The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-03-13
SWEEPING VICTORY ,
 FOR CITY 0F CHICAGO
OBTAINS ALMOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE TRACTION
 SITUATION

important Decision of the United
 states Supreme Court--No Ninety-
 Nine Year Franchises i'm the City Az
 coFdins to the Finding, Declares
 mayor Dunne--Now Have the Com-
 panies i'm a Position Where yerotia-
 tions for Purchase of the Lines Can
 be Pushed Forward.
 Chicago, March 12.-Bw the dac;s;a,. or the United States supreme court handed down in Washington today. me city of Chicago obtains almost con1- plete control of the local traction situ- @tton. The decision sustains the acts of the state legislature extending the life of the charters of the street rail- way companies to ninety-nine wears put does not sustain the contention of the companies that contract riqhts Which are limited to fewer years than remain to the charter life of the com panies are also extended.
 Contracts or ordinances of the ctfU limiting the use of the streets by the companies are upheld. and the rights of the companies in the streets are held to expire according to the expressed terms or the ordinance. Tn its effect the de- cislon leaves the Union Traction cora- pany without any right whatever. oth~ CT than by suffrance in the streets Of the North division of the city. Ih leaves the Union Traction company in the West division without rights. ex- cepting where the ordinances contadn a purchase clause.
 The decision leaves the Chicago City Railway company, which operates all the street car lines on the South side of the city without right. excepting where the ordinances contain a purchase clause.
 The original ordinances granted to the street car companies were for nire- ty-nine years inside the city limits as they existed in 1865. The companies have extended their tracks as the boundaries of the city have been en- larged and have claimed that the ex- tended lines which were built under franchises from the city were also ope4 rative under the ninety-nine year act. The court has held, however, that the ninety-nine year act extended only the charter life of the street car companies without extending their ordinances.
 The court also denies the claim of the street car companies that they have been vested with the exclusive rights for ninety mine years to enter into con- tracts with the city for the occupancy of Chicago's streets for street railway purposes. The decision also holds that the street car companies could receive only such grants as the city might give and on such terms and such con- ditions includeing the time of the grant as the city might prescribe.
 The city has all along admitted that the ninety-nine year act is valid, but asserted that fl did not extend the orr dinances under which the street car companies are operating at present.
 Tt Is sweeping victory for the city" said Mayor Dunne. There are no ninety-nine year franchises in the city of Chicago according to this deciv sion, and no indefinite or perpetual grants in the outlying territory. We have the traction companies now in & position where we can negotiate for the purchase of the lines. If they do not want to sell at a fair price we can de- clare our rights under the decision"