Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-04-11
TW0)S'.TREE::TCAR
N A Y Be
EXTENDED SOON
Street Railway Co. Asks
Continuation Of Life OF
Franchise That Bonds
! May be Floated.

The Ottumwa Railway & Light Co.,
will extend it's Chester avenue car line
to Wildwood and Leighton parks and
it's Court hill. line very near the ne"
st. Joseph's academy and convent this
present summer, If the city council
grants an extension of the company
franchise for period of eleven years.
The proposed extensions, making an
addition of approximately one and one
fourth miles to the street car system
|of Ottumwa, were announced to the
city council in report made by the
gas and light committee last night, IN
which the extension of the present
franchise was recommended. me
reason given for such an extension is
that it will be necessary for the Ottum-
wa Railway & Light Co., to issue about
$3.50, 900 in bonds. The present fran
chise has but fourteen years more to
run, to 1926 and it is argued that 1T
would be a hard matter to dispose or
that amount in bonds with the expfra-
ton of the franchise in less than
twenty years, the time the bonds would
probably mature. The company, there
fore, requests the council to extend
the franchise, twenty-five years from
the present year Of 1912 which is an
extension of but eleven years after the
present franchise expires. The light
committee recommended that the coun-
Gil agree to cancel the present fran
chise and renew it for a period of
twenty-five years. The report was re-
ferred to the committee of the whole
for consideration
The Leiqhton Park Extension.
Just how the Chester avenue car
line will be extended to the Leighton
and Wildwood parks has not as yet
been decided upon. The Wildwood
park is reached easily straight out
Chester avenue The Leighton park
adtoins Wildwood about one block
south of Chester avenue, having it's
beginning at. Finley avenue. The
length Of this street car extension
will be in the neighborhood of three
fourths of mile. 1t is probable,
though nothing has been settled, that
the car line will 60 out Chester avenue:
and turn at point very near Wild,
wood and go direct to Leighton park
This extension will be the more costly
of the two. .....,..
The second extension. is about one
half mile in length. The Court hill line
will be run out to point very near
the convent of the Sisters of the
Humility of Mary. g.,
Although there is no definite infor-
nation, it is reported that President
Huey is considering other improve
ments for the, Ottumwa Railway &
Light. Co. system.
Mall ~ cn@n Dne0ihlA ,
Manager Fahrney stated today that
it is the intention to commence these
extensions just as soon this summer
as possible, providing of course, that
the council extends the franchise.
Construction work always makes a
demand for material, thus causing de-
lays in work that extends the time OF
completion of improvements. 1t is
the desire to have the lines in readi-
ness for summer picnickers this
year.
President Huey expressed himself
to the council committee Of Mayor
Gordon and Alderman Bannister as
to the stand of H. M. Byllesby & Co.
He asserted that although the owners
Of the Ottumwa lighting and traction
system are residents of Chicago, they
feel that they, as we'll as their pos
sessions here, are part of Ottumwa
and it is their desire to do what is
best for Ottumwa and not detrimental
to the company's interests.