The Oskaloosa herald., 1902-02-20
GETTING TOGETHER.
Electric Franchises Emerging
from Misunderstanding.


by the electricIstreet car ordinances
that are now before the city council.
The result of the council meeting of
Monday was the adjusting of the diff
ferences between the council and the
o. & T. Company on the passing of
the O'Neill measures for electric road
and light ordinances upon their first
reading. The council adjourned to
study up bit upon parliamentary
usage and meet again Tuesday even.
ing for the continuing of the reading
of the ordinances.
The meeting was called for Monday
evening in the usual place, but long
before the hour for converting the
council chamber had been filed to
overlooking by great crowd of aux
ious and interested citizens. The
hall refused to accommodate more peo-
pie and the meeting was called TO ad-
journ to the court house. The meet
ing Of Tuesday evening will be in the
same place.
The gentlemen of the council and
the auditors were seated and the ball
was started. by Mayor Wray, who
made sort of opening statement to
the effect that he had been reported
in current street gossip as being ad-
verse toithe Tama and Buxton road.
He wished to state that he was very
much in favor of the proposition but
he was also for the O'Neil proposi-
ton Of electric road and light and he
wished the city to have both of the
propositions. Mr.. Hagan, of the Sec
ond ward, called forsthe reading of
the report. of the ordinance commit
tee. Preliminary to the presenting
of the committee report Laffollett, of
the First!ward, chairman of the COM
mittee, made few laconic statements
that were to the point and the ap-
plause of the house evidenced the
fact that the gentleman was in line
with the sentiments of the people
present. He said that the report of
the committee was favorable to the
proposition of the o. & T. people and
that it should meet with endorsement
both at the hands of the council and
before the people of the city. Oska'
loosa has had many good things in
her time, and many of the good
things offered had been turned aside
and away from the city by the apathy
of the business people. 1t had been
the policy OF the city in great many
instances to ait back and say, "Oh
yes it's "a good thing, but it will come
anyway" and thus many things that
would have advanced her prosperity
have been permitted to go some 9TH
er way. This electric proposition as
presented by the ordinance commit
tee was thing that was for the well
fare and future prosperity of the city
and Oskaloosa could not afford to
turn aside and depart from it.
''If We defeat this proposition which
is the best thing thsti has ever been
presented to theicity," earnestly ex'
horted Mr.. Laffollett, "Oskaloosa will
be dead one for all tim TO come
1t willsbei!a bsck-set that the town
cannot recover from in years to come
if it ever does. If we pass this chance
we must GO away back and eli
DOWN. And.the crowd of citizens
present seconded every word that the
gentleman from the First had uttered
The.ordinance committee had pre-
pared 'au ordinance in the main like
the one that had been presented tc
them for. denomination with the excep
ton of here and there change fol
the betterment of the plans. This
report was adopted with a whoop
The ordinance was read and made {
part of the report. The ordinance
having been read, Councilman Aug
ustine of the Fourth asked if the o
T. Company would accept the ordi
nance as read, and then followed
talks by Attorney B. W. Preston anc
DR.. Clark. 1t was explained wha
changes the company desired anc
why and the explanations were en-
tirely satisfactory to the council ant
tle people of the city assembled.
The ordinance THAT was presented
by the committee was on motion sub
stituted for the that ha'
been passed on its first reading ant
is now ready for passage on the sec
ond this Tuesday evening.
Mr.. O'Neill and his ordinances wer'
called up and the gentleman tool
occasion to reaffirm his friendship
for the o & proposition. He de
sired to see.this road built as earn
estly as any of the citizens presen
and heiwas on the best of terms witt
the o & T Companyscontra repor
to the contrary Notwithstanding
The remarks were roundly applaude'
by the house.
Mr.O'Neill's ordinances for the ur
ban electric line in the city of Oska
loosa and the Electric light franchis
were read by Mr.IO'Neill and the.
were passed upon their first reading
The ordinances were referred i'm
mediately.to the ordinance commit
tee and received an immediate re
port as favorable for passage. Tn
report of the committee was i'm