The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-01-28
KACE PROTESTS
FRISCO'S SHOP
EXCHANGE PLAN
Mayor Tells Receivers Read
May Lose Franchise If
Scheme is Carried Out.
MEANS LOSS OF 6 MEN
TO CAPE, HE LEARNS
Rage Is Told Machines Meant
For Cape Are Good Only
As Scrap Iron.

AS scrap iron.
Mayor Rage last night sent i pro-
test from the City to tire receivers of
the Frisco, Directing to the proposed
action of the railroad in removing
parts of machinery in the Cape shops
to be replaced by different kinds of
machines.
The protest indicates that if the
change is made at the shops in South
Cape, the city will take the necessary
steps to revoke the roads franchise in
the city. The Mayor last night de-
clared that he made the protest after
. private Investigation of the real
facts involved in the move had con-
WINGED him that the changes would
lessen the capacity of the shops here
to perform the work that is provided
in the franchise.
The removal of one Of the ma
chimes, the Mayor said he learned,
would mean that six workmen would
be taken out of the Cape. The addi-
ton Of two of the machines which the
read officials proposed to bring here,
would have no material effect upon the
capacity of the shops, and the Mayor
said he learned that it would be, as a
matter of fact, the substitution of
junk for the machinery that is needed
to maintain the shops in the Cape at
the required standard.
The Mayor held conferences with
men Sunday and yesterday who fur
nished him with inside details as to
what the change meant.
Sunday afternoon the Master Me-
chanic called upon the Mayor and ask
ed him what his decision was going to
be regarding an approval or disapprOv-
al Of the change
The Mayor had told Superintendent
Claiborne and Master Mechanic
Thompson of Chaffee, who conferred
with him Saturday, that he would give
his decision Monday. The Mayor
Sunday told Thompson to await the
reply, but he told him that he believed
he would have to prepare a protest.
Thompson told the Mayor that he
and Claiborne haG taken the matter up
with higher officials and lie said that
any procst that Rage would make to
them. they would have to refer to
higher officials of the road.
AS a consequence, Rage declared he
would take the matter to the men
higher up himself and yesterday mail
ed his letter to the receivers. The
protest follows in full:
"Messrs. James w. Lusk, w. B.
Biddle, and W. C. Nixon, receivers of
the ST. Louis & San Francisco Rail
road CO., st. Louis, Missouri.
"Gentlemen:-We have been reliably
informed that your agents are making
preparations to remove from the City
of Cape Girardeau certain machinery
used for the repair Of engines and
cars, in particular one wheel press and
one boring mill which are being used
by you at this place for doing what
is known as running repairs for en-
gines and cars of the st. Louis and
San Francisco Railroad Company.
'If these machines are moved, it
will be in violation of condition No.
ii of Ordinance No. 935 of the City of
Cape Girardau, Missouri. Said ordi-
nance was passed and approved on
January 5th, 1911.
GAS Mayor of the City CT Cape Cir
ardeau l hereby notify you that the
City of Cape Girardeau will protest
most vigorously against the removal
Of any ofthese machines, and you are
expected to abide by your contract
which you accepted under the provis-
ions of the above Ordinance on JAN
uary 16, 1911. Very respectfully, +
A. Rage, Mayor"
Rage yesterday was informed by the
railroads representatives that none of
the machinery had been moved and
that the road would await the outcome
of the protest.
In conversation with one of the
railroads representatives yesterday,
the railroad man protested that the
Frisco had not attempted to ''put
over anything in the dark"
"But it does look like you. would
have had the courtesy to notify me
that you proposed to make these