The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-21
MANY AGAINST 1T
Street Railway Extension Clause
VIII Meet Opposition.
On the Other Hand It Will Have
Support in Council.
BRING UP OLD SORE.
Ordinance "Bugaboo" Will Be
Sprung Against Company.
Makes 1t MisdemeanOr to Violate
Points in Franchise.

About the prettiest fight of the sea-
son is scheduled to take place at the
council chamber in the city hall to-
night. The proposition to grant the
Topeka Street railway an extension of
their franchise clause which allows
them three more years of right to tear
UP and put down tracks will come up
at this time and the company has un-
usual strength among the councilmen.
The council has been divided on the
question and the supporters of both
sides are spirited in their sentiment.
The discussion is over the extension
clause of the original franchise. A few
years ago the street railway was given
permission to lay and tear up tracks
for three years on any street in the
city with the exception of a few of the
more prominent residence avenues and
streets. When this three years was up
the company came before the council
again and for the second time they
were given permission to carry out the
original clause in the franchise. This
was in 1906.
Last August the last three years ran
out again and for the third time the
street railway asked the favor OF the
council. But this time the worm turn
ed and the favor was withheld. To-
right the railway company will ask for
it again and from their representation
in the council they expect to win.
Those against the proposition are not
against the extension of the lines of the
street railway. It will be remembered
that the whole matter came up as a re-
suit of the railway to get permission
to build to Shorey and through Douth1tt
avenue west of Kansas avenue. The
councilmen fighting the extension say
that they are willing to give the COM
pany special permission to build these
lines or any other lines but they are
not in favor of giving them three year
extension which will give the railway
free use OF the streets for three years.
The commission form of government
provides for a little remuneration In
the extension of this clause. If the city
council granted the building now the
commissioners who take office in cou-
pie of months would not be able to re-
ceive anything for the So-called blum
der.
Councilmen Tandy and Jordan are
leading the opposition against the street
railway three-year extension. They are
in favor of the building of the lines
but not the addition of the bothersome
clause which would be taking money
cut of the pockets of the commission
ers Councilman Simpson is leading the
street railway forces. He thinks that 1t
is for the interests of the city that the
company be given the franchise blank
et.''
But this isn't all that is going to
happen in connection with the trouble
between the city and the street rail-
way tonight. There is going to be an
ordinance sprung that will take away
MANY a breath and make a number of
councilmen hunt for the happy hunt
ing grounds.
A s.Lost Ordinance"
Not many months ago the city coun-
ell was getting tired of the way in
which the street railway was violat-
ing the terms of their franchise and
thew reyolted. They drew up an Ordf-
nance which made it a misdemeanor
for the street railway to violate the
franchise-in other words, they pro-
posed and had drawn up an ordinance
which contained all OF the points in
the original franchise and attached a
fine to it.
The officials of the Topeka Railway
company heard of this proposed ordf-
nance and they went to every member
of the judiciary committee, of which
E f. Stanley was chairman, and
claimed that such an ordinance would
ruin their financial standing. They adj
mitted that they had been violating a
number of sections of the franchise.
but promised to carry out every fea-
ture hereafter.
Now tonight a number of the coun-
cilmen are going to send in a resolu-
ton asking where that ordinance is
and what influence was brought to
bear on the members to withhold it
from the council. No one at the city
hall seems to know anything about it
and it is expected that if it can be
dug out of its hiding place and intro
duced it will be passed at once. This
would come like a thunderbOlt out of
a clear sky, ETC., to the railway sup
porters and would make the two pres
sures come together with shock.
Here are a few sections of the ordi-
nance that would fall hard on the
street car company If sprung today:
Make it misdemeanor Cd to allow the
tracks to extend above the pavements.
CD to refuse to make all conductors
call out the names of all streets, CD to
refuse to keep space between tracks
and right of way in clean condition,
% to refuse to heat all cars until they