The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 11, 1898, Page 1

to the:Library.+t+** 1 NIS Faps: be taken from. VOLUME LXXXV,_NO. 11, SAN FRANCISCO, SUNDAY, DECEMBER ‘11, WILL CHIC I W, 1 50, OVER ONE MILLIO DOLLARS THE BRIBE SAID TO BE OFFERED Hangman's Nooses Displayed and Dangled Over Those Who Favor the Traction Charles T. Yerkes, Chief Representative of the Street| Companies. Railway Corporation, Boldly Makes Charges of Blackmailing. Special Dispatch to The Call HICAGO, Dec. 10.—The| of $1,200,000 is the| price reported to have been | offered by the promoters of the| man ordinance to Aldermen if | they will pass the measure. Lead- ers are at knives’ points with each will not trust the r, and a responsible Alder-| 1 sum her. One hold the cash while busi- | ness is being done has not been selected yet. There is one leader ho, ven za, when ~the-city railway ordinance was up, was in- trusted with $70,000 or $100,- He fled with t to Europe. When he returned | he was made to disgorge a part| at the pistol's point. Al- though he cannot be trusted he\ s taking a very conspicuous part | in the fight. On the other hand, the “little ows,” booked, so it is charged, 000, boodle money. for $10,000, are jealous of the bigger ones, who are to get $100,000 each. There are said to be four of these, one who is to ,000, and another $50,000. | spaper owned by Mr. Yerke Ocean, to-day deliberately lackmail on the part of ¢ papers which h ts of duty. will stand at the . blackmail- | cil They will not surr or the blackmailers’ following. Not | of these Aldermen—and among | tt re the be: men ever elected | to the Chicago City Council—will be eowardly enough to bow to the will of the ckmailing rump of the Harri- son administration. ‘ “The trietion companies of Chicago | are prepared to meet the issue what- ever it may be. They ask no favors from the sedifious pr They will not cringe before the power of the law- {ess city adminstration. They will not make terms with sand-bagg: free- boc or anarchis Traction or- dlnances will be passed. They will be passed over Harrison's veto. They 1l be passed in defiance of trust edi- froth at the mouth in im- use they cannot col- for silence or the who bec d mone paper says: “The con- newspapers against the ordinance bring them s of Judge Gary in archist ¢ same y of the of the d ¢ ases of 1886.” The 1 scheme adopted by the op- ponents of the franchise ordinance went into effect to-r t. Friends of the families of those Aldermen known as members of the are calling at the houses of ien and making a personal appeal to their wives. The | ltves of the alleged boodlers are being | made burdens to them in a business and social wa; d Mayor Harrison thinks this latest scheme will c climax. Another method of pro has been to appeal to the principal stockholder panies and in the stock railway com- | them to use their in- debauching ready one of twenty-seven Aldermen to uphold him in the Council, which will be enough to prevent the passagé of the amended | ordinance, which the joint committee | will bring, in over his veto. The joint committee of the Council having the ordinance in hand adjourned rather abruptly late this afternoon, subject to a call of the chairman, and it is pos- sible it will not make a report to the| the heaviest stockholders in Cht- or South Side Railway Com- | pany, has 1 that he does not | favor the ar franchise. He ; thin twenty years long enough. | Mayor Harrison now counts upnn{ | Council.on ‘Monday- night,, preferring to allow: the present excitement to:abate. To-morrow+ will*be ' anythingbut ‘a day:ofrest¢in Ghicago,especially; for those-interestedyin' the«street srailway AGO ALDERM CHARLES Tk 1 YERKES. : JCHIEF JosEPH i PRICE FIVE CENT GRANT THE FIFTY YEAR JAYOR HARRISON $4 S it ALDERMAN WAILLIAM § H.LYMAR RANCHISE? with| the Mayor for the defeat of the ordinance. HENRY S. FITCH—I shall demand a fair rate of compensation before I vote for. any ordinance. CHARLES 'ALLING—The Allen law should be repealed. I will not vote for this ordinance. WILLIAM S. JACKSON—I am op- posed to fifty-year franchises. A..A. BALLENBERG—I will not vote for the extension of franchises until the Allen law' is "repealed. EDWARD D. CONNOR—The compen- sation”is unfair.” I will not say how I stand on fifty-year franchises. E. D. 'CLOIDT—The ordinance re- quires amendments to make it fair to both sides. CHARLES MARTIN— I am not op- posed to fifty-year franchiszs on gen- éral principles. W. J. O’'BRIEN—We must see that justice is ‘done:both by the city and the street car companies. HENRY F. LICK—I don’t see why a fifty-year.franchise is not satisfactory. W..J, i MURPHY—Ithink there is ‘| nothing : wrong’invextending the fran- ‘chises'if!thelclty:is well 'paid for it. JOHN BENNETT—We must inquirs into the compensation that the city should receive for the extension. E. J. NOVAK—I will not vote for a franchise extension under the Allen law. RUDOLPH HURT—I will wait until the committee reports before I decide. E. F. CULLERTON—I think the rail- ways should be treated fairly and will vote to extend the franchises for a rea- sonable compensation’to.the city. A W.-MILLER—There. is. only one way to vote on'the,passage of the Ly- man ordinance, and that.is *“No.” +PETER BIEWER—I.will vote for it if ‘the city receives what- it should, but that 4s still-to be determined. 4 Ra. K. COLSON—If ‘the -traction com- SOME OF THE MOST PROMINENT: FIGURES IN: CHICAGO’S: LATEST SENSATIONAL- UPHEAVAL. legislation pending in the City Council. Mass-meetings were held to-day and this evening in all sections of the city, and fully a hundred will be held to- morrow, while in most of the evangeli- cal churches fifty-year franchises will be the morning and evening theme of the pastors. While the agitation continues at fever heat there has been a marked disposi- tion on the part of Mayor Harrison and others prominent in the opposition to the traction companies to couch their opposition in milder terms. There is not so much talk now about mobbing street car directors and Aldermen, and Mayor Harrison in’ every interview given out since yesterday has gone out of the way to make it clear to the in- terviewer that he did not sa; 5 Te- ported in the trust newspapers early in the week, that he wouldn’'t issue a riot call in case attempts were made to lynch Aldermen or any one else. “I did say I would like to see 150,000 men surround the City Hall on the night the ordinance is put upon pas- sage, but it was for the purpose of proving to Aldermen how obnoxious to their constituents the pending measure really was and not for wreaking per- sonal vengeance upon those who might vote away the public’s rights. I am sorry I was misunderstood. You may say every effort will be put forth to preserve order. are law-abiding. There will be no mob; there will be no riot; there will be no lynchings, if the police force can pre- vent it, and I think it can.” Be that as it may, it cannot be deniea that the seed thoughtiessly sown by thé Mayor is bearing poisonous fruit, and it is doubtful if peace can be preserved as easily as he seems to think. Hang- man’s nooses continue to be worn, and every mail brings to the wives and children of Aldermen kndwn to be or suspected of being favorable to the traction companies threatening letters, skulls and crossbones, slip-nooses and other things of a terror-inspiring character. That the letters are un- unsigned or bear the signatures of mythical or unknown, irresponsible “‘committees,” self-appointed, does not relieve them of the power to do harm, and as a result the wives and children of several Aldermen have been driven to sick-beds with fright. The people of Chicago | The Council Committee on Franchises holds daily 'meetings in the Council Chamber listening to arguments for and against the ordinance. Enormous crowds are always in attendance, and the galleries always filled with men wearing hangman’s badges. At to-day’s meeting a man wearing good clothes and a silk hat was con- spicuous, particularly because of the fact that he had around his shoulders twenty feet of rope with a nangman’s noose at the end, which, from time to time as a friend of the ordinance allow to drop till the noose hung sus- pended over the speaker. He was not molested. Several | wagons paraded the streets of the busi- | ness portion of the city this afternoon, the music attracting the attention of throngs on the sid-walks to this legend: “Down with Yerkes; down with bood- lers.” No one seems to know who is footing the bills, but the bands play on as though the players had cash in their elaborately gotten-up band pockets, and - the - presses | continue’ to turn .out.by thousands rather expensive ‘.bla'ck satin;badges. ornamented - with | gallows’. trees“and: the legend : “Stand by Mayor Harrison,” , and ;brlbers and bribe-takers.” “Death to | It is problematical now if the ordi- | nance will be *presented on Monday | night. ~ Friends of the traction com- | panies say they are in!no hurry., They | don’t want to precipitate the riot.which threatens and say they want’the pub- lic to have time . to satisfy itself that the rate of compensation - offered ' the icity is reasonable. would speak, he would unwind and | Yerkes, on behalf of the companies,’ wants' the committee to ‘go over the i_books and- determine what.percentage :nt the earnings should be paid the city | for the use of the streets for fifty. years. To this the Mayor will not.agree, -and when waited upon by Aldermen to- night, who laid the proposition before him, indulgéd in a yiolent tirade of abuse, the gist of which was that no | argument can be brought to bear which will induce him to favor granting any extension of railway franchises, no matter what the rate of compensation s0 long as the Allen law is on the books. CHICAGO - ALDERMEN GIVE THEIR VIEWS Many Favor Extending the Franchise if the City Is Duly Compensated. * CHICAGO, Dec. 10.—The following in- terviews with sixty-seven of the sixty- eight Aldermen of Chicago show how the Council is divided on the,question | of. granting a fifty-year franchise: JOHN COUGHLIN—I will vote to ex- tend the. franchise if the ordinance ‘gives' the city what it deserves. MICHAEL KENNA—The traction companies should be treated justly in the matter. P. J. COOK—I am trying to learn what the' city may safely ask as to compensation. I am not opposed to the fifty-year franchises if the terms are right. CHARLES F. GUNTHER—I stand &8 & @ 2 @ £ 3 2 @ 8 “Evetything that thi g o 8 e k3 prevent trouble. 8 $ 154 8 8 8 l§ fluence Aldermen must cease.” uunsusauuésnnsuuussssumssunmsmwss'u.sias_m,s_mmss'awmsss&unmw SR AR R R AR R R R R R R R SRR R R R R R R R R R R R R R S R R R R R R R : EXTRAORDINARY PRECAUTIONS OF THE . CHICAGO POLICE TO PREVENT LYNCHING HICAGO, Dec. 10.—As to the course to be pursued by the police in case a mob gathers about the City Hall Monday night, as it certainly will, Chief Kipley to-night said to The Call correspondent: department ecan do will be done to preserve order in the downtown dis- trict Monday night. If, as'a result of the excitement created by the discussion, a mob gathers about the City Hall, it will find itself opposed by a formidable array of police. er, in fact, as the police will have orders to keep everybody moving and point. There will be no lynching. Of course, slight disturbances may ariSe when the people are in such a state of excitement, but I think there is no danger of any riots. Still, every precaution will be taken to “Every detective in that branch of the police service has been brought on.duty to-night ‘and will remain on duty till Tuesday morning, at least, in order to: forestall any trouble, and warnings have been sént to the leaders of factions everywhere that all talk of taking a mob to the City Hall on Monday to in- 852580 % 8 %N b 8 e It will not be permitted to gath- revent concentration at any. NRIUuRIRIINNL panies deal honestly with the city they ought to receive an extension. JOHN F. NEAGLE—I am opposed to fifty-year franchises. J. F. FRANCIS—I want to learn more about the”ordinance. W. T. MAYPOLE—I will vote against the measure. T. F. LITTLE—I will vote for the ordinance if it gives the city a fair price. T am still studying the matter. A. W. BEILFUSS—I stand with the Mayor in this fight. W. C. L. ZIEHN—I will cast my vote in the interests of my constituents. (He is considered doubtful.) | against the fifty-year extension. WILLIAM A. TUITE—We must in- form.ourselves thoroughly. T would not say that a fifty-year extension should not be granted on proper conditions. J. F. SMULSKI—I would wrong my constituents if I voted for nance. STANLEY H. KUNZ~—I de not op- pose an extension, but I want tq see the ‘| elty treatéd’ right. JAMES WALSH—We must stand to- sion. FRANK OBERNDORF-—I think we should treat the traction companies fairly. JOHN J. BRENNAN—I must look {into the matter of compensation before | T express my views. | M. C. CONTON-I cannot say how I | will vote. | | | J. A. HABERKORN—I am Jooki into the compensation end of the ordi- nance. JOHN POWERS — If the traction companies are willing to treat the city | fairly I am ready to vote a fifty-year extension. F. W. OLWART—I must look into the matter more closely before I de- cide. _ CHARLES F. BROWN—I am yet to .reach a deciston. Y WILLIAM MANGLER—I am in fa- vor of fifty-year franchises. E. F. HERRMANN—I am opposed to the franchise extension ordinance. A. W. MALTBY—We have no right to tie the hands of our successors for fifty years, and I will vote to prevent it. | F.'W. UPHAM—No fifty-year fsan- W. J. RAYMER—My vote will be | this ordi- | gether to defeat the fifty-year exten- | chises should be granted. WILLIAM H. LYMAN—I have not vet decided. Am studying the question of compensation. ) ALBERT J. OLSON—I am in favor of fifty-year franchises if the city receives fair compensation. MILES BE. BARRY-I wil against thig ordinance. C. M. WALKER—I am opposed to the measure. RUPERT GRIFITH—I will not vote for any bill based on the Allen law. JAMES H. HIRSCH—I am against the present fifty-year franchises. (Hirsch is considered doubtful.) W. E. SCHLAKE—My veote will not help it pass. JOHN C. CANNON—I cannot say at present. I must ha@ve time to look into the matter. HUBERT W. BUTLER—I will not assist in robbing the people of their right to profit by the lease of the pub- lic highways. SPENCER S. KIMBELL—I am in favor of an ordinance that will do jus- tice to the city of Chicago and be fair to the street railway companies. JOHN BIGANE — The franchises should be extended, but adequate com- pensation must be demanded by the city. FRANK M. .[cCARTHY—I have net decided the question to my own satis- faction. . THOMAS CARR—My vote will he cast against fifty-year franchises. M. McINERNEY—I will not oppose a fifty-year franchise, if the city is given its dues. C. J. BOYD—No money on earth can buy my vote for the Yerkes measures, no matter in what form they are in- troduced. E. REICHART—I have not yet reach- ed a decision as to the way I will vote. (The Mayor’s forces expect to win him over.) JOSEPH BADENOCH—I will vote to defeat this ordinance. E. W. SPROUL—I am opposed to a fifty-year franchise. WILLIAM MAROV—I will oppose the ordinance at every step. WALTER C. NELSON—I will not vote to make the provisions of the Al- len law effective. vate HUGH T. DARCY—I will not say ‘how I will vote. ¢ MARTIN WIORA—The' ordinance ‘should provide for proper compensa- tion. I.em not’'opposed to an exten- sion if the city receives enough for it. JOHN B. MATH—AIl members of the Council who are‘true to their constitu- ents will vote against this ordinance. FRANK 1. BENNETT—I have al- ways been opposed to a franchise last- ing fifty years and will vote against this ordinance. - Alderman George Duddleston could not be found. s YERKES’ PAPER SCORES THE MAYOR OF CHICAGO Declares That Harrison Is Re- sponsible for any Trouble That May Occur. CHICAGO, Dec. 10.—The Inter Ocean, of which Charles T. Yerkes is the prin- cipal owner. and which espouses the side of the tractlon companies, will say to-morrow in an editorial on Mayor Harrison’s attitude during the contro- versy: “On Wednesday last Carter H. Har- rison, Mayor of Chicaro, who is bound by his solemn oath of office to admin- ister the laws and preserve the peace of the city, made a statement with de- liberation that he hoped there would be a mob of 150,000 men assembled in front of the City Hall for the purpose of intimidating Aldermen the night the traction ordinances come up for pas- sage in the City Council. Upon being asked regarding the story that Alder- men who dared to vote for extension of the ordinances, in accordance with the dictates of their consciences, would | be attacked, the Mayor replied: ‘It is not idle talk at all, and I shall not be surprised to see some hanging done in the streets of Chicago. I don’t mind saying, too, I shall not send in a riot call when it starts,” meaning by this | he would ignore his oath' of office and refuse to exercise his authority to pro- tect the lives of citizens from a mob | composed of criminals, thugs and an- archists. There is ample testimony to prove that when Harrison made the above deciaration he spoke as deliber- ately and calmly as a man of his in- tellectual and moral nature can speak. | “As if to reinforce the oral statement, | the following paragraph was published | aper recognized as his au- | in the new thorized organ: ‘Word has gone out to the gang that they need expect no pro- tection of any kind from the police. An official who is said to have been ap- proached on this subject gave this an- swer. according to the story circulated in the City Hall this afternoon: *No, we need every man we've got to catch the hold-up men and thieves in the city, and we will protect no Aldermen in the City Council chamber.”’ These declarations were telegraphed broad- cast throughout the land. It was not until Friday, however, when the Inter Ocean directed attention to the fact that Chicago was practically without a city government, and sedition and anarchy had been invited to assume control of affairs, that Harrison saw | the irreparable harm which he had done himself and his political future. He did not care for the city nor the oath of office, but he came partially to his senses when told by henchmen that he had published himself as either a madman or an anarchist, In a vain attempt to save himself he had the following notice published: ‘T want it understocd right now that I am opposed to any talk or resolutions that