The Topeka state journal., 1902-05-10
v1rEwooD AGAIN.

vINEWOoD AGAIN.
The promoters Of the kansas city
Vinewood proposition, at each effort to
restrict their wholesale demands, have
replied to the city council, I'VE will
not accept these provisions" They have
always wound themselves up by ac-
cepung them. This paper has persis-
tently maintained that they would ac-
cept almost anything If they could Sc
cure a mere franchise for doing busi-
ness in the city of Topeka, even along a
few blocks anywhere this side Of the
Shunganunga. It was positively as
serted. when the mayor and council
proposed the last amendment, that the
company would under no circumstances
accept it. All these assertions on the
part of the Vinewood people were
simply made for effect. So confident
were they that they could secure not
only a franchise to enter the town. but
to cross Kansas avenue two or three
times, that their asking grew with
the sure things they saw ahead.
After the council commenced to kill
the demands. one time after another.
and the Vinewood people saw that they
could not procure just what they would
like. they began to see they must take
what they could get.
This is the reason why after the
scheme has been killed four or FIVE
times. a terrific effort will be again
made, Monday night. before the council
to secure some kind of a franchise into
Topeka and over our streets.
Just why this vinewood company.
whose only hope for profit lie in
Kansas City end. should be given, for
practically nothing. valuable franchise
IS beyond comprehension. What benefit
win it give our people? And will 1t
not do certain harm? The people of
Highland Park and vicinity do not rep
resent five per cent. of our population.
and yet they are debating what our
merchants shall do, while those mer-
chants are not opposed to a railway to
the city, vet many Of them are opposed
to the present fraudulent methods in
vOlved. The excuse the councilrnen
have for the giving away of valuable
rights for no return to the city lies in
a petition signed by very many promi-
nent and influential merchants, dated
March II, 1902, and reading in full as
follows:
ITO the Honorable Mayor and City Coun-
81 OF Topeka Kansas. Gentlemen. We,
the undersigned. citizens and taxpayers,
respectfully request that the franchise
as asked for by the Topeka & Vinewood
Railway, be granted
This petition is signed by Crosby Bros.
Warren NJ. Crosby, Southwestern Fuel
Co. S. Barnum & Co.. P. I. Bonebrake,
Palace Clothing Co. August Clothing Co,
and a hundred other prominent and re-
sponsible business firms of this city Since
that petition was signed many events
have transpired and many new things have
developed.
IF has heen abovyp ne +bin1x .a+isfo, =,
torily to all our readers that the Vine
wood Park Railway company has no idea
of doing what it claimed it would do; that
it VIII not spend 100000 or anything like
1t on any resort line. If any such sum
is expended it will be by Kansas City
capital on a through line from Kansas
City, No. to Topeka
If the people Of this city permit the
council and mayor to pass and approve
the Vinewood park ordinance they must
make UP their minds that the line win be
in the control of Kansas City enterprise
and that it viii also give US two electric
lines in this city
To be sure, the Topeka Railway company
as at present constituted is a miserable
affair. It's ears are old and rickety, it's
rails are light and totally inadequate for
the service required. But we believe the
present city company is about to make
great improvements and give us a modern
and up-to-date equipment and service. The
State Journal thinks it should be given
this opportunity. If the old Missouri and
Kansas Telephone company had given its
patrons Of Topeka a decent service there
would have been but one telephone line in
this city today. Now there are two. We
have to pay for both Of them Do we want
I to pay two street car companies? If the
J present Topeka Railway company does
not very shortly stir its stumps" and put
/ in the promised improvements and also
J give the southeast portion of the city and
suburbs transportation facilities. this pa
/ per win be among the first to encourage
some other company to do this for US.