The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-02-25
FIinfIanl
Appears to be Guth-
rie's Finish With
StreetRailway

That the city council IS being film
lammed to finish and the finish
.thror in the eyes Of the councilmen,
is Tia. opinion Of majority of the
people Of the city regarding The fran
chise which was granted several
months ago to an Oklahoma City out
at for the construction of a street rail-
way system in this city. It has been
nine months since the council grant
ied this franchise yet, up to this day.
there has been but very little, if any,
work done by the alleged railway
company in the city looking toward
the construction Of the system
u Is said there has been some work
done in West Guthrie. possibly enough
done so that The company would MOI
lose the deposit OF $4,000 which q
city council required as an evidence
Of good faith"
The ordinance granting the Oklaho
MA Traction company the franchise
to construct street railway system
in the city was passed May z. 1903 It
was first published May 81 The ord
nance provided that within thirty
days after the passage of this ordi-
nance there shall be deposited with
he city clerk a copy Of a resolution,
duly attested, accepting the terms and
conditions OF the franchise and shall
deposit with the city treasurer the
sum of $1,000 as guaranty that they
shall proceed with the work of con.
struction" The resolution accepting
the franchise was filed with the city
clerk the latter part of June. The
5000 was also deposited with the
city treasurer the same day as the
filing Of the resolution. The fran
chise further provided that 'it will
commence the construction of its
| lines of railway within three months
from the tine OF the making Of such
deposit and that It viii prosecute the
construction OF said line diligently and
have at least six miles of the line CON
structed and in operation within
twelve mon his thereafter In default
Of either Of these conditions the said
sum of money shall become the prop
erty of the city Of Guthrie as liquldat.
ed damages"
AS stated above this ordinance was
passed by the council may 7, was ap-
proved May Q, and published May 27.
The check for $4,000 was filed with
the ci'y treasurer the latter part of
June. The railroad company complied
with the first clause in the matter in
commencing the construction of it's
lines and according to City Engineer
Gamble about $4,000 has been expend-
ed in grading in West Guthrie. This
work Of grading was done in October
! and November, T. is said. and along
Fourteenth street and a part of the
boulevari between Twelfth and Four
teenth streets. Since that time there
mas been practically no hing done.
The railroad company has until the
latter part Of September this year to
have at least six miles of its lines
constructed and In operation and if at
the expira bon al that time It cannot
be shown that six miles Of track have
been laid and in operation the city
will become the owner of the $4,000
check deposited by the company. It
is believed by many that it is now too
late TO complete the six miles of track
laying in the time specified
1t might be briefly stated that this
is he company Of capitalists to which
the council was so anxious to grant
the franchise and in doing so turned
down several ST Louis gentlemen