Evening journal., 1905-02-24
FRANCHISES
WERE ANNULLED
Carter Adjourned Meeting
and Left Chair During
Exciting Session
MEETING WAS RECONVENEO

While the street and Sewer Commits
sion at a special meeting yesterday af-
'ternoon did not grant any railway
franchises TO companies now petition
ing that body for recognition, a resoiu-
ton was passed annullng all street
railway franchises which were granted
some years ago by the Street and Sewer
Department and were not used.
President Carter Of the Commission
was opposed 10 taking action I'm regard
TO granting any franchlses, owing to
the illness of City Solicitor Robert c..
Hanman, from whom no opinion has
as yet been received regarding the ad-
visibility OF granting the requests be-
fore the board. After considerable dis
cussi0n he finally adjourned the meet
ing and refused to call a special one.
He left his chair and Commissioners
johnson and Melvin proceeded to recon-
vene the meeting and adopted the fol-
lowing resolution:
Whereas, 1t appearing that certain
lstreet railway franchises OF permission
TO lay trucks upon and use certain
streets OF this city were granted some
years ago by the Street and Sewer De-
partment without limit as to the be-
ginning OF completion and operation OF
such railways, and
Whereas, Some such grants not hav-
ling been used, It would seem contrary
10 good public policy TO longer continue
them an force, therefore,
Resolved. That all franchises for new
iroads OF extensions Of old ones hereto
fore granted by this department tc
street railway companies I'm this city
without limit. and not used. be and the
same is hereby recalled and annulled.
Each Company Represented.
Representatives Of each Of the thres
railway companies were present ait Tn,
meeting. They included President II
L. Evans, superintendent Chauncey p
HolcOnb and Willard Salisbury, repre-
lsenting the Wilmington. New Castle
land Southern Railway Company; Cen
,eral superintendent Samuel s. Hof
land Assistant superintendent Geiger
of the Wilmington City Railway Com
lpany, and General Manager RichaIy
W. Crook, of the Peoples Railway Com
pany.
The Representatives of the variou
companies understood that action wa
to be taken on their applications ans
were accordingly dis appointed whei
LatoAAtAlA AttIt-l' dIillDulllrl mat OMll
TO City solicitor Hammn's illness, n
action would be taken
Insisted on Action Being Taken.
Willard Salisbury and Henry 1
Evans, representing the South Wi
mington Roadway Company. requeste
the board to pass a resolution giwn
their company permission TO lay track
= in South Market street with the amend
ment attached that the board could. !
, II so desired. within one or two month
rescind its action. Mr.. Saulsbur
} Stated his company would deposit $40,
900 as a guarantee to accept amy amend
ment which the city solicitor migh
nlake in the resolution.
The insistence OF Messrs Saulsbur
and Evans upon action on the resolu
tion lead Mr.. Carter to adjourn tn
meeting before 8ny of the railway rep
resentatives knew what had been don,
He left the chair.
An Informal discourse followed. Com
missioner johnson said that he believe
suburban railways should have a hand
ing place in the city and declared tina
it seemed to be trihipg to further della
action in the case. He and Mr.. Melvi
I then recOnvened the meeting and pass
, ed the resolution anniling all oil
street railway franchises. 1t is expect
3 ed that the question of franchises Wi
z be finally settled next Tuesday.