Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-08-13
REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY
COUNCIL

u
body voted to give the Wisconsin Val
ley Electric company the right to eros.
the new concrete bridge with it's Cal
tracks and to thus connect up its lint
to the west side and continue its ser
vice. The vote was over two-thirds il
favor of allowing the company this
privilege. The service to the west side
was stopped last November owing tc
the work of the building of the new
bridge being commenced at that time
1t has been a serious Inconvenience
to those living in that part of the city
M. c. Ewing, Sec'y of the Wisconsin
Valley Electric company, offered the
following for the consideration of the
council by the counsel, Fred W. Gen.
rich:
To the Honorable Mayor and Com.
mon Council, Wausau, Wisconsin.
Gentlemen
With reference to the present inter
ruption of street car service to the
west side, which has now been as we
believe unnecessarily interrupted
since November 9, 1917. 1t has been
the opinion of some of the city officials
that a part of the cost of the new
Falls bridge, be assessed against this
company, before cars are premitted
to cross said bridge. When this mat
ter was first brought to our atten-
tion by the City, this company's rep
resentatives appeared, at a special
council meeting, called for that pur-
pose, and gave fully to the members
of the last council and administration,
the reasons, why in our opinion, this
company should not pay any of the
costs of this bridge. In view of the
fact that some of these reasons, may
be unknown to the present aldermen
and city officials, we take this op-
portunity of again presenting them
to you. From our point of view, un-
der the facts as they exist, it seems
to us absolutely contrary to the con-
tract and franchise agreement, en-
tered into between the city and the
company, upon which contract the car
line was built, and operated, to at
this time demand that the company
contribute towards the payment of
this new bridge.
Before a street car was operated in
this city, and before the present line
to the west side was built, this mat
ter was considered and agreed upon,
by franchise, between this company and
the city. On April 25, 1907, the com
mon council of the city of Wausau,
duly considered and agreed to an
amendment to the original franchise.
which amendment eliminated from the
original franchise, those provisions,
which provided for partial payment of
the cost of future new bridges across
the Wisconsin river. This change in
the franchise was properly made, be-
cause the company at that time, de-
clined to build and operate a car lire
to the west side of the river, upon
the basis of paying for public bridges.
either in part or in whole for the very
good reason that it was then foreseen,
that the returns from such invest
ment, would not be sufficiently prom
Using, to permit the company to make
any such agreement. The city and
the company, therefore, agreed, on
April 25, 1907, that no such demands
were in the future to be made upon
the company by the city. This agree
ment is evidenced by the franchise
amendment, which was adopted upon
the date given above. The company
then proceeded to build and operate
the west side line, and did so relying
on this agreement so made This
agreement stands today as a city rec
ord and the city is both legally anG
morally bound to recognize this agree.
ment, made in good faith, by botl
parties over eleven years ago, before
street car was operated in the city
of Wausau.
Another and more potent reason
why the city should treat the Traction
company with fairness and justice, a
this time, because, the traction de
partment of this company is today op
Grating at a decided and substantial
loss, which is daily becoming NOR,
burdensome. The most casual observ
er, must on moments consideration
recognize that street car service il
still being furnished in Wausau, a
pre-war rates, while the expenses O
operation have very greatly increase,
and are still increasing. That the ex
penses are now greater than the in
come, and that under such conditions
we might at this time as well talk O
squeezing juice out of a turnip," g
to expect heavily losing business, t
cheerfully meet requests for contribu
tions towards new bridges, when sue
business is not under the franchis
agreements required to pay. If thi
company could afford to do so, w
would cheerfully contribute at thi
time reasonable amount toward
paying for the best single civic i'm
proyement made by the city in recen
years. but the company absolutel
/ cannot, under the present condition
4 afford to do SO. Our street car busi
ness under present conditions is
financial failure, it is rapidly gettin
worse. 1t must have assistance an
consideration from the city govern
ment rather than added burdens.
Up to the present time we hav
made no application for an increase i
rates. We have hoped that presen
conditions might change, that thi
war might be brought to an end. bu
as there seems to be no immediat
relief, we now respectfully advise an
give due notice, that our increase
cost of operation, due to the wal
makes il necessary for this compan
to apply for increased rates for ou
transportation department and tha
within the next six weeks we will fill
with the railroad commission of Wis
consin for an application for such in
erase as the commission may deer
necessary. A copy of such application
will be duly filed with the city. whic
application will set forth in detail tn
financial conditions making such an
plication necessary.
h Any additional burdens imposed UT
on the traction company must in tn
last analysis be paid for by the ca
riders rather than by the stockholder
| of this company. Seeking to pay 70
bridges, by assessing the tractio
company, at this time is like tryin
to lift ourselves by our boot strap:
What good reason can be given fo
asses sing directly or indirectly, stree
car riders, to build bridges which ar
made necessary, largely by reason G
the wonderful development of auto
O.,aI,