Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-06-09
CITY COUNCIL
LAST NIGHT

road company on High and on Mill
street, which for weeks past has
been occupying almost the exclusive
attention OF the city council, was
FINALLY passed in an amended form
by a majority of the councilmen at
the meeting last evening.
The majority report of the COM
mittee recommended that the bill be
passed with the following amend
ments: First, that a franchise be
granted, extending until November
I27, 1895, giving the company the
right to lay single track with "Ys,"
Iturnouts, switches, etsc., on Mill
street from the west boundary OF
High street at the intersection OF
High and Mill, to an alley midwey
between High and Liberty streets,
the council to preserve the right to
locate the switches, turnouts, "Ys",
etc. Second, that the company be
given the right to lay a track on
High street from Mil street to a
point IS feet south of Mill street,
that no steam cars be allowed on
this track except for temporary or
emergency purposes, and that all
freight cars shall be excluded from
this track.
In laying these tracks the conf
pany is allowed to make all neces-
sary excavations. provided that all
damage to property resulting there
from shall be restored. Improve
ments between the tracks shall be
paid for by the company, and until
the street Is paved the company
shall plank the tracks between the
rails, and for distance of one foot
and half on each side OF the track.
No car shall be allowed to stand
on the tracks for a longer period
than one-half hour, and the freight
cars shall not be loaded or unloaded
on tb> streets. In the event OF the
company's failing to live np to any
OF the provisions OF the franchise,
the franchise is forfeit, and reverts
back to the city.
Councilman Greenbaum moved 10
amend the bill by allowing freight
cars to be run on High street. This
motion oceasioned a heated discus
sion. Several OF the members OPP
posed II on the ground that the bill
as amended had been agreed TO by
both the property owners and the
railroad company. and that they
were bound by their duty to the
porperty owners TO pass the bill
without change. Councilman Stoltz
urged the passing OF the amendment
declaring that only one property
owner was vitally interested and was
objecting to the franchise.
ID. ]. Fry was given permission To
address the council. He said that
the company did not ask for the use
OF freight cars on High street spur.
"Mr. Galvani and Mr.. Talbot both
told me that the spur was wanted for
switching trailers and other cars to
passenger trains on special occa-
slons. Nothing was said about
freight cars when this franchise was
agreed upon last Tuesday. Every
thing in this franchise was agreed
TO by the officers OF the company
when II was drawn up last week.
Mr.. Stoltz Is mistaken about there
being only one property owner over
there. There is no disposition on
the part of the property owners to
be niggardly. but we have given In
a great deal to the railroad company,
and we are entitled to consideration.
II this ordinance Is passed without
any amendments, our remostrance,
signed by all the property owners in
that section, will be withdrawn"
Attorney John C. MeNary also ad-
dressed the council. He said that
Mr. Frv remembered things differ
emily than he did. "The property
owners" ne said, "have never given
in to anything, The company has
given in on every proposition. I did
not agree that the company should
not run freight cars on High street;
what said was that the cars should
not be allowed to stand on the
street.
zone proposition was never talked
over at all at the meeting Mr. Fry
referes to-that the placing of
switches etc., should be done by the
council. This is unfair. There
never was such franchise handed
out TO a railroad company. The
railroad company has been hamp-
cred In every Darticular