Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-10
SOUTHERN PACIFIC
Gets FRANCHISE
CITY COUNCIL HEARS WARM
ORATORY
jackson Street Property Owners App
peal In Vain for Favorable Con-
sideration of Petition In
Spur Track Case

Spur Track Case
In bitter fight waged before the city
council yesterday afternoon between
the Southern Pacific and the Santa Fe
for a spur track on Jackson street, the
Southern Pacific came off with colors
flying.
The franchise to construct the spur
track was granted to the Southern
Pacific, notwithstanding the protests of
the owners of a majority of the frontage
on Jackson street. These owners had
petitioned that the Santa Fe be given
the right and the Southern Pacific de-
MED, declaring that past experience
had proved that where the Santa Fe
build it stracks property increased in
value and where the Southern Pacific
went property Deprecated
For Gods sake give us nothing
rather than deliver us over to the
Southern Pacific railroad" was the i'm
FASHIONED plea of M. 7. Collins, who
owns property on Jackson street. AT
this point his emotions nearly overcame
him, but when he did continue the
words rolled forth in a torrent that
threatened to engulf the council
against which his invectives were
hurled.
when I took my oath of office as
member of this council 1 did not say
I promise to perform my duties to the
best of my ability and for the interest
of the people, so help me Southern
Pacific, as the majority of this coun-
Gil seem to have done" was one of his
most vigorous thrusts
1t was a trying half hour for the
council as it listened to the bursts of
oratory from Attorney Will A. Harris
and M. r. Collins, representing the ma
iority of the property owners on Jack
son street who favored the petition of
the Santa Fe, and Judge j. w McKin-
ley, who represented the Southern
Pacific. Both railroads had petitioned
for a spur track on Jackson street that
would open up the prospective manu-
featuring district in that neighbour
hood.
Board FaVors Southern Pacific
The petitions had previously been
presented to the council and the case
was threshed out at the last meeting
of the board of public works. At that
meeting the committee room was filled
with property owners on Jackson street,
who favored the petition of the Santa
Fe and presented petition, signed by
the owners of a majority of the 'front.'
age on Jackson street. asking that the
Santa Fe be given the franchise and
the Southern Pacific denied The
Southern Pacific presented it's claims.
backed by but $50 feet of frontage.
Notwithstanding the formidable show
ing of the Santa Fe partisans the
board of public works yesterday recon-
mended to the council that the Southern
Pacific be granted the franchise and
the Santa Fe denied.
When this recommendation was read
Attorney Harris took the floor and in
an earnest appeal demanded that the
rights of owners of property on jack
son street be considered, or rather than
grant the franchise to the Southern
Pacific deny both petitions.
Former Councilman Nj. T. Collins,
who owns considerable property on the
street, followed with his earnest plea.
In part Mr.. Collins said:
Objects to Virtual Monopoly
'rYou vote away 100000 in the value
of our property when you vote to give
the Southern Pacific this franchise.
For Gods sake give us nothing rather
than the Southern Pacific. This is the
first time in the history of the city that
the property owners, almost to man,
have appeared before he council and
asked for a steam railroad on a street.
Experience has proved that where the
Santa Fe goes property increases in
value; where the Southern Pacific goes
it depreciates in value"
Judge Mckinley stated that the Santa
Fe already had a franchise on Banning
and Commercial streets and it would be
giving the one road a practical mon
opoly to grant it this third franchise
in the same district. Councilman
Smith held the same opinion as Judge
MCKINLEY and proved an able exponent
of the rights of the Southern Pacific.
After all the arguments the franchise
was granted by a vote of to 1, the
councilman from the Sixth being the
only opponent.
When the smoke of battle had cleared
away and the indignant property
owners had left the council chamber
Minute Clerk Wilde announced as the
next subject for consideration petition
of the Southern Pacific to construct
spur track on Jackson street, east of
Alameda"
Council Grants Franchise
"Why, that's the proposition on which
we have Just been arguing" said Judge
Mckinley in surprise.
mo, the last petition 1 read was for
a spur track on Jackson street, west of
Alemeda," said the clerk.
All previous eloquence had practically
been wasted for both sides had been
arguing the wrong proposition. The
Southern Pacific had put in two petit
tons, one for Jackson street, west of
Alameda. and the other for the same
street, east of Alameda RIO objections
had been raised to the petition west of
Alameda and the entire trouble was
over the eastern part.
When the error was discovered