The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-10-27
OGDEN MAYOR TEARS UP CAR TRACK
Rails Laid Sunday by Rapid Transit Company Washing
ton Avenue Bridge Are Torn Up by Mayor and Force
of City Officers and Employees.

Acting, he said on the advice of the
city attorney, Mayor William Glasmann,
with City Attorney Bagley. Street Super
visor L. b, Balch, City Engineer A. F.
Parker, Chief of Police T. e. Browning.
City Detective j. f. Pender, a squad of
police and number of residents from
the Third ward, tore up the new track
that was laid across the Washington ave
uuc bridge 10y the Ogden Rapid Transit
81 mpany last Sunday.
There have been several complaints
made by tie people Of the Third ward
on account of the blocking Of traffic over
the bridge by double tracking it Up To
last night the mayor Justified the action
OF the street car people, although he
: claimed TO be waiting on an opinion from
the city attorney. About 5 O'Clock last
evening, without giving the street car
people any notice, the mayor and his
forces went 10 the bridge and in three
quarters of an hour tore mp the 100 feet
OF track and planlIing that had been put
down by the street car people. The men,
including the mayor and other Officials,
took a hand in the work and worked
like TrOjans in order that they might
complete the work of destruction before
the Transit company could secure an in
junction or make any other move that
would prevent the carrying out of the
plan.
While the work was going on employees
Of the street car company notified the
general office and an appeal was made
to the sheriff's office for aid. Sheriff
Bailey and all his deputies, excepting Sam
Cave, were out of the city. Deputy Cave
was prevailed on to go to the scene of
hostility and cautioned the men against
destroying the company q property and
was about TO place the entire force of
about fifty persons under arrest when
the mayor requested him 10 show his
authority by way of a warrant or an in
Junction. Not being able TO produce
either of these documents the mayor
commanded the men 10 continue their
work until he told them 10 cease. The
deputy sheriff retired from the scene.
After the rails and planking had been
taken up and piled by the side of the
bridge, the body returned to the city and
a short time afterWard the mayor was
summoned into consultation with repre-
sentatives of the street car company.
Although City Attorney Bagley denied
that he had given an opinion on the mat
ter, Mayor Glasmann stated that he was
acting on a written opinion from that
official. which he would give to the public
this morning.
After the MAYOR had retired from the
conference, the management of the Rapid
Transit company continued in session UNI
til long past the midnight hour and re-
ceived advice from the legal representa-
tive, G. c. Richards. In defending their
action i'm the matter the railway people
call attention To an ordinance under date
of May Z, 1890 which provides that they
have the right 10 construct, maintain and
operate for a period of twenty-five years
a single or double track railway upon any
and all of the highways streets, avenues
and alleys of Ogden. This ordinance was
approved by Mayor NJ. s. Browning and
published May 9, $780, at which time it
became law. The company states that
il will decide on definite action in the
latter today. 1t is claimed that Aug. ),
1903 the city council, with a fun men,
bership, passed a resolution which was
endorsed by the mayor, granting them
the privilege to extend the double track
system on Washington avenue, which
included the Washington avenue bridge
II is further claimed that when the bridge
was originally built one-third was owned
by the street car company, One-thiTd by
the county and the other third by the
city. The street ear people say that they
are only endeavOring to give the people
of the Third ward a better street car
service. and it was the coucensus of
opinion among the officers of the com
pany that the play made by the mayor
and his associates was for the sole puT-