Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1906-03-07
PRESIDENT BEGGS IS IN CITY
High Official Addresses a Special
Committee of the City Coun-
Gil and Stats His Position.
REpUDlAT. s UBsTITUTE IDEA
Says Company Gould Not Accept
With the Limitation of Thir-
ty faars Asked for Later.


the franchise asked for by the Mllwau-
kee Elect.lc Street Railway company
and quite i nnmber of interested citi-
zens met ii The cuuncil chamber last
Friday eveutGg to near the matter dis
cussed ar listen to an arg umeut in
favor OF granting the original fran
chise otfer-d oy John |. Beggs of Mil
waukee, president of the company.
The meeting was called to order by
Mayor erthelmer who stated its pur-
pose and introduced Mr.. Beegs who
proceeded at once to aLalize the sub
stitute franchise drafted by the COM
mittee showing the difference between
the orig na and the substitute and
ans wering many questions asked by
members of the committee.
The first objection he raised was to
the Limitation of the life of the fran
chise to thirty years and very bluntly
and frankly informed the committee
that the company he represented
would not accept the franchise with
that limitation. He stated that the
line was only q part of the system and
that the road woald not be profitable
enterpriee Tor years and as they pur-
chased the right of way between cities
and Villages In perpetuity, the CON-
pany couid not afford to take fran
chise for less period than asked for.
Ia the matter Of compensation for
the franchise he informed the commit
tee that no street railway system could
afford to pay compensation and cited
the Racine street railway in proof of
his statement, that system having
failed until made a part of an interur-
ban system, He objected to laying
concrete base for tracks on dirt streets
but had no objection to doing SO on
paved streets as was the custom OF the
company He also objected to using
iron or steel poles as they cost about
thirty dollars each while the cedar
poles cost from eight to ten dollars,
which within the city, they place with
In concrete base.
Mr.. Begys objected to cleaning and
sprinklins streets as the cars occasion
ed neithe, debris nor dust, In case
of snow O, ice, the company will clean
the streets OF the snow or ice thrown
off the track should it interfere with
travel adjacent to the tracks. La re-
gard to bearing' Il part of the expense
of maintaining the bridge on Main
street, Mr. Beggs thought it was ask
ing too e uch, AS the company would
pay to the city annually abont 5000
fact that the state statutes provide for
much of he detaii incorporated in the
substitute, franchise and out of place
in same.
In regard To the exclusive control of
streets, MIR PNggs said that any other
company could use it's tracks and
power by paying reasonable recon-
pense for the use Of the same. He in
formed the committee that the Origi.
nal franchise provided for better SER
vice thar ne substitute, giving longer
hours SCI ice every day and fixed rates
within tt city limits at cents for
adults, children under 10 years Of age
3 cents a. children under free when
accompa ied b5 parents or guardians.
Mr. Beggs is "a chain o. light
ming" talser and rapid thinker and
tair. blunt and manly in his discussion
and left very good Impression upon
the minds of his auditors.
After Mr.. Beggs closed his discus
sion, the committee adjourned until
Saturday at p. m, when satisfac-
tory arraug cement was effected, Mr..
Beggs for his company conceding TO
the committee its contention to bear
one third of the expense of maintain