The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1904-07-19
NEW BIDDERS
ENTER CON TEST
Several Companies Want Street
Car Franchise-M Matter to
Come Up Wednesday
Night.

The city council IS to meet in
special session next Wednesday
night for the purpose of acting
upon the application of Messrs.
@. T. Hurd, T. J. O'Neill, F.
NJ. Abbott ana their associates
for franchise granting the ex-
elusive rights of constructing and
operating a street railway in this
city, said franchise to depend up
on the completion of the power
house and one mile of track with
in period of one year from the
date on which the franchise is
granted.
Formal application for this
franchise was made at the meet
ing of the council which was
held last Tuesday night, but ac-
ton was postponed until
the m tin G W h i c h is to
occur Wednesday night because
of the fact that the members of
the body did not feel like voting
upon such an important matter
until they had given it due con-
sideration and thought. 1t now
/ transpires that their action in
this matter was very wise, for it
is learned that there are several
other companies now in an
embryonic stage of formation that
will also apply for franchises,
and the council after fully going
over and digesting the different
propositions can accept the one
which appears to be the best and
most advantageous.
The fact that there is more
than one company seeking to in
stall a car line here not only
gives the council an opportunity
to accept the most liberal propo-
sition but it also goes to show
that the growth of Columbus is
being noted abroad and that
foreign capitalists recognize in
our prosperous and progressive
city a splendid field for invest
ment; it means also, in the
event that the line is put in by
foreign capitalists, that between !
seventy five and one hundred |
thousand dollars in cold cash will |
be brought here for the purpose
of construction and equipment /
and two or three hundred people |
will be brought to Columbus and |
given employment in the, execu-
tive and operating departments
of the company.
While no member of the coun-
ell is in favor of asking any thing
that is unfair from any of the ap- /
plicants for the franchise, the
transaction will be conducted on
business principles, and the COM
pany to which the franchise is |
eventually granted will in all |
probability be required to furnish |
an indemnity bond guaranteeing
the completion of the line within |
a stated period.
Another item to be taken in to
consideration in granting the
proposed franchise is the time
asked for by the different COM
peting companies to complete the
work, as it seems to be the desire
of the city fathers that the road |
be in operation at the earliest
possible date. These, however, |
are only few of the many de-
tails that must come up for con-
sideration, for the granting of a
ninety mine year franchise to a
street car company, or to any 9TH
er corporation as for that matter,
is no child's play and can not be
disposed of with undue haste.
There are, though, two things
which seem absolutely certain;
the first being that we are to have
a car line, and the second that
tn franchise will be granted to
the company making the best and
NEST liberal offer.