The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-31
1nterurban Railway Promoters
Inclined to Make Concessions.
Waive the Contention About
Freight Service.
THAT CASH GUARANTEE
Now Ask That 1t Be Made Small
as Possible.
Committee Recon- mends Amend
ed Ordinance for Passage.

Backers of the proposed Manhattan
Electric railway are inclined to weaken
in their attitude of opposition to the
terms of the franchise demanded by the
city council, and there is some possi-
bility that they will concede all the
points in question, and accept the fran
chise in the shape the city is willing to
grant it.
At the meeting of the street and walks
committee Friday night, the company
bowed very humbly to the will of the
committee in the matter of running
freight cars on the line in daytime. In
stead of insisting that they be allowed
to run freight cars at any time, day or
night, they voluntarily offered to limit
the time for freight traffic between the
hours of p. m. and 8 a. m. When some
of the members of committee objected,
they offered to change it to 10 p. m. and
a. m, and this seemed to be satisfac-
tory.
For a long time the committee argued
the question of cash guarantee with
L. s. Dolman and A. NJ. Baird, who were
present representing the company. 1t
was noticeable that these gentlemen
have now changed their tack little,
and instead of fatty refusing to even
consider the giving of a cash guarantee,
they were inclined to merely plead with
the council to make the amount as
small as possible. Of course they OBJ
jected strenuously to any guarantee, but
they did not refuse to talk about it.
Mr.. Dolman said: I'VE want you to be
just as lenient with us as you can, be-
cause we are risking a lot of money as
it is and Mr.. Baird said: IF you
make US put up cash bond. it means
that we will have to go right down in
our pockets for the money. We could
profile the road clear to Silver Lake for
S1,0O0.n
In regard to the blanket franchise
over all streets in North Topeka, there
was not much discussion. The ques-
ton was passed over rather lightly 1t
is probable that this can be settled, IN
case the rest of the ordinance is made
all right. The only objection which the
company offers to a definite selection of
its route is that it is afraid that the
city railway will try to occupy its
streets first. 1t is likely that some sort
of a secret agreement can be made with
the city relative to what streets shall
be used. Mr.. Baird said last night:
I'VE know just about where we want to
CO. and [ can assure you, gentlemen,
that we don't want to occupy but very
few streets in North Topeka
committee voted to recommend the ordi-
nance to the council for passage. This
action, hover. is of no real significance,
as it merely saved the question from
death in the committee, and brings the
whole thing before the council, where,
after all, the questions at issue must be
settled. Five members of the committee
voted to recommend the ordinance to
mer, Kutz, Snyder and Tfncher. Wolf,
the sixth member of the committee,
voted against it.
Besides the six members of the COM
mittee, Councilmen Swendson and
Griley and Mayor Bergundthal attend
ed the meeting Each councilman pres
ent was asked to state his views in re-
gard to the cash bond proposition and
their opinions are as follows:
C. v Wolff believe that the COM
pany should give a bond of not less
than 1000.
George Tincher-I favor bond, but
think that 81. 900 is enough.
s. r. Kutz-I believe we should waive
the bond in this case because these are
all our fellow citizens who are building
the road.
J. G. SINNER think we can afford
TO waive the guarantee bond this time:
E. B. Snyder-At this time 1 am or
the opinion that we should require
s. A. Swendson-I believe emphat-
icaily that the city should require
Joseph Griley-I don't want to in
f1uence the committee by expressing an
opinion. will say what l think when
the time comes.
Mayor Bergundthal expressed his
views in the matter as follows;
do not think we should esta blish the
precedent of granting a franchise with
out requiring a cash bond. 1 can't see
how we can allow this company to pro-
ceed without a cash bond when we re-
ouired a similar bond only a short time
ago from the natural gas company.
which was also a local concern.
ssI am also opposed to this business
of allowing freight cars to run between
10 D. m. and a. M. and I serve notice
on the council right now that they
will have to get two-thirds of the
council to vote for such an arrange
ment.''
This declaration of the mayor is
taken to mean that he will veto anv
ordinance specifying these hours for
freight traffic. Mayor Bergundthal OBJ
iects to having freight hauled except in
baggage cars, or else between the hours
of midnight and 5 a.
The discussion of the franchise will
probably come before the council Mon
day night, and it may be that the fnaI
vote on the question will be taken at
that time.