The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-20
Citizens Urge House of Delegates
to Refuse Terminal Fran
chises Asked.
ARBITRARY is THE MAIN ISSUE.
Suggestions Made That Amend
ments to Charter Be Voted
Upon for Municipal Own
crship of Bridge.

Vehement protests against granting any
Of the ordinances desired by the Terminal
Association, under the present conditions.
we're made yesterday afternoon before the
Railway Committee OF the House of Dele
gates by representatives OF ST. Louis bust
ness interests. real estate men and prop
erty owners on the Levee.
Suggestions were made that another
amendment be made to the Charter au-
thorizing bond issue for the building of a
bridge, to be owned by the city.
Frequent references were made to the
proposition of abolishing the House of
Delegates. always coupled with the prom
Use that II the present House refused to
grant the concessions asked by the Ter
minal Association there would be no further
agitation in regard to the abandonment OF
the House.
The consensus Of opinion seemed to be
that the abolition Of the bridge arbitrary.
making terminals in St. Louis and a more
definite understanding upon the matter OF
switching charges would be fair II not
too small a price for the privileges de-
sired.
All the speakers were practically unani-
nous In stating that the Worlds Fair does
not depend for fits success on the plans of
the Terminal Association. and IL It did.
should not be considered.
Henry Fairback president of the Build
ers' Exchange. was among the first to be
recognized by Chairman W. D. Griffin when
the session was called to order at D. m.
Mr.. Fairback stated that the most i'm
portant matter was the price of the fran
chise.
S. NJ. Ryan. president of the ST. Louis
Single-Tax League. stated with reference
to the claim Of the Worlds Fair officials
that they were spending so much money
for the success of the Fair that it should
DO understood that 1t was the citizens
money they were spending and that the
citizens had right to say what should be
done for the Fair. Mr.. Ryan advocated the
exaction Of heavy payment for the grant
ing Of the franchise.
FIGURES SHOW CHARGES.
A. D. Brown of the Hamilton Brown Shoe
Company presented petition signed by n
number Of wholesale merchants. insisting
upon a st. Louis bill Of lading and definite
switching charges.
The statement showed that from twenty
four to fortyeight hours were lost in get
ting goods from East st. Louis to ST. Louis,
and St. Louis should have its terminals on
this side Of the river.
An outburst Of applause followed the read
ing OF a freight bill presented by Mr.. Brown,
stating that the rate on a package of
leather from East st. Louis to ST. Louis
was one-fourth Of the cost OF shipping the
package from Milwaukee to st. Louis
Among the signatures affixed to the state
ment were officials OF the following firms:
Hamilton Brown Shoe Company. Ferguson
Mckinney Dry Goods Company, Ely-walker
Dry Goods Company. Rice-Stix Dry Goods
Company. the Brown Shoe Company. la
Prelle Shoe Company. the Courtney Shoe
Company, Neutrality-suspicious. Shoe Com
pany. Goodfellow-Brooks Shoe Company
and a number of other shoe and dry goods
companies.
TO ABOLISH BRIDGE TOLL
]. Brge, connected with st. Louis man
ufacturing interests, stated that st. Louis
is the only city in the United States that
pays one cent of bridge toll. and that an ar
rangement should be made whereby this
cost could be done away with.
s. l. Mosier Of the Single Tax League
stated that the question was entirely one Of
In the course OF his remarks
Mr.. Mosier read section Of the Congress
SIGNAL Record wherein the Charter was
granted for the building of the Merchants
bridge. one Of the considerations being that
it should not in any way be consolidated
with another bridge. and in case this was
done 1t should be at once forfeited to the
United States Government.
A. o. Berry Of the Berry Coal Company
filed tariff records which he claimed show
that the cost of carrying coal across the
bridge at Memphis is % cents ton, while
it is 80 cents ton from East st. Louis to
st. Louis.
James 8. Brown. representing the business
stated that the tunnel could be
made much better by installing in it better
for ventilation.
When Attorney James R. Taddill an
nounced his name some one In the audience
asked him If he represented the same par
ties he did recently at Jefferson City.
Il represent the property owners on the
Levee." said Mr.. Waddill. ct do not know
you and I am glad that DON'T
Mr.. Waddill contended that The Terminal
would take up the entire Lev.e :. .. when
The time, not far distant, came, and the
Mississippi River would be deep water to
the Gulf, the Levee could not then be used
Tor river commerce.
"If this loop ordinance passes" he said,
you will hear echoes in the court for
years"
ACTION OF TRADES UNION.
Thos Walters Of the Central Trades and
Labor Union presented resolution Of the
cider in which approval Of The action of
he House of Delegates is expressed in its
lot being hurried into passing the loop or
finance and urging that 1t be not granted |
below Valentine street.
Representatives of the Tower Grove I'M |
provement Association presented a resolu-
ton practically expressing the same senti-
ments as contained In the resolution pub |
lished recently in The Republic.
Manager Conner Of the Hoyt Metal Com |
pany stated that the company yesterday |
had taken an option on property in East St. |
Louis and would move there on account of |
the cost Of bringing coal over the bridge to ,
St. Louis. He stated that the company ,
could save about sl.42o a month by moving. |
Frank H. Gerhardt related how the Fed |
aral Lead Works had been unable to locate |
In st. Louis on account OF the bridge arbi- |
trary but had located near Alton. where a. !
city Of 1000 had been established. Mr. |
Gerhardt espoused municipal ownership CT |
the bridge.
Other speeches were made by business
men and representatives OF organizations
along these lines. all unanimous In con-