Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-23
STREET RAILWAY SERVICE ASSURED.

Vi A1%G E1S0O4 WILL
BY its action taken on Tuesday the board of
directors of the street railway company removed
any doubt which may have existed as to the con-
tinued unity and integrity of the local street rail-
way system. In formal resolutions the board de-
clared it to be its purpose to provide Immediately
for the relaying of track through the new paving
district in the south end, and to maintain service as
heretofore on ali parts of its system. The execu-
tive department was also empowered and directed
to proceed at once with the steps necessary to pro-
vide for the reconstruction of the track on Walnut
street and Eighth avenues where pavement is to be
laid.
The situation in the south end was unusual,
and demanded prompt and heroic treatment. The
contract for paving has been let, and the work is in
progress. The sale of warrants in payment for the
work has already been arranged. The contractor
is entitled to payment from time to time as the work
progresses, and to full payment on its completion.
Interest on the warrants, and installments on the
principal, must be paid annually. Payment must
be made out of funds derived from special assess
ments on the property in the district. Assessments
cannot be made until the work is completed and ac-
copied. If the work is not completed now, and as
sessments made forthwith, there will be no funds
with which to meet the first payment when it be-
comes due. These are the conditions which, in the
opinion of the legal department of the city govern
ment, made the completion of this work at this time
imperative. The situation as it appeared was that,
with or without street railway construction, the
paving work must go on.
The action taken by the street railway board
insures the relaying of the track through the paved
district concurrently with the pavement, so that any
question which there may have been as to the COM
pletion of this work and the maintenance of the en-
tire street railway system intact is now removed.
The public can now give undivided attention to
the plans for the submission Of the proposed ordi-
nance relieving the company for the period of ten
years of all charges for street paving. 1t must be
understood that the ordinance, if adopted. will not
relieve the company Of any charge incidental to the
construction and maintenance Of the street railway
proper. The company will at all times provide its
own rails, ties and other material and keep the
same in repair. 1t will be relieved only of the cost
of paving a proportion of the street intersections,
and Of some minor charges now levied against it,
Experience has shown that it is difficult for a
street railway company to maintain itself in a small
city. Such a company can pay franchise charges
levied in various forms if its patronage is large
enough to>be highly profitable. That is not the
condition here, or in any other small city. Never
theless the street railway is a necessity to the com
mrnity, and the service which it performs is Of value
to every resident and every owner Of property.
The effect of the passage of the ordinance will
be to give anything to the street railway COM
pany. II will be to relieve the company of pay
ments which constitute a tax in addition to that pro-
vided for by law, payments which, when provision
was made for them, were conceived to be just, and
swithiiiathe power Of the company to pay, but which
experience has shown cannot be met in the way
antieipated.