The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-03-16
THE TRANSFER QUESTION
Why Should the City Council Take the
Initiative? The Action of the Last
Council.

Council
This query may be pertinent: VIII!
should the City Council take the initia
tive on this question of transfer? Why
should the City Council through a com
mittee hold a conference with the rep
resentatives of the Traction Company
unsolicited?
The last Council was decisive in it:
action connected with the proposed
grant of transfers by the Traction Com
pany.
What is the value of the proposed
transfers.
What is the value of the franchises
of the Traction Companyo
In this cause the Caucasian has only
one motive, only one purpose
1t stands now, as it has always been,
for the people i'll opposition to schemes
of self-seekers and the unfair demands
of corporations.
1t is of record that the committee on
franchises, after having exhausted every
reasonable means to secure an adjust
ment of the transfer question. that this
committee reported to the Mayor and
the Council at the meeting Of the Coun-
Gil held on September 20. 1908: We,
your franchise committee beg leave to
report that we do not recommend the
extension OF time of the Traction Com
pany'S franchises asked for by the ordi-
nance offered by Mr. Tusten Signed
A. S. Reisor. J. c. Foster. J Dam
bly,
This report was adopted.
At that time transfers were to be
operative at the intersection Of Texas
avenue and Jordan street and at Texas
and Marshall streets.
The Traction Company in substance
wants an extension OF all their fran
chiscs to end at the expiration Of the
franchise granted to the West End line
or the Highlad Park line.
1t has been claimed that the extension
would only extend twelve years. but
this is misleading
The expiration of franchise of the
lines are:
West End line July ,o 1853.
Highland Park line June 5. 1852
'J1,a t.,1 pnl%c NI,,, ,no,
Calculating from today the franchises
of the belt lines will expire in twelve
years, and if extended to the ending of
the franchises of either Of the two lines
would be thirty-two years instead of
twelve years from 1921 From 1921 to
1853 is thirty-two years: from 1909 to
1921 is twelve years; total forty four
years.
Why should such extension be grant
ed when i'll twelve years these fran
chises being expired will be valuable, al
most beyond computation, to the city
Of Shreveport.
Why should the city sacrifice its rights
and its privileges, simply for transfers
which in comparison are ridiculous?
1t is a fact subject to proof that all
cities require the fullest consideration
i'll actual value for every grant of fran
chises to street railway companies.
Why should Shreveport be an ,excep-
ton?
Has not the Traction Company de-
rived sufficient profit and possessed suf-
icient advantages to concede to the citi-
zens of Shreveport the privilege of
transfers without such exaction as
equals almost the pounds Of flesh in the
bond?
Heretofore and until last September
the Traction Company has invariably
been successful in its every demand
upon the city, even to the grading of
streets, involving the city in litigation,
for which the city must bear the bur
dens of costs. Is it not time to call
A halt, and is it not time for the city to
receive some compensation for their
franchises which are valuable and which
in other cities would be valued at many
of dollars.