Evening journal., 1913-12-18

occupy as their legal adviser. IN
addition to that the commission can
not assure the six-for-a-quarter
tickets because It may not be right.
If Council thinks they can afford to
spend this money they can ascertain
two things. first if the company has
the right to charge cent fare, and
second if the people are paying too
much to ride on the cars of the trac-
tion company. They must be will
| ing to spend money in order to satisfy
their curiosity, believing some good
may result"
Colonel Stover explained that he
did not mean a positive assurance. but
IA reasonable one: the casual belief
of the city solicitor that something
would be accomplished would be suf-
fcient.
1--WE just want some reasonable as
surance as to what we may expect to
get. If the Court determines the
company has no right to charge a .
cent fare. then we can get after them
on the other hand
THAT is undoubtedly the best
thing to do replied Mr.. Hastings.
THAT is the safest and sanest thing
to do. 1t means practically no ex-
lpense and may end this matter for
lever II an, be done without money,
but can only be done with the CO.
Operation of the traction company.
am willing to find out if they will
! agree TO it,"
GarretSOn Wants Certainties.
I Commissioner Garretson believed
the commission should get down to
lcertainties. He remarked that the
fcost of an investigation would be
$4,000 if the company would open
their books to them. and otherwise
might amount to $4,000. Mr. Gar
iretson declared 3 cents is the uni
lversal trolley fare. and he believed It
would be better for Council to give
the commission money to see that the
people get their cents worth. II
would be better, he held. to use the
money to employ competent inspec-
tors to inspect the company's hold
ings and see that everything is up 20
the minute and force them TO put on
adequate cars TO take care OF heavy
traffic aud run on better Schedules.
"lf we do that the people of VIII
g, he declared. Il advocate not to spend
$4,000, when after spending it We
would. in my judgment, be no better
off than we are now
{ Would Value the Property.
Councilman Haney said there are
more than strip tickets at stake, and
that the proper thing to do is TO place
a valuation on the property. He did
not believe the city is getting the rev.
enue it should from the public util-
tiles. and that an equitable cssess-
ment should be made on them the
same as is made of the property of
his constituents in the Tenth ward
He compared the revenue derived
from utilities in this city with those
in other cities. He stated that by
conducting an investigation the COM
mission would accomplish something
even If IL 0id not get the strip tickets
again. The commission would find
out If able If there is any watered
stock in the companies He favor
ed giving the commission the money
they had. asked for and more. too. if
IL is needed
Il for one am going to stand to the
last minute to see valuations placed
on these companies the same as on
my constituents in my ward. he de-
clared emphatically. He said the
commission should be careful and get
the proper man to conduct the inves-
tigaton.
81 don think one member of the
commission will argue with Mr..
Haney that the public utilities are
.full OF water remarked Mr.. Garrett
son.
@in admit it, they are full of
water"
Then let's get rid of some of IT,"
exclaimed MIR Haney.
! Mr.. Garretson said that If Mr.
Haney could solve the question of
how to get rid of the water he would
be a wealthy man. He remarked that
under the State law taxing public
utilities the State derives its revenue
from franchises, and that it would be
up TO the legislature to make any
. change necessary to permit the city to
derive a revenue from The franchises
Wants More Taxes From Companies.
Mr. Haney said he could inform
them how 10 pay a tax. that the Board
OF Assessment, Revision and Appeals
can assess them for. school tax and
that IL would be good thing 10 as
: sess them for school purposes and get
the money In that way
! Commissioner McMullon believed It
was the duty of the commission 10 act
Z in conjunction with City Council 10
/ place a valuation on this particular
company, otherwise the comm ssion
might as well get out Of existence He
said the charters granted to the cor
porations are not worth the PAPER
they arc written on as they can DO