The Topeka state journal., 1902-03-27
FIRE HEAVY GUNS.
VinewOOd Franchise Advocates
Open the Battle.
Attorney Jetmore Makes Some
Severe Statements.
KANSAS CITY CLAUSE.
1t is a Bugab0O and He Said
+" You Ought to Be Ashamed"
Refuse to Allow "No Sale"s
Clause Inserted
Another Meeting to Consider
the Question This Evening.

After bombarding the vinewood park
railway problem with oratory for two.
hours, the city council followed the ex
ample of Admiral Dewey, and at late
hour last night withdrew for breakfast
The cannonading will be resumed this
evening, beginning at o'clock. at
which time the waterworks question is
on the programme for some attention
| Nothing was done about the water
works situation last night, and it might
be added that nothing was done in the
Vinewood park case either. The friends
of the Vipewood park scheme succeeded
in plunging the council into a lengthy
discussion of their affairs. The discus
sion precipitated by a resolution
of Joseph Griley, and ended without
any tangible result
The committee on judiciary, which
has had the Vinewood park case in its
charge, held a meeting Wednesday af-
ternoon, Chairman Troutman being alb
sent, and tried to reach an agreement
with the Vinewood railway promoters
on some sort of a proposition to sub
init to the council. In this the COM
mittee failed, and it was therefore de-
council last night. The proposition Of
the committee that the railway be
granted a franchise around the block
bounded by Tenth, Kansas avenue
company. They insisted on something
closer to Sixth, Seventh or Eighth
streets.
The Vinewood railway campaign
managers drew up the Gri1ey resolu-
tion as a wedge to open the discussion
of the question, when they discovered
that the committee would not report to
the council last night. The resolution
committed the council to a formal ap-
proval of the granting of a franchise
in exactly the way the company wants
it. Councilman Griley moved its adop-
ton, and Councilman Swendson sec
onded the motion. Councilman CLANCY
moved as a substitute that the resolu-
tion be referred to the judiciary COM
mittee, and this motion. after two
hours debate, was carried.
1t is the intention of the council to
meet again at 8 o'clock this evening, at
which time the waterworks case will
first be taken up and disposed of, after
which the Vinewocd railway case is on
the docket. 1t is likely that both of the
problems will be considered in secret
session, but they ought not The peo-|
pie are entitled to know what their
servants are doing with these impor-
tant matters.
In the course of the. debate last night
Frank Kelley, manager of the Vine
wood park proposed railway, intro
duced two petitions in favor of the
road one signed by 176 business men,
people living in the southeast part of
town where there are no street railway
facilities.
Several other documents were also
of the resolution passed by the Com
mercial club indorsing the project.
Another was a renewal of the protest
of the people living OH Quincy street
track on that street All of the papers
were referred to the judiciary COM
mittee.
Some of the most influential business
men in town are now anxious to with
draw their names from the business
mems petition, because they claim
that they, did not understand the ma
ture of the project when they signed
the paper. This fact was brought TO
the attention of the council by Coun-
Gilman Clancy, a member of the judi
ciary committee.
After the Griley resolution had been
introduced. T F. Doran, attorney for
the Vinewood park railway, invited
himself to make a very eloquent speech
to the council in behalf of his clients.
He intimated that the council was try
ing to put off the consideration of the
ordinance until Chairman Troutman's
term of Office might expire. He insist
ed that the Vinewood park railway be
given an opportunity to at once pre-
sent its claims. and after reviewing the
case fully, called on Mr.. Curry and
others to make speeches.
Mr.. Curry talked, as did also Col. A.
B. Jetmore, another attorney for the
company Manager Kelley of the
company, and John E. Frost president
of the Commercial club both made
short speeches in favor of granting the
franchises.
Councilman Swendson and Council
of the question. Councilman Warner
urged the council to go slow in granting
a 20-year franchise. He said he had not
heard any objections to the granting of
the franchise, provided it should be
drawn so as to protect the city.
Councilman Miller wanted to know
what assurance the city would have
that the freight cars of the company
would not haul stone, baled hay and
milk cans to Kansas avenue to be un-
loaded. Manager Kelley gave his per-
sonal promise that freight should not
be hauled further than Madison street.
Councilman CLANCY, a member of the
judiciary committee, spoke in favor of
delaying action. He said:
THE judiciary committee has met
three or four times. 1t has tried to ar
rive at some agreement with the COM
pany 1t has failed partially because
of Mr.. Troutman's absence from the
city. Another. meeting was held this
afternoon, but the company refused to
accept our suggestions Under this pro-
posed franchise, the company can haul
any kind of freight anywhere it wants
to on it's line. There is nothing to pre-
vent it from dumping fiat cars at the
transfer station if it so desires. We ask
ed the company to include an agree
ment not to sell to any Kansas City
refused. When Mr.. Myers. the con-
tractor of the line was here. he said, |
L advised Mr.. Wilson to leave this
proposition alone l told him there was
nothing in 1t; that it would cost him
$4,000 a year for fixed charges. This
statement indicates to me that the COM
pany has some ulterior motive No sane |
man would invest 600 in this pro-
position 1 say, therefore that I am
opposed to railroading this proposition
through. The resolution should be re-
ferred to the judiciary committee
Attorney Jetmore was asked to ex-
plain whv the company is unwilling to