Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-02-20
T0NEY'S PLEAS
 WERE NOT HfEDEl Local Attorney Wanted City Council to Postpone Ac-
 tion on Railway Deal. ORDINANCE ADOPTED thlargcd That Transit Company is
 Trying to Escape RcSponsi
 biIity in Damage Suits.
ORDINANCE ADOPTED

Despite the fact that Senator II. k Toney pleaded with 'bhe City Coluc'l last night to postpone the adoption oi an ordinance, presented by Alderman Hollis, recognizing the Citizens Light and Transit Company as the owner Of the light plant and ithe street railway system, which had never been legally transferred to that company by the original owners, the Bluff City Lum- Der Company, the aldermen adopted the ordinance unanimously. MT. Toney made a caustic speech against the adoption of the ordinance.
 The ordinance was presented to clear up title for the properties so that the deal, recently agreed to by H. R. Dennis and others and the Pine Bluff CoIporaition, whereby the former purchased the stree,e railway and lighting plant, could be consummated this week. Those who urged the adop- ton of the ordinance state that the original papers, confirming the pur- chase of the properties from '5he Bluff City Lumber Company by the Citizens Light and Transit Company Were lost and were never properly recorded on the city records. The ordinance of last evening, it is stated, was drawn to make the first deal official, so to speak, and ito have it spread on the city records. The ordinance includes the term tits successors and assigns and with this clause in the original papers there will be no necessity of a legal transfer of the properties to the new owners from the Citizens Light and Transit Company.
 Two other ordinance were adopted last night, one requiring gas, water and other companies to go inside the curb lines in the new cemetery paw ing districb when laying pipes. This precaution is taken to avoid tearing up the pavements after they are laid to the cemeteries. An ordinance es- tablisaing grades on Vest Second ave nue and another establishing grades on West Pullen street, were also adopted.
 Toney's Opposition.
 MT. Toney, in his opening state nlent in opposition ito the street rail way ordinance had joker contained in it which would allow the Citizens Light and Transit Company to accept $300,000 from the Pine Bluff Corpora ton, and then be relieved, under the ordinance, from the payment of it's honest debts. He appealed to the council not to let the ordinance be rushed Nhrough, but to give the citi- zens of Pine Bluff an opportunity to be heard on the measure.
 MT. Sorrells and MT. Coleman made short speeches for the ordinance, and MT. Toney said, in conclusion, in his answen to their argument:
 "Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen of the Council: I was informed tonight that the mayor called the council in his private office this afternoon and invit- ed MT. Frank Bridges, the attorney for the Corporation, to discuss this measure, and that it was agreed that it should be railroaded through here tonight. l object .io the calling of private caucuses of the city council ! with only the attorney for the cor Eoration present You ought to give thu, people chance-'he working peopl, and these who have been made orphahx by the Citizens Light and Transit Nompany
 "The Pin, Bluff Corporation has a monopoly onAthe street railway, and a monopoly on WI ter. They ought not to have a moncpoly>on our city council l beg you not to- gt}nt them gentle mon such great favors ifs such haste. When you see a corporation. irving to rush something througl, that a.issaans the people are going to vail. l am gesp q to contest every move this corpora !lion makes from now on to defeat the creditors of the Citizens Light and Transit Company. Mir. Sorrellss has always fought the battles of the peO- pie, and 1 am surprised to see him here tonight, fighting for this gigan- tic corporation. This ordinance grants an absolutely new franchise to the Pine Bluff Corporation. If you are going to give it to them, don't give it to them so quick. The citizens of Pine Bluff ought 10 have $100,0OO for this franchise, which you are railroad ing through here, without even giving the citizens chance to be heard, and in the name of honesty and in the name of honesty ard in the name ot justice, in the name of right, and in the name of ,the people, in the name of the widows and orphans, made SC by the Citizens Light and Transit Company, l ask you to delay this mat ter just one week, and let the people be heard"
 By motion of Alderman Fox, the rules were suspended and the Ordin- ance placed on it's third reading, ant passed unanimously.