The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-07

patronage OF the shippers depended on IL.
The lowest rate he observed in the sched-
ule TO point was 80 cents per hundred
weight. The Greenfield line, he said, was
hauling freight twenty miles for cents per
hundred weight and the steam roads for
~ cents
The mayor INTERCEPTED here that carload
lots meant eighteen or twenty freight cars
day, and that IL would not be tolerable
for this number TO be in service through
the streets.
Mr.. Griffin asked why they need be in
the streets except after midnight and before
the business day began we could easily
load at night" he said. and they could
reach their destination easily by morning. "
Mr.. McCulloch said such an arrangement
would be practical
Mr.. Reach, who was still examining the
schedule, said: This schedule simply
means no freight business so far as we are
concerned and. that being the case, it
seems to me we are wasting our time dis
cussing the question further. The rates are
prohibitory."
Mr.. Drum and Mr. Griffin engaged in a
discussion of the weight of parcels shipped
from wholesale groceries. The latter said
80 per cent Of them exceeded $50 pounds.
Mr.. dibben said his packages would be, as
a rule, less than 80 pounds. Mr.. Drum
concluded that this meant the exclusive
use OF College avenue as a freight line, and
all laughed.
THE CITY'S POLICY.
Mayor Bookwalter then outlined the pol
Icy of the administration toward the inter
urban companies. He said il would be that
all the companies must quit using the
streets for their freight depot work. He
had constant complaint from the fire chief
about the obstructed condition of Meridian
street. He meant to require them all TO en-
! ter one terminal for passengers and another
! for freight. In explanation of this policy
/ the mayor said IL was determined before
/ any interurban franchise was granted TO
| COnQenqo standard fran
chise was adopted and the board waited
Tor the companies TO come and sign. Inc
| pany, and subsequently other companies
combined and complicated the question by
demanding not only separate terminal
/ arrangement but competing local service
lines. These things had blocked the policy
| of the administration. But, he said, the
| situation had reached point where the
city would insist at once on the establish
| meut of the loop system about Pennsylva-
! MIA, Georgia, Capitol avenue and Ohio
| streets for all interurban traffic.
| That loop system is the proper manner
to distribute the lnterurban business, he
| said, and shall insist within the next
| ten days that the companies meet with the
! city ard arrange for their terminal faciil-
| ties with that loop a basis 1t is the
| best plan for all the people, and 1t Will not
be the policy TO require more than light
freight business. The administration Will
| not permit the public streets to be nlled
with unsightly freight cars. The companies
must get together. There now nine
| financed to terminate in the streets or THIS
city. one OF them is projected as through
line to Cincinnati Now, if we are going
| to treat this interurban question as the old
woman did the rag carpet she made-hit or
miss-we will never accomplish anything.
RATES AND COMPETITION.
As to the rates, the mayor said if the city
secured indiscriminate rates it will accom-
plish all that can be asked. Competition
he said. would determine the rest. AS for
the merchants, he said they constituted one
Of the most substantial and well-doing ele-
ments of the citys population. But they
are not all the people. he said. smiling
there are many others, and their interests
must be regarded"
In ending the mayor said. with much en-
phasis, that Mr.. McCulloch must establish
freight service for Indianapolis at once
The technical construction of the franchise
of the company had not been enforced, he
said, because in the general policy of bring
ing all the terminals TO one point IL would
have meant only stubbornness to insist or
that. But he said there must be a service
established at once.
IF YOU can wait couple of weeks" said
1--WE heard that two weeks story three
weeks ago, Mr.. McCulloch," said the
mayor. What we want to know now is
what you are ready to do?'
I'VE can give you full service in two
weeks or "a service Monday"
Then give US "a service Monday SAID
the mayor.
Later II was decided that there was ne
need for service Monday just to have serv.
ice, and further conference will be held
regarding rates. The schedule prepared
was based on fast express business. with
frequent cars, thus making high rates. Il
is understood that the service the Unior
company will give will be moderate at the
start and grow as it's business grows, al
WAYS keeping up its adequacy.