The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-03-21
QUESTION or TRANSFERS
What Action the Council Will Take
Nav BE Conlectured.

II has been stated that the Committee
on Franchises Of the City Council has
not vet considered seriously the question
Of tran, fcrs and has been awaiting IN
formation reliable which is to be fur
nished by the City Attorney.
In delving through the record ii has
ncen discovered that on December =.
iSo, that the Council granted to the
Shreveport Railway and Land lmprove-
mcnt Company and the City Railway
Company twenty years extension from
tie expiration Of their transfer grant in
1921.
The date given III the Caucasian re-
Gently was in keeping with the record,
but this extension of twenty years was
known to but few although it is III
the minutes of the December 1902 scs
sion of the City Council
The records then were not kept as sys-
te,natically as they are now. and have
been Of recent years with marginal
ootes..ns arranged by Auditcr Thur
mond for ready and speedy reference.
There has been much said in connec
ton with the transfers, which the 1'rac
ton Company. considering its acquire
ment of these valuable franchises for
song should have readily and voluntarily
given transfers as are in general use in
towns and cities of the United States.
1t may be admitted that there was
time when no serious objection could
be urged i'll this generous donation of
public utilities to private concerns. for
justified Franchises for instance such
as are possessed by the Shreveport Trac-
ton Company are valuable, ranging near
the half million dollar mark.
When at the session of the Council
held December 8. 1902. this extension of
twenty years was added to the franchise
of this railway from the year 1927, there
was filed vigorous protest by Council
man II Yourcc, who. according to the
record, in explaining his opposition said
that his reason for voting against the
ordinance that not less than four months
before the vice president of the First
National Bank sworc he thought the
franchise of these companies was worth
$4,000. and that if this franchise for
twenty years was worth such sum he
did not believe it were competent for
the Council to grant at one sitting
franchise SO valuable.
The ordinance providing this exten-
sion of twenty years to the grant expir-
ing in Io2. was passed by the following
vote:
For-Toombs. Herold. Benjamin and
Scotield
Agarst-Yourec and Quiglcs
The Council by a majority vote did
what the Traction Company would
have the present Council >lo--grant an
extension to their franchises Of their
two main belts. at their expiration. The
consideration for such grant has not
Dttii ttN CloItNu IL tiltIt DSliNi anu
more liberal terms than have been Of
fered i'll the past
With no intent or reflection on any
one and with no reference to any mem
Der Of the Council or any official of the
city government. it has been and is
street talk that the Traction Company
has never failed to obtain from the city
any favor it desired. This observation is
due, no doubt, to the readiness OF the
Council in its generosity to the Irac-
ton Company, whose first check was
experienced in 1908 when the committee
reported unfavorably on the proposition
for the extension of the franchises of
the two main belts.
In cleaning through the records it is
noted than on September 8, 1906, that
Councilman Currie opposed vigorously
the granting of franchise to this Rail-
way Company and declared the time had
come for the public to be awakened to