Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-10-02
WILL INVESTIGATE.

Pursuant to call by the mayor, a
special meeting CT the council was held
Thursday evening, for the purpose of
discussing matters pertaining to the
construction of the street railway. 1t
appears that there had been some
objection raised to the kind OF rail the
company is laying, and the meeting
was called for the purpose ofconferr-
ing with the railroad companys
officers, and deciding on what course to
pursue.
After the mayor had stated the pur-
pose of the meeting, Alderman Justen-
sen arose and started the discussion.
He objected to the rails used, because
they are but four and one-fourth inches
in height, and stated that he be-
lieved firm macadam road could not
be laid on ties, when the rails would
permit of not more than five inches of
macadam being laid. He submitted
letters he had received from other
cities, showing that rails of greater
height are being used in those cities.
Neal Brown, president of the com
pany, stated that his company had
been organized hastily and work
started shortly thereafter, so that the
franchise could be held, and the COM
pany had secured the best rails that
could be purchased on short notice.
The rolling mills are so crowded with
orders that it will be impossible to
secure new rails before next spring,
and so second hand rails had to be pur-
chased These were secured from the
Pennsylvania railroad, which company
had used the rails about six years and
is now taking them up, to be replaced
with a heavier rail. They are sixty
pound rail. He advised that the city
should not resort to injunctional pro-
ceedings, which would cause the COM
pany a great loss financially and in
time, and in the event that the city lost
its case it would be compelled to pay
heavy damages. Every member of his
company, he said, is desirous of seeing
the city prosper, and it is not their in
tention to willfully do anything to in
jure the city's interests in any way
The mayor and Alderman Justensen
had previously visited Eau Claire and
Chippewa Falls, to secure information
regarding the street car lines in those
cities. Mr. Duncan stated that the four
and one-quarter inch rails used in those
cities had given satisfaction on macad-
am streets
L. w Parsons, who has charge of the
construction work for the street rail
way company, stated that he had
recently completed extensions to line
in Green Bay and that a rail of the
same height as used here had been laid,
and in some instances a forty-five
pound rail was used. If work is not
delayed, he said, he can have enough
track laid within six weeks time so
that cars can run.
Henry Coleman, superintendent of
the company, stated that the rail
brought to Wausau is a far better rail
than is being manufactured at present,
since the trust has stifled all competi
tiCn.
The company had sent for Supt. III.
G. Lawrence, of the Eau Claire street
railway company, to be present at the
meeting, and he was called upon. tie
stated that in his city four and one
fourth and three and one-half inch rails
are used on most streets, a seven inch
rail being used on block paved streets.
The past summer his company had con-
structed three-fourths of mile of track
and used four and one-fourth fifty-six
pound rail of second quality. The rails
brought here, he said, are of first
quality.
HI. G. Hescott of the Knox Con-
struction Co., which has the contract
for building the road, said that in
Green Bay the past summer four miles
of road had been built with second
hand rails of the same lot as used here.
The city engineer, Chas Nutter, was
called upon to give his opinion regard
ing the matter, and stated that he did
not think the four and one-fourth inch
rail would permit of sufficient depth
of macadam being laid to insure hard
roadbed.
A resolution was offered by Alderman
Justensen, providing that the city at
torney shall begin injunctional pro-
ceedings against the company, restrain
ing it from laying the rail in question.
Alderman Ewing counciled that dis
cretion should be used in the matter
and no fiighty action taken, until the
whole thing had been carefully sifted.
AS a member of the street car COM
pany, he said, he knew that every move
made by the company so far had been
with view of serving the best interests
of the city. He advised that an investi
cation be conducted between that time
and this evening, when the council
meets again in regular session. He
said he thought the railway company
should be allowed to lay rails as far as
the street had already been torn up, but
that the work of tearing up more street
should be suspended.
Alderman Justensen then withdrew
his resolution and offered a substitute,
providing for the appointment of three
council members, who, with the mayor
and city attorney, shall constitute a
committee of investigation, their ex-
| penses to be limited to ST. 900. The
resolution passed, though City Atty.
/ hosanberry informed the council before
a vote was taken that the results OF
such an investigation would be of no
| account before the court, if finjunctional
proceedings were instituted What is
needed, he said, is the report of experts.
The mayor appointed as such COM
mittee, Aldermen j Justensen, +. A
Hecker and M. &. Ewing. The COM
mittee left the city Friday for Green
Bay and has since been visiting other
cities in the southern part of the state.
| The members will no doubt be able to
make report of their Investigations at
tonight's session. 1t is thought the
matter will be amicably settled without
resorting to litigation or in holding
back construction work any longer.