The St. Louis Republic., 1903-05-15
Say Requirements Proposed by
Commercial Organizations
Committee Cannot Be
Carried Out.
WILL CONFER NEXT TUESDAY.
Believed Agreement Will Be
Reached and Strong Effort
Made to Gain Prompt Pas
sage of Ordinances.

At a meeting of the Executive Commit
tee OF the Terminal Association and the
committee representing the commercial
bodies of St. Louis next Tuesday it is ex-
pected that an understanding will be
reached upon the amendments suggested by
the committee representing the Business
Mems League and the Merchants Ex-
change to the ordinances introduced in the
Council upon the plans for the belt line.
AT meeting yesterday Of the general
managers OF the Terminal Association ex-
ceptions were taken TO several OF the recom-
mendations suggested by the committee of
the commercial bodies and it was strongly
intiIaated by tn. representatives. of the
Terminal lines that i; would be impossible
TO agree to the conditions imposed.
In the afternoon a conference was held
in the Office OF Harvey L. Christie between
the Executive Committee OF the association
and the committee OF the business orsani-
cations. and 1t was stated that the pros
pects are excellent for an smicablc under
stendins and agreement
The members of the committee represent
Ing the Business Mems League and the
Merchants Exchange and the !" orld's Fair
Executive Committee, while approving the
ordinances in effect. as Introduced By the
Terminal Association for the right 10 COM
plete the belt line encirclng the city, con-
str citing the loop for the elevated track
Twentieth street for the subway under the
Terminal tracks proposed certain coRoi-'
tons, 70 be agreed upon by the association
before the organizations would lend their
services to urging the prompt passage of
the measure il the Council.
Railway officials claim that ii is impossi-
bic TO grant some Of these conditions. Il Is
stated that the two conditions most seri-
ously objected to are that the association
should pay $500 a year for the first fve
years for the subway privileges and $1,000
year for each year afterward.
The same condition is imposed for the
privilege of constructing tracks OH Atlantic
street.
Officials of the Terminal roads claim that
they are investing millions TO benefit ST.
Louis as much as themselves. and the citi-
zens do not seem to realize that no profit
viii accrue to the association from these in
vestments beyond having ST. Louis known
as the best equipped city in the word as
far as terminal facilities are concerned.
1t is also claimed that the time to com
plete the plans before the Worlds Fair
traffic sets is hardly adequate now and con-
tinuous delay will make it impossible TO
complete them by then.
Discussing the matter. a prominent traf-
fic official said: Unless these plans are
sands of tons of freight will be diverted to
othe. cities because OF lack of terminal ia
cilities in ST. Louis
At the general managers meeting yester-
day the resignation OF E F. Osburr. secre-
tary of the Big Four. as member of the
General Managers Committee was ac-
cepted, and c. z. Schaff. general manager
OF the Big Four. was elected to fill his
place.
Present ct the meeting were: ]. T Hara-
han. E. +. Osburn. c. e. Schaff. II. l. Mil
Ter. H B. Spencer. W. NJ. Green. A. A.
Allen. C. G. Warner S. T. Fulton. c. NJ
Levey. ". S. McChesney. Jr.. julius Walsh.
Representing the Executive Committee at
the conference in the afternoon were: ". S.
McChesney. Jr-. H. l. Miller. c. n. Levey
and H. 3. Spencer.
The following are the members OF the
committee representing the Worlds Fair
L. Christie. Seth W. Cobb and Charles ".
knapp