The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-02-22
FRANCHISE MAY
BE TAKEN FROM
FRISCO BY CITY
Railroad Violates it's Con-
tract With Cape Girardeau
Mayor Tells Council
COMMITTEE TO TAKE
ACTION IMMEDIATELY
Knehans Asserts City Can De-
clare Franchise Void and Make
Railroad an Outlaw.

The City Council may declare the
franchise between the city and the
Frisco Railroad forfeited on a charge
that the railroad is moving machinery
away from the Cape, in violation of
its agreement with the city.
A complaint filed with Major
Rage yesterday was taken up at the
council meeting last night. and the
Ways and Means Committee was or
dered to meet with City Counselor
Krehans, decide what action the cts,
must take and then report It's finding
to the council as a whole.
Frisco has been sending machinery
from the shops here to Springfield. and
q number of box cars have been taken
from the Cape and sent there for
repairs. This IS said to be in direct
violation Of the city's agreement with
the railroad. entered into in 1911.
The Ways and Means Committee
and .lIr. Knchans will decide whether
the railroads franchise can he declared
forfeited. The committee was ordered
to recommend that the franchise be
revoked. if it IS actually determined
that the Frisco has violated its pedGc
CITY Counselor Knchans announced
last night that the franchise Of the
Frisco could be forfeited by the city,
if the railroad failed to comply with
the provisions of It's charter. When
the receivership of the railroad was
liftei by the Federal Court, he said
the railroad was given the priviIega Of
either accepting all old franchises or
rejecting them.
IF the Frisco abropatcs its Cape Cir
ardeau franchise, then the railroad
could be penalized for operating in
the city It would be an outlaw in the
eyes Of the law. In the opinion Of
Mr.. knehans the railroad can be held
liable for all contracts and franchises
entered into by the Frisco before it
went into the hands Of 2 receiver. The
contract with the Cane was made sew
eral years before the railroad went
into . receivers hands.
He added that he did not doubt in
the least that the Frisco would want to
retain its franchise in Cape Girardcau
because of the competition on the part
of other railroads.
The Frisco has largely reduced its
working force in the Cape recently.
Only a small number Of the employees
in the repair shops have been retained.
Several box cars that were in need Of
repairs were said 10 have been sent
to Springfield instead OF being repair
cd in the Cape as had been customary
and compulsory under the provisions
cf the Frisco franchise. Most of the
machinery in use for the car repairs
is aid to have been shipped away.
The employees at the shops say they
lid not know of any orders to have the
done outside of the Cane
one employee said he heard that the
machinery was to be removed when
tn shop force was reduced, but de
clared he did not know whether this
had been done or not. Another Frisco
empIove admitted that he had heard
while in Springfield few days ago
that the machinery would be moved |
from the Cape shops to Springfield in
the immediate future.
The Frisco has had seven machines
in its local shops, of which five have !
been il operation. The number Of !
'vorEmen has been reduced twice in !
the past year.