The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1905-02-09
City Council Makes Short Work of
Franchise Proposed by Park
City Electric R. R. Co.
MAYOR DEMANDS ECONOMY.
Expert to be Employed to Go Over
the Books Of the City and Conn
p1ete New Set Will be Opened the
First of Next Month.
from Tuesdays Daily

The Park City Electric Railway
company's franchise ordinance died
an nntimely but expected death at the
hands of the city council last night,
when, by unanimous vote, the ordi-
nance was laid on the table and it will
probably be some time before it is
again considered by the city. The
action of the council may put an end
to the scheme for building the cleo
trio railway from Kenosha to Lake
Geneva as the company's agents have
stated that they would not take up
the proposition unless they were able
to get a right of way for the line along
the streets of Kenosha.
The action on the ordinance was
not unexpected as the aldermen were
nearly all opposed to the passage of
any franchise ordinance with a ninety
nine year clause in it and the man
ayers of the company were not will
ing to make any changes.
Before the final action on the ordi-
nance was taken Attorney Ward of
Chicago, who is the secretary of the
new company, appeared before the
council and stated that the company
meant business from the start but that
the company could not plan the build
ing of line to the west unless the city
council would grant the company a
franchise in Kenosha. He made no
effort to make a new offer to the coun-
Gil and there was little discussion of
the matter. Of course the ordinance
can be taken from the table for con-
sideration at any time the council may
see fit, but it is thought that this will
be the last of it. Many people in the
city are anxious to see the line built
but they will insist on more favorable
terms for the city than those offered
in the present ordinance.
New Books for the City.
With the removal of the city hall to
the county building the city will
open a new set of books and an ex-
pert accountant has been employed to
take the old city books and place
them in good order before the change
is made. H. M. Angus, the bookkeep-
er for the Balm Wagon company, will
be in charge of this work. The new
system to be adopted by the city will
be one of the modern systems of mu-
nicipa1 bookkeeping and it is expect
ed that in the future the books will be
kept in accordance to this system.
Mrs. Bushman Would Settle.
Norman L. Baker of Milwaukee,
who is the representative of Mrs.
Elizabeth Bushman who recently
brought suit for $50, 200 against the
city for personal injuries received by
falling on an alleged defective side
walk, appeared before the council and
offered to settle the suit for 81, 500.
The matter was taken up by the coun-
Gil as committee of the whole but no
decision was reached on the matter
and it will again be taken up at the
next meeting of the council. The set
t1ement proposed by Mr.. Baker is con-
sidered a reasonable one if it can be
shown that the city is liable for the
injury received by Mrs. Bushman.
Mayor Demands Economy.
Mayor German started something of
an argument when he questioned the
right of the committee on the fire de-
partment to make purchases without
the authority of the council. During
the past few weeks several things
have been purchased for the members
of the department and the bills re-
main unpaid. The mayor holds that
these expenses were not authorized
and that the committee over stepped
it's rights in ordering the supplies.
The matter of the vacation of Gar
field street came up again and the
city attorney was instructed to draw
an ordinance providing for the vaca-
ton of the street. After the usual
routine business the council adjourn
ed.