The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1904-03-31
FAILS TO Get AN
EXTENSION OF
Time FOR ROAD
Attorney McMuIIen Fights in
Vain for Forty-five Year
Ordinance for Fond
du Lac Interurban
BRIDGE EXPENSES ARRANGED
Finally Determined That Company is
to Pay Half-AnnuaI License Fee
Cut From $1,000 to $3.50
Session Rather Stormy

After rather u stormy session of the
city council Tuesday evening it was
finally voted to publish the ordinance
regulating the presence in this city of
the Fond du Lac and Northeastern
Railroad. The principal points dis
maintaining and repairing whatever
bridge the company's tracks should
cross, the question of u license fee and
the length of time the ordinance shonld
cover. AS usual Attorney McMullen
dominated the situation and while he
did not get all that he wanted and in
deed lost one OF his most important
points, he helped materially in bringing
things to focus.
The council met for u few minutes
before Senator McMullen arrived. City
Attorney Schmitz explained to the
members certain technical changes
which he had made in section 0 of the
proposed ordinance and which would
make it possible for the Interurban to
pay half the expense of maintaining
Tenth street bridge should the com.
pany occupy the bridge and half the
expense of building new bridge shonld
new one be necessary. Alderman
Mulholand insisted that the words and
approaches thereto be inserted every
time the bridge was mentioned This
suggestion was adopted.
At this point Senator McMulen, who
had entered during the discus ion arose
to speak. He was given immediate at
tention. His opening remarks were in
sarcastic vein and had forcible reference
to the unsuccessful attempt of the Fond
du Lac Company to get any word ont
of Manager Higgins of the local line
with regard to the latter's willingness
to allow the company to go over his
tracks. Gentlemen of the Couno "
remarked the Chiffon attorney, "The
| Fond du Lac and Northeastern Railroad
Company's officers have tried to plow
with your heifer on Eighth street bridge
bridge and she won't plow." The mt
torney stated that both Pres. Phillips
and himself had written to Manager
Higgins asking him to state what terms
he would consider for the privilege.
I'VE received no reply whatever" con
tinued Mr. McMulen Except that !
was informed today that the gentle
man had replied in the columns of the
PILOT stating that the proposition was
simply n buy and sell deal The sena
tor made frequent reference during his
speech to the supposed article in the
PILOT and he referred to Mr.. Higgins
rs 'the man to whom You have granted
every right thus side of heaveiF sub
stantially." He said, I'VE purpose
gentlemen to come to this town simply
to get to the lake. We want to bring
the people of the country west of you
into competition with Milwaukee and
Chicago. We want to do good to you
and your town. We want to bring to
You what has been taken away from
you by lack of proper connections. We
propose to give you what belongs to
you what belongs to you by nature,
what belonged to you 10y trade AT the
aries. We want to do good to ourselves
first The speaker drew vivid pic
ture Of the advantages which the line
would be to the city and the county.
He stated that all the cities along the
proposed route wanted to get to Mani
towoc to unload.
ator McMullen said that il the council
insisted on its provisions the company
would acquiesce but he wished to make
a request that the time of the ordinance
be extended from 30 to As years. He
made strong plea for this extension
stating that all the other cities had
granted II forty five year ordinance. He
showed that if Monitowoc should prove
an exception it would simply be the
means Of having the bonds of the road
cut per cent. He said that capitalists
would certainly feel suspicious on learn.
ing that Manitowoc had granted ten
years less than other cities.
The senator emphasized the point that
what the road wanted was to reach the
harbor not particularly to reach any
other road. He said that Maniiowoc
WAS to be the terminus of the line and
in response to question he admitted
that his company and the Wisconsin
Central would in u measure be rivals
The council then voted to adopt the
9th clause of the ordinance ~ amended
Alderman Lorenzen enquired about
the license fee aud asked whether the
committee had done anything abont
1t. When informed that the committee
had not, he moved that recess be taken
during which time the committee could
formulate report This motion wai