Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-17
WILL RESUME CAR SERVICE
ON SOUTH PARK AVENUE LINE
City Council Promises Citizens Of Affected District
an EARLY Solution of Franchise Problem.
Decision in Case Expected Today

With a tacit understanding that some
means would be effected whereby the
street car service on South Park would
be resumed as speedily as possible, the
city council yesterday morning dis
missed about hundred residents of
the district affected by the mayor s
drastic action last Thursday, to meet
this afternoon at 2 o'clock as a COM
mittee of the whole.
At the meeting this afternoon the
mayor will be asked to be present and
the city attorney will try to devise
some legal means whereby the service
may be renewed and the city's rights
not be jeopardized.
1t was apparent at yesterdays meet
ing that every councilman was in favor
of granting the appeal of the people
Of the district that the service be re-
newed and the action of the mayor
in tearing up the tracks was character
lied as play to the galleries. A per-
sistent effort was made to take inn
mediate action by a compromise with
the railway company that the service
be renewed and the city's right in the
case not jeopardized. In the opinion of
Assistant City Attorney Goudge no ac-
ton of this kind could be taken and
the suit which has been appealed to
the supreme court maintained.
The only solution of the problem
which Attorney Goudge could suggest
yesterday morning was that the city
agree with the railway company that
it could continue to operate it's line,
but that in the meantime the fran
chise on the street on which the line
is operated could be sold at any time.
This would give the railway company
a permit to operate its line that would
be revokeable a. any time and in max
ing such an agreement the railway
company would have to admit that 1t
had no right on the street and the
appeal to the supreme court, which
the railway company has taken, would
be useless.
Seeking for Solution
Attorney Goudge has been consider
ing what action the city could legally
take if the council desired to make
a compromise, ever since the tracks
were torn up, and in his opinion this
is the only solution. Whether he can
find another loophole before the meet |
ing of the committee of the whole this
afternoon is an uncertainty.
Early in the morning session a mes |
sage from the mayor was read in which |
he told of his action in tearing up the |
tracks and stated that he believed tho
city should take no action to effect |
a compromise with the railway COM
pany until the supreme court had |
passed on the case. He further stated !
that he believed the railway COM
pany would do all in its power to Sc
cure a speedy decision, as the Ascot
park season was rapidly approaching
and the South Park avenue line would
be extremely valuable at that time.
Attorney Will A. Harris appeared for
the Sixth ward residents, who had
taken serious exceptions to the con-
duct of the mayor in tearing up the
tracks and gave it as his opinion that
the city and railway company could
enter into some agreement whereby
the service might be renewed and the
interests of neither side jeopardized
These people ought to have this
service renewed" said Mr.. Harris,
'and I believe it can be renewed with
out the rights of either side suffering.
The residents of this district do not
appear for the railway company. but
for themselves. The railway company
IS not being injured a nickels worth.
These people must patronize either the
Maple avenue line or the Central ave.
hue line and the railway collects it's
ares the same as if the South Park ]
avenue line was running.
Questions City Attorney
mo railway company would go inf,