Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-05-31
Appointment Of Ten Thousand Dollar Expert
Means Part Of Organized Plan for
Delay.
Significant Announcement that Mayor Harri.
son "Clngs to the Chair"-Some Funny
"Harmony' Talk.

Just as the Eagle has time and again
said to its readers and the public. it is
now given out In semi-Oificial fashion
at the City Hall that there is to he more
delay in the settlement of the franchise
question.
Following Is the statement in Ques.
ton as sent out from municipal head
quarters through the City Press Associ.
alton the other day:
Notwithstanding rumors among
stock brokers that the traction com.
panies are ready to make their offers
10 the City Council a general belief pre-
walls among the Aldermen that propos.
ais for the extension of franchises will
he deferred until after the summer va.
cation. Although the Chicago City
Railway Is half expected to present an
offer to the Council by June III. the
date set for the reception OF proposals
by Alderman Palmers resolution. mem.
bers of the Local Transportation Com
mlt,ee asert that they would have
grounds for believing that the order
will be ignored by the street railway
companies"
This Is just what everybody who has
studied the traction question and the
manner In which IL has been handled
has been expecting all along.
The talk about propositions from the
traction companies on the date set by
Alderman Palmers resolution Is pure
nonsense. Some people ask what Is the
use OF talking about bids from the
traction companies" when the city IL
going ahead with "ten thousand-dol-
lar beauty" In the shape Of an intra.
mural transportation expert, who Is In
structed to draw up schemes and plans
that In variety, extent and magnificence
Of scope beats anything outside Of an
ARABIAN Nights" tale or pipe dream.
There are many who have given this
subject careful consideration who be-
lieve that the employment of this expert,
the creation of bureau to draw up
Utopian schemes which never could be
carried into effect In this city. Is but
part Of a general scheme to postpone
and delay the rational and reasonable
settlement Of this question. so that II
may toIlIllut W b' u-Nu ps ''''"h'
ottice.loving politicians and officials as
u campaign issue next spring.
From one eXtravagant idea to an
other the dreamers and "dopers" in the
realm of municipal refOrmers are being
cunningly led by the nose by the schem
ers who want delay for political pur
poses only.
What does the public think, for In
stance, Of the following extract from !
daily contemporary on this same sub
ject?
Chicago will undoubtedly follow thu
lead Of the cities named In removing
street railway traffic from the surface
of the streets In the business district
The subway policy has passed the eX
perimental stage.
.'The conditions In this city are pc
cullarly ripe for treating the transpoi
tatlon problem broadly and effectively
The elevated systems, especially TIT
Union Loop, are admittedly temporary
makeshifts.
I'm time the Union Loop structure
instead Of being amplified, will be rele
gated 10 the Junk pile, and the down
town streets OF Chicago will be freed
from cumbersome overhead or surface
tracks.
"a complete subway system vii
solve the downtown traction problem
but before that time comes the peOpl,
Of this city will have learned the folly
Of granting franchises to private com
panies."
Here we have half a dozen fads al
embodied In one brief article, and The
schemers for continual connection witt
the public pap favor them all, indeed
inspire some Of them. Subways fOl
transportation under a city built upon
II swamp and with skyScrapcrs settling
steadily, Notwithstanding "Xtraordi
nary artificial foundations. What wOult
happen, we should like 10 know, in east
Of cloudburst such as choked ever!
sewer In Chicago the other day, an'
flooded every basement in the city:
The relcgatiou Of the elevated roa'
structures 10 tn" junk shop,
And, worst Of all, the pestferous an'
impractlcable municipal ownership
idea.
Poor Chicago.