The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-12
YINEWOOD SITUATION.
How It Seems to Stand at the Present
Time,


So confident are the hackers Of the
Topeka & vinewood Park Railway
company that they have everything their
own way with the city council. that
they win make an effort at the council
meeting this evening to have several
changes made in the ordinance which
viii give the company more favorable
terms. They have the earth now.
Attorney r F. Doran was asked to-
day what the company proposed to ask
the council to do for It. "Oh we are
lively corpses. We will not ask for
much. We simply want the provision
concerning the running OF cars to Cali
fornia avenue changed. and this change
is satisfactory 10 Mr.. Howe
VIII you ask that the ordinance be
changed to prevent the city railway
from using your tracks at ALP
That section Is to be changed simply
in the wording" said Mr.. Doran. THE
change is not OF any Importance"
The council seems disposed to give
the company whatever 1t asks for, and
it viii no doubt get the amendments it
seeks. The people should note each
councilman who gives away the fran
chise.
Mayor Parker knows this proposed or
dinance is a fraud pure and simple All
this talk about giving the people in the
southeast part of the city street car
facilities is a mere cats paw. The
mayor has objections to the ordinance
| and serious ones. He stated in his veto
message that he had other objections
besides the ones he named. If he con-
siders the best interests of Topeka, re-
gardless OF any private interests, he VITA
veto the message without compunctiOn-
The veto power is given a mayor for
just this purpose. If he is convinced
in his own mind that the city is being
swindled or deceived or is attempting
to give away something of value for
nothing. the public viii justify him in
defeating the ordinance. The merchants
are opposed TO the whole scheme, but
are afraid to say SO. If the mayor dis.
! plays the nerve he has on some other
occasions he VIII never approve the
/ Vinewood project.
The indications are that the council
meeting this evening viii be short
+ There are no matters of great impOr-
/ tance to come up except the Vinewood
franchise. This win be reintroduceds
with certain immaterial amendments
/ and probably be railroaded through at
/ the meeting to final passage
/ It was reported in this mornings
/ Kansas City Journal that Joseph Helm,
the hacker OF the proposed Kansas City
/ Topeka line, has announced that he will
not try to build a line from Topeka to
! Kansas City. owing to the necessity OF
/ building three bridges across the KAN
sas river. at a cost of 100000 each.
This announcement was no doubt
made by Mr. Helm at this time to re-
move certain obstacles from the way OF
/ the Topeka city council in passing the
! VineWoOd park ordinance. Mr.. Helm
! had no doubt been informed that it
/ would be very bad policy to continue
telling Of his plans for Topeka line if
| he expected the VineWOod company to
get its franchise and secure terminal
| rights for him. So he has ostensibly
| thrown up the whole proposed road. The
Kansas City Journal says:
49, -
struction Of three bridges across the
! Kaw, each to cost approxiIna tely $780,
/ 000 it is said that the plan for the Helm
| syndicate furnishing capital to build the
! Winner line from Kansas City to To-
peka is off. Bridges could be put up for
less money. but they would not answer
/ the purpose of the road ten or twenty
years from now.
may give impetus to this newest of ven
lures. Speaking of the Topeka scheme a
! man who was interested in the project
said yesterday:
. When Helm and the Milwaukee mar
| were told that the three bridges could b
| built for $500 600. When they turned the
| field notes over to their engineers they
| fond that such bridges as they might ex-
| pect to have need for ten and twenty
each The ROCK Island has BEEN 1' renting ihiina
tracks here all these years merely because
II did not want to incur the expense OF
found would be needed. a bridge thai
would be strong enough to carry a street
car would not be strong enough to carr
dividends. and consequently would be OF
no account As near as I could di~@.vel
if Helm had taken up the proposition hs
would have put in heavy railroad bridges
so that he might collect revenues from
sources other than the trolley line. The
deal is off, anyhow. SO far as the Helm
syndicate Is concerned
1.-Two weeks ago Mr.. Winner, owner Of
the right of way between Kansas City ana
Topeka, made a statement that regardless:
Of the Helm crowd, he was going ahead
with his plans, and he added that he haC