Action Is Taken Mr..
Promises to Begin work on Ter
minaI Station in Thirty Days.
STANDARD CONTRACT CHANGE
WILL BE MADE To INCLUDE
FREIGHT RATE PROVISION.
There II Considerable Uncertainty
About Cross-TOwn Lines-Other
Municipal Affairs.

II the terminal plans offer enough ad-
vantage to the city the Board of Public
Works will omit the provision for car tax
alton in all the interurban franchises.
President MCGOWAN appeared before the
board yesterday morning and assured II
that he would have plans prepared at once
for the terminal system, and would also
have architects plans for the station and
would submit them next week. Yesterday
he was prepared to go no further than ne
had in the past as to details, but said if the
board omitted the tax and granted him a
franchise for a terminal company he would
make ready to clear the ground for the new
station within thirty days and to push work
on it. He said he already had plans of the
trackage system from his engineers, but
they might be revised considerably.
1t is likely the two ordinances approving
the contracts of the Shelbyville and Leb-
anon lines will be withdrawn from the
Council and new contracts made. The city
is likely TO revise its standard contract,
which all the roads will be asked to sign,
in two particulars. The revision will ex-
clude the car tax and include a new pro-
vision regarding freight charges. The ship
pers have sought to put the interurban
lines on the basis of common carriers, and
they ask that a provision be inserted that
the freight rates shall not be greater than
those of any other common carrier of
freight. This would fix a maximum cor
responding to the steam roads official
classification rates. Conferences between
the shippers committee and Robert Geddes,
representing the Board of Trade committee,
and Lew Dietz, representing the CONNER
cial Club committee, and Mr.. MCGOWAN
and Mr.. McCulloch have resulted in an un-
derstanding that this freight provision will
be accepted by the interurban roads. No
agreement of that nature has been reached,
but the shippers committee feels that this
provision will win.
At Yesterdays conference Mayor Book
walter urged Mr.. MCGOWAN TO state def
nitely whether he will build cross-town
lines. Mr.. MCGOWAN said he did not be-
lieve his contract required him to do this,
and that, in addition, he believed such lines
would be Improbable. He said the men
who owned the Indianapolis Street-railway
Company were entering an uncertain thing
when they financed the terminal company,
and they might abandon this scheme If the
city exacted many things in addition.
After some further discussion the board
said il would not act finally on the car tax
proposition until there was something in
writing before il. 1t was suggested that
Mr.. Winter, attorney for Mr.. MCGOWAN,
and City Attorney Joss together prepare
the contract through which Mr.. MCGOWAN
is to build the terminal system and sta
ton. When that document is prepared and
submitted the board will concede the elm
ination of the car tax if it's figures will
show that the city will be the gamer.
There was no meeting between Mr.. Nc
Culloch and the shippers yesterday after
noon, as the meeting Friday night had eX-
hausted the subject. Nothing further will
be done along this line until the revised
franchise is offered by the board.