Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-19
RELIEF IN SIGHT
FOR SOUTH PARK
AGREEMENT WITH RAILWAY
MAY BE REACHED
Officials Of Company Refuse to Buy a
New Franchise Even for $5.
City Attorney VIII
Not Yield

For three hours yesterday afternoon
the city council and the city's legal de-
partment locked horns over the ques-
ton of the resumption Of traffic on the
South Park avenue line, and again AS
sis ant City Attorney Goudge held the
wi ip hand.
Not a step would he bulge from the
position he assumed at the first and
though the councilmen stormed in their
impotency, he remained firm in his
stand that the council could do nothing
toward starting the cars to running on
South Park avenue that would not be
detrimental to the city's interests In
the Injunction suit pending before the
supreme court. Even threats that the
council would go over his head and en-
piJy an outside attorney to give them
the proper authority merely had the ef-
feet of making him the more stead
fast.
1--WE will give those people relief and
II we cannot get our own legal depart
ment to agree to some method whereby
this can be effected we will go outside
and employ an attorney who will give
us the authority" said Councilman
Smith, presumably speaking the senti-
ments of the majority of the council,
as ne was not COIlITdulCl6u.
Relief Is Promised
Yet 1t is believed that speedy relief in
in sight for the residents Of the South
Park district, who are forced to walk
many blocks to reach their homes in
order that the city may maintain prin-
ciple. When the deadlocked council ad-
iourned last evening it was to meet
again Friday afternoon at o'clock and
then it is believed that an agreement
will be made with the railroad COM
pany that the cars may be operated
and at the same time the city attorney
will be instructed to begin the neces-
sary action to have the attorney gem
eral of the state bring a, forfeiture suit
against the Los Angeles railway, In
volving its rights to the entire fran
chise, not only on San Pedro street,
south of Thirtieth and South Park ave
nue.. but also that portion on San Pedro
street to Fifth and on Fifth to Main
and from that point along Main to the
plaza.
Attorney Goudge will still oppose any
concession to the railway company, as
the city has won the injunction case In
the superior court, and has every pros
pect of winning the same case before
the supreme court If nothing is done to
1eopardize the city's interests, but he
has advised the council to begin the
powerless to oppose the council If 1t
should choose to go over his head and
make concession with the railway COM
pany.
Incensed that the council had taken
no action to grant them speedy relief
at its meeting yesterday, the members
of the committee who represent the
citizens of the South Park avenue dis
trict went in a body to the office of
Mayor McAleer to plead with him to do
something to restore the service. They
fairly bristled with indignation when
they entered the mayors office. but
when they left after an hours heart
to-heart talk with the chief executive
most of them were among the Warmest
supporters that the mayor has in his
ambition to maintain the city's rights.
They came to deride but remained to
shake hands.
To Keep UP Fight
'If the rights of the entire city are in
volved then take it out Of us" keep
up the good fight and we Will be with
you," 1--WE understand this case now,
we didn't before" were among the ex-
pressions which were heard as the COM
mittee left the office.
1--WE are with the mayor, but we do
want our street car SERVICE" was the
paradoxical sentiment of the entire
committee as they left the mayor s
office.
The committee of the council which
was appointed at the meeting of the
committee of the whole held Tuesday
afternoon held a conference with w.
e. Dunn, representing the railway,
yesterday morning, but as the railway
would make no concession the COM
mittee was powerless to do anything.
In Difference to the wishes of the peo-
pie in the south end of the city the
committee offered to sell the company a
franchise over the disputed streets at
any price the company was willing to
pay, If that price was not more than
SIS. 1t further offered that If the COM
pany would purchase the franchise at
q merely nominal price the city would
look the other way while the cars are
being operated over the disputed line,
and such operation might be COM
menced at any minute the company
would relay the few rails that the city
had taken up.
But the railway officials persistently
refused to consider a proposition to buy
the franchise or to lease it, and from
their standpoint gave n very gooo
reason. The franchise, which they be-
lieve they now own, is for forty-four
years and under the laws now in force
no franchise they could buy would be
for a longer period than twenty-one
years.