The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-08-04
When Traction SquabbIe Came
Up in Council, City Fathers
Plead That They Had Been
MiSinformed.
FIGHT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
AVOIDED BY BOARDS ACT.
Had a Chance to Make a
Change in Franchise But
Did Not Take Advantage of
1t, Precipitating Rumpus.

1t was like the child who didn't
mean to and felt sorry and promised
never to do it again-the action taken
by the city council last evening in
regard to the proposed interurban
freight route through Glen Miller
park. Everybody plead ignorance or
misinformation and the astounding
fact was made known by several mem
bers they voted for the franchise per-
mitung tracks in the park along
North Twenty-Third street in the be-
lief an Injunction would be procured
and the company would have to place
its tracks elsewhere. That the in
junction would be instituted, that the
courts would sustain it and that the
street would not be used, all was TAX
ZEN for granted
Edgar M. Haas, secretary of the
Commercial club. was the man desig-
mated by Councilman-at-large Won
Pein and others, as the person who
had given out the information in re-
gard to the Injunction proceedings.
Mr.. Haas said today he did tell that
injunction proceedings would be
brought and that he had been given
what he thought to be authentic infor-
nation that such action would be TAX
en-. He said he believed all the time
the legal proceedings would be in the
nature of an injunction suit. The
franchise provides that in case the
company be enjoined from going
through the park it could make use of
TWenty-second street II was not the
only one who told councilmen an in.
Junction would be brought" said Mr..
Haas. All Of us, however, acted in
good faith. We had been led to ex
pect such proceedings. The attorney,
VINO had the matter in charge decided
afterward to institute quo warranto
proce edings and the court held against
MIN. He says he does not believe
case OF injunction can be made and
other attorneys have expressed SINH
lar opinions"
There was big scramble to get right
with the people last evening. The
lobby was of unusual size and the re-
porters We're present and working
their pencils to the limit There was
no hesitancy on the part of several
councllmen to tell how they had been
misled. misinformed or "misimpress.
cd. Not one member claimed to
nave made any personal Investigation
OF the subject before voting-all had
been impressed. BY their own admis.
slons they acted upon indirect infor
mation and without positive author
fty. What chance injunction proceed
snes would have had in the courts
they did not know.
Board Did Not Act.
That the board of public works and
mayor ands city attorney, constituting
tne city administration. had a later
cnance to alter the franchise agree.
ment but refused, was made public
this morning for the first time. Even
Rfter council had taken it's "misin-
formed" step there came an opnortun-
ety to the board to make a change
but It refused, claiming II wanted ~
stand oy the action of council, not ey-
en- making the matter public or in.
FORMING council of any such opportun-
aty 10 ofmg about revision, which
would do away with any tracks
Through the Glen.
Al time when the opposition to
fne use Of Twenty-third street was
beginning to develop, the board was
told there might be a chance RI .ct
upon anotner agreement. On Satur-
DAY, July Is. this matter was placed
oeIore the board. and it was told that
mr.. Todd, representing the Terre
Haute. indianapolis & Eastern Trac.
tion company had stated he wop,d |
nave no objection to an alteration Of |
the franchise striking out the clause
reiaung to Twenty-third street and |
providing the tracks should he n,aced |
on Twenty-second street. Mr. Todd |
stated ne would send over such a fran |
chise for consideration.
Sauabbie Unnecessary.
The board was told of this h,, Va
FUSED to wait until such a franchise
agreement could arrive. At ..msa,-
lne eon-.ne-quiet held at the home of
9. W. Merln. city clerk, the evening
OF sunday. July Il, the board. CITY ar.
torney and mayor met for consp,ta.
uon. Iney announced later thev had /
decided to stand by the old franchise.
although the city attorney had stared
ne favored Twenty-second street and
b. B. JohnNon OF the board had ascIar
ed he would not be hard to persuade
the proposed new fran
cnise, which would have done away
with the excavation of Twentv-tbird
street and the subsequent continuous
sQuaooie never would have followed.
Petitions Filed.
The scramble to tell how thev had |
e>An misinformed was percipitated