East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-09-19
FERGUSON DON'T
LIKE FRANCHISE
WOULD HAVE PEOPLE
USE REFERENDUM
Raises Multitude of Objections to
Privileges Granted Walla Walla
Company by City Fathers and
Seeks 10 Have Referendum In
voked--Finds Many Minor Flaws in
Franchise Ordinance.

Pendleton, Ore, Sept II, 1908.
To the Taxpayers and Citizens of the
city Of Pendleton, Oregon:
There has been so much discussion
privately over the recent franchise
granted by our city council to Walla
Walla parties for a street railway and
electric power and lighting line, es-
peoially since the action of the Walla
Walla mayor in vetoing their ordi-
nance, that have been requested by
some Of the most prominent of our
citizens to take up this matter pub
licly and discuss the full terms and
meaning Of this ordinance.
l have already been made to feel
that have been guilty Of treason for
so much as daring to breathe a word
against this sacred document and as
I stand convicted my punishment can
be no greater by a further violation.
In the first place l have never been
able TO understand the necessity of
so much haste on the part of our
council in the matter of passing this
ordinance. 1t would surely seem as
though in a matter as important as
this and which means so much to the
citizens that time would have been
taken to ascertain the desires Of the
people. While it is true that the city
council is elected to represent the
people it is also true that they are
expected to carry out the will of the
people.
In the franchise which was hurried
through the second and third reading
so rapidly there are many things very
vital to the interests Of the city of
Pendleton. This is a contract between
the people and this corporation and
It IS entirely without the fundamental
requisites of legal contract, in that
It IS not built upon an equitable foun-
dation. Equity and consideration"
were lost sight Of entirely and the
result is that this corporation has
been presented, entirely free without
the payment of so much as one dol
lar, with the use of the streets of the !
city. with permission to use the alleys, /
sidewalks and any and everything In
sight for their power and railway line
and in return they promise absolute
ly nothing.
Councilman Strain in his remarks |
before the passage of this ordinance,
publicly admitted that he was not
satisfied with it, that he felt ashamed |
OF his part of the affair, and that he
thought it could go to the people and
that the committee had tried TO get
concessions from this corporation but
had failed. Whoever heard of a Pc
titioner and supplicant debating the
terms of his benefice? 1t was not for
the committee to try and get terms
from this corporation, but it was their
duty TO dictate to these people. The
railway people were offering nothing,
they refused to give ground at all. If
they displayed their character in this
manner before they received what
they desired what will they do after
they are safely entrenched in their
rights? Are they going to be any
more compromising or lenient when |
the interests Of the people conflict |
with theirs in the future, or will they
continue to dictate not only to the
council, but to all the citizens Of this
city and give their orders as to what |
will have 70 be done?
Taking up this franchise section by
section we find that under Section /, |
Max Baumeister, his successors and
assigns, are granted a franchise over
Alta street, Court street, Walnut
street and Benefit street "and over
such other streets as the said Max
Baumeister or his assigns may select"
Under this franchise it will not be ne
cessary to again ask permission to go
anywhere they want to go within the
city. This section also provides that