The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-03-09
The Traction Company and It's
Franchises.

majorities have rejected the ue-
mands of the Traction Company for
the extension of their franchises,
this corporation is again in proml-
nence. seeking what has been denied
them and for which they now offer
practically little OF substantial
value.
Almost for a song, the Traction
Company has acquired by degrees
concessions from the city which are
TODAY listed at not less than MIL
lion of dollars, and for all these
grants what have the people de-
rived. except riding, standing II not
sitting, for which they are required
to pay for such privilege?
How have some of their promises
been fulfilled as applied to the 2ha
and 3 cent fares and transfers?
On May 4, 1891, the City Council
granted to the Shreveport City Rail
way. ETC., a franchise extension OF
thirty years, from May 4, 1891, to
1921. At that session Councilman
Mcclellan submitted a clause requlr-
ing that the railway company put
in repair the Texas road from Mey-
er's to the corporate line, which was
not as extended as now, but this was
defeated by the majority, who were
the personal friends of this corpor-
alton. =.
On December 8, 1892, the Council
adopted an ordinance extending the
frs nchise of the Shreveport City
Railway twenty years, from May 4,
1921. J FfslM
It is notable that less than two
gears had elapsed from the granting
OF the extension from May 4, 1891,
10 May 1921, when this additional
grant was foisted on the people, and
which is today a part Of the issue
which confronts the citizens OF
Shreveport.
At this meeting Of December .,
1892, the yeas were: Toombs, Her
old, Benjamin and Seoaeld, Of whom
only Herold survives.
The nays were Quigles and YOU
ree, now deceased.
In explaining his vote, Council
man Youree announced: mot Jess
than four months ago the vice pres
i6cnt of the First National Bank
swore he thought a franchise for a
street railway was worth s25o9o,
and continued Councilman 4ouree,
IF this franchise for twenty years
from this date were worth that sum
40 not believe it were competent
for this Council to grant at one sit
ting a franchise so enormously val
liable as this further extension
n ight be, should the city make the
progress in the next twenty years
that other cities have made, and
that it was fairly reasonable to hope
that the City of Shreveport might
make in such time"
The words of Councilman Youree
were prophetic, and are more ap-
piicable today than when they were
Uttered. At that time the popula-
fion of Shreveport was about twelve
thousand. From valuation, fixed
by the vice president of the First
National Bank, who practically was
the moving spirit Of the Traction
Company, at $25,0O0,I the increase I'M
the valuation of those railway or
K,oration has reached million,
made possible by double the popula-
ton of 1892, what will be the vaIueI
Of the property of the Traction
Company in 1871, the limit of ttel
franchise of this line, when Shreve-|
ports population will have reached
at least hundred thousand if not
more?
1t may be declared that in theI
long record of favoritism to corpor-
atoms by officials of municipalities
who should be fair to the people,
this extension of twenty years from
May {, 1921, to May 4, 1912, may be
ranked as a crime against the peo-
pie, and yet, notwithstanding, the|
Traction Company and its allies are
trying to hoodwink the people in
their demands for an extension of
what is styled their short franchises
10 terminate together in the year
1851. and from which they offer, as
they style it, concessions" in re-
duced rates for children and trans
fers, which are misleading and are
not, practically, transfers, at least
not in the universal sense applied.
From a direct personal interest
the Traction Company is not blame
able in their efforts to obtain what
they have been seeking for years.
In their contention they have every
thing to gain and little to lose, but