The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-08
NEW RAILROAD CONTRACT
Az ANuCABLE AGREEMENT REACHED
BIZ ALL PARTIES.
Railroad and City Omcials Go Over
the Franchise section by See
tion-MunicfpaI Affairs.

AS the result OF a long conference behind
locked doors the Board of Public Works
ana the officials OF the indianapolis South
ern Railroad came to a full agreement late
yesterday evening. Some time before noon
to-day the contract between the city and
the road will be ready for signatures and
question which has kept all concerned on
the anxious seat for months will be ad-
justed satisfactorily to all parties.
At the meeting I'm the office OF the board
yesterday the mayor. the members of the
board, President d. NJ. Parry. of the South
ern Company. w. r. Stevenson and Henry
Rauh. officials of the road. Engineer Hazel
rigg. Of the Southern. and Addison c. Har-
ris and Fred a. Joss. attorneys. respective
~. for the road and the city. spent several
hours going over a rough draft of the con-
tract section by section. The draft had
been made by Mr.. Joss after several con-
ferences with the board. Mr.. Harris. repre-
senting the road. had been informed Of the
provisions OF the contract and had prepared
the suggestions and objections of his
clients.
AMICABLE AGREEMENT.
other than that an amicable and salts
factory agreement had been reached no in
formation TO what took place at the con-
ference was given out. 1t was stated that
MIR. Joss draft was read section by sec
tiOn and discussed at length. An official of
the Southern company stated that no dis
agreement of any consequence had devel-
Oped and that the Board Of Works and the
company acting in harmony. Mayor
Bookwalter and Chairman Megrew stated
that Mr.. Harris and Mr.. Joss had been
given the contract to whip into proper legal
form. He stated. as did an official of the
Southern, that the terms of the completed
instrument will differ very little from the
outline OF the franchise printed in the Jour
nal several weeks ago. The main provi-
sions will be practically the same.
The road will be given the Pogue's run
route. There has never been disposition
on the part of the board II is stated. to
force the road to come in any other way.
The petitions and remonstrances of the
South Side citizens who against the
route inclined the board toward deliberate
action. but its intention had never been
swayed.
The coal rate which the road will be
required by the terms Of the franchise to
maintain will be slightly higher than the
rate first cOnsidered-30 cents a ton. a
rate OF one-half cent per ton for each mile
hauled will be fixed. ID. NJ. Parry says
that this Will amount to between 80 and 30
cents Der ton. since the hauling distance
will be between sixty-ive and seventy
miles.
AN UNFAIR PROVISION.
The road will not be required to COM
plete its construction work outside the linn
its of the city before ID is allowed TO enter.
In the conference yesterday afternoon the
officials of the company convinced the
board that such a provision in the contract
would be unfair. Instead it will be provid-
ed that the road must be finished in five
years from the date of signing the con-
tract and heavy bond will be given the
city that the construction will be finished
within the time stated
The Southern Will be at the beck and
call of the Board of Works as to track
elevation a provision has been placed in
the contract which binds the road to agree
20 track elevation when. i'm the judgment
If the board. IL shall ne necessary. 1t is
stated that the Southern may be required
90 elevate Independently of what the other
railroads may do.
The nth section states that the Southern
must agree to the use of its tracks into
the city by any other coal road that may
be established later and may desire to use
the tracks OF the Southern to get into In
dianapolis.
The other provisions are of lesser impor-
tenCe and did not il is stated. furnish
subject of contention.
City Attorney Joss stated last night that
while the completed contract may be
ready by noon to-day, there is a probability
that il will not be signed by the Board of
Works and the officials of the company
until after another conference Wednesday.