The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-06-06
Secretary E. M. Haas Took a
Copy of New Agreement
Which Solves the Traction
Question.
FRANCHISE SIGNED BY
CITY OFFICIALS.
The City's Interests Are Pro-
tected in 1t and at the Same
Time the Traction Company
Has Some Liberties.

Secretary E. NJ. Haas of the Rich
mond Commercial club left this morn
Ing for Indianapolis where he will pre-
sent to the officials of the Terre Haute
Indianapolis & Eastern traction com
pany a franchise signed by the board
of public works and accepted over
the long distance telephone by the
traction officials. Mr.. Haas expects
that the traction company will sign
this franchise agreement as in discus
Sing its terms over the telephone the
general counsel of the company. Mr.
Winters, assured him that it's terms
were perfectly satisfactory.
The franchise Mr.. Haas took with
him. does not provide that the trac-
ton company shall have the exclusive
use of Main street and other streets
In the city, except North A street
North Tenth street and the streets
now occupied by car lines of the COM
pany, but the section covering this
point reads that the city Tll respect
the rights the company now holds by
virtue of the Lontz and Freeman
franchise.
L. and r. Franchise.
The Lontz and Freeman franchise
gives the traction company the first
right to the use of every street in tfp
city, except streets occupied by car
lines at the time the franchise was
granted and North A street and North
Tenth street. Under the terms of the
and Freeman franchise SboI16
any traction line, other than the r. II.
/. & f. desire to enter this city over
streets not occupied by the T. II. &
Z. it would be necessary, before a
franchise could be granted this COM
pany for the city to ask the T. H. |. &
+. If it desired the use of the streets
In question. In the event the 7. II. l..
& <. did not desire to place tracks
on these streets the city could then
grant the new company a franchise to
operate over them.
The Lontz and Freeman franchise
also provides that in the event a trac-
tion company desires to operate over
the tracks of the T. II. |. & E. 1t shall
obtain this right only by dealing di-
rectly with the T. II. l. & f. In the
event the two roads cannot reach a
satisfactory agreement, then the city
is empower to appoint a representa-
tive to assist in effecting satisfac-
tory agreement.
1t can be seen by this explanation
of the Lontz and Freeman franchise
that the T. H. |. & E. has first option
on the streets of this city but that it
-Six ,irrl,
nor does it have the power to prevent
other traction companies from enter
ing the city.
Members of the r. P. A. and the
Commercial club committees, appoint
ed to assist in bringing about a settle
ment of the traction difficulties, are
displeased over certain published re-
ports that Councilman Henry w. Deu-
ker, who rendered the committees
most valuable service, acted in an un-
der-handed manner. These two COM
mittees held a meeting today and pre-
pared statement expressing their ap-
probation of the services rendered by
Mr.. Deuker and Secretary Haas of
tn Commercial club.
Services Commended.
A tribute to Deuker and Haas is
paid as follows:
There have been statements pub
lished to the effect that councilman
Henry w. Deuker has not acted in
good faith with the Commercial club
and T. P. A. committees who have
been endeavoring to assist the board
OF works, the city attorney and the
city council in effecting a settlement
of the traction difficulties. These
committees desire TO say that there
Is no foundation for these charges
Mr.. Deuker was urged by members
of these committees TO assist in open
Ing up negotiations with the traction
officials because of his connection
with the work a year ago and of his
position as chairman of the franchise
and ordinance committee of council
His special opportunity for informa
tion in regard to all that had passed
between the city and the traction
company made his services very yalu
able to the committees and to him and
Mr.. Haas, secretary of the commercial
club. our committees are greatly in
debted for the results obtained thus
far. If each move made by these com
mittees in this matter has not beer
published it was because We felt that
no good purpose could be served by sc
doing.
Mr.. Study, however. and the board
OF public works have been shown JUS
what was being done and We desire
to say that we have recognized ar
honest effort on the part of these gen
tlemen to bring about a settlement il
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