Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-10-27
Mayor GIasmaun and Other City
officials Take up Double Track
Over Washington Bridge
TRAFFIC GREATLY Numbered.
Bridge il Chief Outlet 10 Northern
Part OF City aud County as We'll
As oil State.

ogden, oct. 27-The feeling against
the ogden Rapid Transit company lay
ing a double track and thus greatly
hmdering traffic over the ogden river
bridge on Washington avenue, cumin-
ared last night when Mayor William
Glsmann, with City Attorney Bagley
street Supervisor l.. b. Balch, City En-
gnear A, f. Parker chief Of Police r.
e Browning, city Detective j. +, Pen
der. a squad Of police and number OF
residents from the Third ward. tore up
tna new track that was laid across tbs
Washington avenue bridge last Sunday.
The cause Of the compaint on the
part of the people lies i'm the fact that
IN. bridge vs. practically the only Quilted
10 the northern part Of the city, and OF
the county Of Weber, and is the road
way also TO Boxelder county TO malu-
tain q second track across the bridge
would delay traffic, whereas, with the
use OF a couple Of switches the street
car service can be managed satisfac-
torIly with one line over the bridge.
The authority for the mayor to pro-
coed IN tearing up the tracks was fur.
nished I'm an opinion from city Attor.
ney John e, Bagley, He holds in his
opinion, which was albmitted last night
IN writing that the ogden Rapid Tran
slt company had no right to lay the
double track over the bridge. and that
the mayor was justified under the au-
thority conferred by the Legislature
upon the city TO remove Instructions
from Its tridges, in tearing up the
tracks, ana IL necessary securing assist
'nne 10 do 1t. The opinion mentions
the clause IN the city councils ordin-
onCa Of last August, under which the
company claims to be operating. and
declared that this did not apply TO
lidros
Without giving the streetcar people
any notice, about o'clock last night
The mayor and his forces went to the
bridge and in three-quarters of an hour
tone up the 100 feet Of track and plank
ing that had been put down The men.
including the mayor and other officials.
lo1h hand In the work and worked
Niih might and main in order to entire
N remove the obstruction before the
Transit company could secure an in
jnnstlon or make any other move that
would prevent the carrying out of the
plaD
While the work was going on employ
es of the streetCur company notified the
general office and an appeal was made
10 the sheriff's office for aid. Sheriff
Bailey and all his deputies, excepting
sam Cave, were out OF the city Den
uty Cave was prevailed on to go to
me scene Of hostility and cautioned the
men against destroying the companys
property and was about to place the en-
tire force Of about 80 persons under ar.
rest when the mayor requested him To
sno" his authority by way of warrant
or am Injunction Not being able to
produce either Of these documents the
mayor commanded the men to continue
lhc0r Wurk until he told them to cease,
The deputy sheriff retired from the
seano,
After the rails and planking had been
taken up and piled by the side of the
bridge the body returned to the city
ana O. short time afterWard the mayor
was ummoned into consultation with
''Nf.sontatiyes Of the streetcar com
rauv
A.irr the mayor had retired from the
conference.-the management OF the Rap
IH lr3nsit company continued in SEES
SION untll long past the midnight hour
and received advice from the legal rep
t's'ntative, o. @. Richards. I'm defend
ing their action in the matter, the rail-
way people call attention to an or
oInanco under date OF May T. 1900
which provides that they have the right
reconstruct, maintain aud operate for a
period of % years a single or double
.'.N railway upon any and an Of the
hEhWays, streets, avenues and alleys
or ogden This ordinance was approved
nF Mayor NJ :. Browning and pub
IsHed May O. 1900 at which time it be-
'ne law The company states that II
NOI decide ON definite action I'm the mat
Ter today II IL claimed that Aug. g..
'. the city council, with full mem
h.Ishlp passed a resolution which was
endorsed by the mayor, granting them
I0' privilege 10 extend the double track
lNslaW on Washington avenue, which
included the Washington avenue
n'Iige It Is further claimed that when
l.n bridge was originally built one
l1.d was owned 10y the streetcar COM
lany one-third by the county and the
DINER third by the city.