South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-03-04
OPPOSES SOUTH
SHORE FRANCHISE
Councilman SeVar Thompson
Gives Views on Questions
Confronting City.

There are at least two questions
OF municipal Importance. said Coun-
Gilman Sevar Thompson. in an inter-
view last night, upon which every
prospective candidate for the city
council at South Bend must declare
himself before the election is held. e"
These two matters, according to
the councilman. are the extension Of
the franchise 20 the South Shore
lines and the relocation Of the cen
trRl water PUMPING station A third
question. which Is Of scarcely less
importance. BIS that or the municipal
coal yard.
One Of the principal reasons for
the relocation of the pumping sta
ton Is that given by Sup't TOyne OF
the water works department. Ac-
oording to the figures furnished by
him ara his monthly reports at least
three times as much money is spent
In pumping water at the north side
station as is expended in pumping
"a similar amount at the central sta
tiOn.
Little more than half of the wa
ter needed by the city can be fur
nlshed by the central station. al
though the pumps are able 10 supply
almost enough 20 take care OF the
total demand except i'm the three
summer months a relocation OF
the equipment now on hand on an
island In the center Of the strea n
would enable the pumps to work at
full capacity. Under present condi-
lions. owing 10 the fact that the race
now in use is of small capacity. the
turbines now in operation cannot be
used simultaneously 10 full capacity
Urges Improvement.
Mr.. Thompson declared that he
was heartily in favor of this i'm
prOvemont and said that ne had TAX
en- the matter up with Mr. Toyne
and that he had proposed TO the
council the making of the change.
. Twice" he said "the matter has
fallen through, but il is my sincere
hope that / may be reelected so that
] may see that this matter is carried
60 a successful elimination.
Il object" ne continued. ito the
transformation of Lasalle aV. into a
second Division St, which is exactly
what the extension of the franchise
10 the South shore will mean"
According 10 Mr.. Thompson. the
extension of this franchise asked by
the company is step toward the
creation OF an open thoroushfarc
through the city for general freight
lie maintains that the company. at
some future date, viii extend its
lines TO Toledo on Buffalo and that
the general tradic-both freight and
passenser-will pass through the
city on Lasalle ay.
His stand is that the company
should be permitted TO ship al local
freight through To the offices located
at Lasalle av. and Michigan ST.. but
that through freight should he pro-
hibited from entering the city. He
called attention 10 the fact that the
south Shore is owned by the Michi-
gan Central which already has "a
track entering the city at limerick
ST.
As regards the coal question, the
councilman said that he is i'm favor
81 the city buying its coal directly
from the mines instead of through
local dealers He said that "a saving
could be made by this method and
that al some future date. the city
might be enabled 20 buy at least part
of the coal needed by its private citi-
zens.
Regarding the establishment of "a
municipal coal yard az this time, Mr..
Thompson said that lie was not Ger
tain that 10 would be advisable UNI
ger present conditions.