The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-08-10

interurban rights, and the latter one
gave thom such rights in and over all
the streets of the city, except North
A street. North Tenth street, and ex-
cept all those streets along which the
city street railway tracks were then
laid. This cut them off from all in
terurban rights on Main street lex
cept a part west of Fifth street,
North Twentieth street, and North e
street.
Causes for Long Delay.
Negotiations were soon delayed by
two things: The demand by the coun-
Gil for universal transfers, after the
Board had tried to secure them and
failed; and a disagreement as to that
portion of the freight route connect
ing East Main street with North E.
The traction companies desired North
Twentieth street as it's first choice,
Twenty-second street, second choice,
and Twenty-third street or park route,
last Consideration of these routes
in turn brought out vigorous and unan-
imous remonstrances; the people on
Twentieth street going so far as to
declare they would rather have their
track taken out than be burdened
with the freight cars with their nat
ural increase for the next generation
Main street property owners east OF
Twentieth street also opposed this
route. They both claimed exemption
from freight traffic under the Lontz
and Freeman franchise and pointed
to many vacant north and south
streets connecting Main and North E
streets on which the traction company
had complete rights under that con-
tract. The Board could not ignore the
force of this argument. and took up
the Twenty-second street proposition.
as one involving minimum damage
because of the few residences thereon.
This route was bitterly opposed as
spelling a future boulevard adjoining
the park, and as running the corner
entrance thereto and making the
whole west side of the park unsightly.
To go into the park farther east
would relieve private property owners
from discomfort and damage and be
no more, il as much detriment to the
park itself This brought out the
park or Twenty-third street sugges-
| ton. not only as a compromise. but as
the best route on it's merits. all things
considered.
Public Hearings Were Granted.
To avoid a failure through a lack of
unity among ourselves. contingency
the traction people were counting on,
| in order to retain their traffic on
Main street-and at the request Of cit
izens and members Of council, pub
| lie hearing was given by the Board In
| the council chamber to decide on a
route. This meeting was we'll adver'
tised and we'll attended. not only by
residents of the streets affected, but
by many representative citizens liv.
ing in other parts of the city. After
full discussion those present unani'
mously voted to recommend the adop-
ton of the Twenty-third street route
as the best place for the freight cars
The board and council met in confer
ence Immediately and agreed to stand
by that route, and did so-the council
unanimously approving the contract
covering this route (also covering
transfers) which was signed by the
board and presented to that body al
its next meeting. The traction com
pany after considerable demurrins
agreed to the park route, but baked
ON the transfer clause. The Board, as
a matter af good faith to the council
declined to modify its demand. and
the franchise was thus held up fol
many months.
Attitude of Court and shippers.
During this time the city had passed
the penal ordinance against the freigh
traffic on Main street, and the traction
company had enjoined its enforcement
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