The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-01-09
TEST "SURCHARGE IN COURT
City Council in First Session of the
New Year Decide to Clean UP Rail
way and Light Problem Street
Commissioners Under Fire Again

mission for improved street car service
in the city. The particular appeal is
to be for the extension of the pres
ent service of the local company to the
North limits of the city at Ropeville
Under the action of the council the
Committee on Railroads and Trans
portation and the Mayor will unite
with the Chamber Of Commerce in
taking this matter to the commission
and asking for an immediate order
which would compel the company to
operate cars as far North as the plant
Of the MacComber & Whyte Company.
Richard Francis, Secretary of the
Chamber Of Commerce appeared before
the council and made a very strong
presentation of the needs Of that Sec
tion Of the city for street railway
service. He declared that the fact that
there was no adequate transportation
provided for that section Of the city
was badly handicapping plans for the
advancement of new industries in the
city and especially in that part of the
city. He offered the good offices Of
the Chamber of Commerce to join with
the city in the appeal to the Railroad
Commission. While it is not regarded
as possible for the commission to or
der the interurban cars into the city
it is thought possible that an order
of the commission may force the city
cars to extend their trips so that they
will deliver passengers at the north
limits of the city. Before the mat
ter gets formally to the commission it
is expected that a program for rail ex-
tensions on all parts Of the city will
have been worked out.
May Test Surcharge Collection.
The council showed a willingness to
make q test of the collection of the
surcharge claimed by the Wisconsin
Gas and Electric Company in connec-
tion with bills sent to the city for
street Lighting These bills for two
months amount close to 1925 and the
contention Of the city is that under the
order of the commission granting the
company the right to make the sur
charge the city would not be affected
until after the first of the year. The
order provides that city lighting bills
where the budgets of cities has been
made up should not be effected until
after the end Of the budget period.
The city also makes claim of con
siderable sum against the company for
outage" during the period that the
decorative lights on Main street were
considerably reduced on account Of the
federal lightless nights order. The
company has claimed that this was
something that they could not avoid
and that for this reason the city should
pay the regular contract rate. This
question will probably go to the com
mission along with the railway extern
sion problem.
Street Commissioners Under Fire.
Street commissioners in practically
all of the districts of the city were I'M
der fire when the aldermen charged
that these men were not giving as
much of their time to the work of the
city as would be expected. Aldermen
claimed that the commissioners were
off the job lot and that when they
were off the job that the men did lit
tie work. One aldermen who claimed
that he had kept close tab asserted
that two men working for the city had
taken five hours to clean eight square
yards of sidewalk. There was also
kick of considerable magnitude on
account of the division of teaming
work in the city. 1t is expected that
the matter will be brought up again
with formal charges against some of
the commissioners.
Wisconsin Street Dream Nightmare.
The dream Of some Of the members
OF the council to provide for the wild |
ening of Wisconsin street was turned
into nightmare when it was found |
that the one property owner whose
plans had been interferred with was
demanding an immediate settlement |
on the part of the city. The city
had ordered work stopped on build
ing being erected on property owned
by DR.. Helen Harbert. The city had |
agreed to purchase the sixteen feet |
necessary for the widening of the
street for thousand dollars and pay
damages to the remainder of the prop
erty of something over $500. With
the collapse Of the plan for widening
The street there is no reason for the
city to take over the property. The
council voted to ask DR.. Harbert to
name the amount of her damages and
special meeting of the council will
~ held this evening to dispose of the