Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-11-22
.|NTERURBAN FILES
ANSWER TO C|TY'S.
BRIDGE PETITION
c., o. G. p. DENIES, IN COMMUNE.
CATION SENT ILLINOIS COM,
MERGE CO N N SION, ANY
KNOWLEDGE OF PLANS FOX
MAIN STREET STRUCTURE.

The Fox river bridge hearing Is
scheduled to take place in the office
OF the commerce commission In
Springfield on Dec. ut 10 o'clock.
This hearing win be held at the in
stfgation OF Mayor George V. B..
Weeks, who filed petition with the
commission asking that the c., o. Il
=. railroad be compelled to stand u
share of the expense In the erection
OF the new bridge over the Fox river
In Ottawa.
A copy of the answer of tho inter.
urban to the petition of Mayor Weeks
as filed with the commission, has been
received In this city. The answer
asks that the railroad company be re.
lieved OF coming in with the city Of
ficials In the construction of the pro-
posed bridge. 1t denies that th6
paved state highway leading through
Ottawa Is to pass over the Main street
bridge, as was previously alleged, ana
states that the state armory and the
Ottawa High school were erected on
the property just east Of the Fox river
bridge long after the construction OF
the railroad and their bridge over the
Fox river.
Refers Back to Old Grant
The answer sets forth that the city
council in 1903 gave the G., O. & p
the permission tc construct their rail,
way and bridge, and claims that their
obligations In connection with the
erection of the structure have been
carried out II states that at the time
nj Toe %
struct the bridge the National Fire
PROBING company was under city
franchise maintaining track for &
tramway train over the city bridge
1t also alleges that one of the ob!iga-
tions imposed on them by the city
was to permit the company to change
the course of their tramway tracks |
and to run them over their bridge.
1t claims that since the removal
OF the tracks the tramway tracks |
have been continuously operated over
their bridge, and that the city has |
been relieved OF the burden of the |
tracks, and the public the hazard re-
sulting from them operating over the
public bridge. While the tracks were
on the bridge, the c., o. & p. officials |
allege many accidents were caused to 7
the travelling public, but since theil
removal to the railroad bridge eight
cen years ago not a single accident
has resulted from the tram.
% No knowledge of Bridge Plans.
Ii The answer alleges that year ago,
when the, city council determined to
provide a new bridge, 1t was decided
1 TO build the structure so that it would
extend to the north edge Of Main
street and the north Of the railroad
bridge. The estimate was thea fixed
at $4,000. it was stated. The city
took up the question 1t is further al
legged, and went before the board of
supervisors, securing a $4,000 appro'
priation from La Sale county for its
share of the expense toward the con
struction.
The question, the respondent al
leges, was then put up to the resi-
dents Of the city of Ottawa, who al
an election voted to give the members
of the city council permission to issue
bonds in the sum of $4,000 to pay
one-half toward the erection of the
bridge.
The c., o. & P. allege that they
were requested to give permission to
the city council to permit the con-
struction of sidewalk attached to
their bridge. They allege that the
council promised if necessary to carry
the sidewalk that they would rein
force the railroad bridge.
The application was made by the
city to the state engineers Office to
prepare the necessary plans, it is
stated, and the plans were made not
as originally contemplated This, the
C., o. & p claims, was the first init
nation that they had that the bridge
was to be built the full width of the
street.
.E Old Bridge. Cost $4,000.
The company claims that their
bridge was erected at cost of ap
prcximately $4,000 for the abut-
ments, piers and superstructure. They
claim that the bridge is In as good |
condition today as 1t was when orig.
inally constructed, and has long fur
ture life ahead CT it. They deny the
allegation previously made that the
bridge is weak, depleted and in a
dangerous condition for the type OF
traffic that 1t is now being used for.
The answer alleges that the road
has endeavored to secure the right
to do a general or a limited freight
business through the city of Ottawa,
for # does not now enjoy such privi-
leges and has never had such rights.
The document stated that the cost
OF the new structure which would be
imposed on the respondent is $4,000
They allege that they are unable to
pay this, as In 1920 the earnings of
the company were $4,000 short of the
amount necessary to pay the interest
on the railroads bonded Indebtedness,
and that since July l, 1921, the earn
ings of the company have been $10,
900 less per month than during the
same period in 1920.
!. The answer was drawn by Attor
neys A. j. O'Conor and James H.