Chicago eagle. [volume], June 01, 1912, Image 1

About Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??

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CHICAGO, SATXTRDA. JUNE 1, 1912.
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OUT FOR GRAFT
Elevated Railroads Have Been Exceeding
Their Rights by Vending Gum and Doing
a General Advertising Business.
The
Nickel People Fay for a Bide Merely an
Invitation to Got Weighed or Buy
Something.
The Corporation Council Renders an Opinion to the Effect
that These Corporations Are Exceeding Their
Powers in Running Other Business.
The Last Meeting of the City Council Was
Doings of the Greatest Interest to
Tho advertising business carried on
by tho elovated railroads Is bad
enough.
Tho weighing machine and gum
vending machlno Is a public scandal.
Corporation Counsel Sexton sent In
an opinion to the City Council last
Monday night, In which ho Btatcd that
tho elovated railroads had no right
to maintain nows stands In their sta
tions, nor do ihoy control their right
of way property for other than rail
way business, which Is spcclllcally
granted to them In tho ordinance
Tho opinion goes further and says tuo
companies havo no right to conduct
any prlvnto business without special
grant from the city.
"It Is a proposition too clear to
admit of discussion or permit of tho
citation of authorities," says tho opin
ion, "that In tho absenco of a grant
from tho city no porson or corpora
tion has any right or authority to con
duct any prlvato enterprise therein."
Under the terms of tho opinion tho
"L" companies aro without their
rights In maintaining vending ma
chines or soiling billboard spaco on
their platforms and in their tralnB,
aldermen who heard the opinion read
believe.
Assistant Corporation Counsel A. L.
Gettys, who prepared the opinion ap
proved and (submitted by Mr. Sexton,
Mid there was no doubt but that It
was Illegal for the railroad companies
to engage In any business other than
the hauling of passengers as granted
In the ordinances.
"That applies as much to the sale
of advertising space, either on bill
boards at stations or In cars, as It
does to the maintenance of news
stands," he asserted. "The thou
sands of dollars' Income of the street
car-companies from all these sources
1b being obtained by the companies
without any legal right or permission.
It Is necessary that the companies get
a grant from the city, to do these
things. '
"It Is a matter of uncertainty
whether or not the city would have
the right to gel Its 55 per cent of the
advertising profits that Jiave been ob
tained by the railroads through the
sale of space In the cars."
Mayor Harrison vetoed the amend
ment to the firearms ordinance passed
March 4 and In an accompanying let
ter stated Its provisions were too dras
tic and that they would prove too ex
pensive If properly enforced. He
added that it would not prevent crim
inals from getting weapons, because
they could buy them In other cities,
but reached the class of citizens not
intended. He proposed as a substitute
a new ordinance which has been draft
ed by dealers, which was Bent to the
committee on judiciary. It requires
a license for dealers and a bond, and
makes it necessary to record the num
bers of all weapons. The vetoed or
dinance required purchasers of weap
ons to get a police permit,
A $10,000 appropriation for investi
gation work by the civil service com
mission precipitated a lively debate,
In which Aid. Coughlln and Ahem de
clared police investigation waa un
necessary, and that the money could
be better used for other purposes. The
message was passed, however.
Aid. Cermak Introduced a measure
to give the building commissioner
discretionary power In allowing build
ing code violations.
Otker business transacted by the
City Council Included tho following:
Resolution to Incorporate ten now
provisions in tho shore Improvement
contract between the Illinois Central
Railroad and tho South Park Board
referred.
Mayor Harrison vetoed tho firearms
ordlnanco and offered a aubstltuto,
less drastic, which was rcforrcd.
Mayor empowered to name commit
tee of fifty citizens to ralso fund and
entertain delegates to tho Internation
al Navigation Congress.
Resolution empowering purchase or
condemnation of land for North Side
bathing beacli passed.
Order passed granting two weeks'
vacutlon to city employes.
Orders making Longwood avenuo a
pleasuro drive, forbidding heavy traffic
on tho thoroughfare and changing tho
nnmo to Longwood drive referred.
What has become of that Anthony
roport on tho sanitary district?
New York covers nearly twice as
much torrltory as Chicago and collects
twice as much garbage. Yet Chicago
pays twice as much as New York for
poorer service.
Wo will eny this for Lorlmer: No
matter what happens to him, he was
fortunate In some of tho enemies he
made In Chicago.
With porterhouse steak selling at 30
cents and bacon at 32 cents per pound,
it is no wonder the trend of public
sentiment is for Roosevelt. If the coal
barons raise the price of hard coal 40
cent per ton, as they say they will,
he will carry every northern state.
We are In receipt of a circular from
a Boston Arm advertising the merits
of a paper towel made by it. One full
page of the circular calls attention to
tho fact that Chicago Is tho only city
In the country which prohibits tho
"common" towel In washrooms by or
dinance. This reminds us that Chicago
is tho only city In tho country which
passed an ordinance compelling prop
erty owners to Install gas shut-offs at
$100 to $200 a lot. Fade come high
but Chicago must havo them.
To show how great minds always
run In the same direction, the "friend
of the people" In the Tribuue Is now
deluged with letters as to the proper
way to make wills. Tho "lights in
hallways" contributors appeared to
have taken a rest.
City Electrician Ray Palmer and
representatives of the various Chicago
traction interests conferred on Mon
day in an effort to agree on the termB
of the proposed electrolysis ordinance
designed to control the escaping elec
trical currents which annually damage
underground pipes of the city to the
extent of more than $600,000.
The conference, which was attended
by Attorneya Leonard A, Busby and
W, W. Ourley, representing the Chi
vlgorcago City railway and the Chi
cago Railways companies, was ar
ranged after the city department head
had attacked the arguments of the
railway company with a vigor and a
mass of figures that seemed to stagger
Replete with Important
the People.
tho railway engineering experts. This
discussion was In tho morning at n
meeting of the council commltteo on
gaB, light and oil, called to consider
tho ordlnanco.
"Chicago spent $222,000,000 on ex
traordinary Improvements In tho
twenty-five years last preceding 1900,
and we have a ,clty without a plan,
without a system. If we spend $222,
000,000 in the next twenty-five years
on a systematic, orderly and economic
plan we will not have the haphazard
and disorderly conditions that we
have today."
This bit of history and prophesy waa
offered by Charles H. Wacker beforo
the Co-operative Realty Club in the
Vvitwi i it ilTimiMiMlrK-nTiii all!
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Hotel LaSallc. Mr. Wnckcr's address
was Illustrated with lantern slides.
Tlio speaker, dwelt particularly on
the Importance of having the Field
museum located downtown, and dis
cussed tho subject of nn equitable
agreement with the Illinois Central
Railroad Company for the proposed
Bite cast of the company's depot vat
Twelfth street.
He said ho hoped that those oppos
ing and friendly to the proposition will
get together and adopt an agreement
that will be satisfactory to all.
According to a report from Wash
tngton Chicago Is to receive nn appro
priation of $350,000 as tho first In
stallment upon tho work of the federal
government In the Improvement of Its
harbor. Assurances that tlio appro
priation will be made have been
given Representative Thomas Gallag
her by members of tho house confer
ence committee now considering the
river and harbor appropriation bill.
North Side sewers have not been
cleaned In so long a time that peo
ple complain of flooded basements ev
ery time It rains.
A good shake-up would help tho flro
department.
Members of tho harbora, wharves
and bridges commltteo of the city
council are not going to take hasty
action on tho south shoro proposition.
At tho request of Alderman Ryan
action on a set of resolutions Intro
duced at Monday night's council ses
sion which urgo changes In tho con
tract between the Illinois Central Rail
road and tho South Park commission
ers, the matter was deferred for one
week. Menntlmo 'the resolutions and
tho improvement contract will be
printed In tho council proceedings so
that all aldermen can famillarlzo
themselves with tho question.
Tho Chicago Dar Association Is go
ing after the Shysters and ambulance
chasers. The annual report of tho as
sociation was mndo on Tuesday.
"Unconscionable shysters," "troublo
hunting pluggei's" and "defamers of
tho profession" aft Koine of tho hot
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GEORGE B. SWIFT.
Former Mayor and Public-Spirited Citizen.
shots hurled Into the camp of the
gum-shoe barristers by President Ed
gar D. Tolman. Ho says In hi? re
port that shysters are the common
enemy of all honest lawyers. They
are Intolerable, he declared, and
should bo exterminated.
They have been counted and classi
fied by the solicitation committee of
the association of which Joseph R.
Burtt la chairman,
PHONE ROBBERY
The People of Chicago Pray for De
liverance from the Grasp of the
Awful Bell Monopoly.
Chicagouns Forced to Pile Up the Profits of
Three Different Corporations and Thus
Boost Stock Dividends.
The Bell Monopoly Owns the Local Telephone Company and
the Western Electrical Company and Makes One
of Them Patronize the Other.
As the Bell Company Wants a Big Profit Itself It Is Easy to See Why
Telephone Rates Are to Be Raised.
The enormous dividends paid to Its
stockholders by tho Telephone Trust
aro wrung from tho pockets of tho
pcoplo by excessive telephone, charges.
Telephono rates must bo reduced
and In tlmo they will bo.
Tho fact that ono city council will
barter nwny the people's rights Is no
reason why succeeding councils should
do the same.
The fight for cheaper telephone
service will go on until it Is won,
Mayor Harrison made a popular
ova whoa ho ottered a now roport
a tho teltphoae situation. Tho "at
art" whose roport la now la tho
hands of tho Oounell Ooaualttoo fay.
ored tho raiting of rate ana a oa
, -id
eral contribution to tho necessities of
tke phone gang. Hit report strangely
enough showed that tho Chicago
reach of tho monopoly la owned
body, boots and brooches by the
American Telephono crowd who con
trol tho telephono business of the
whole country His report also shows
that tho Chicago branch of the monop
oly la obliged to buy all of Its equip
ment from a notorious Electrio Com
pany which Is also owned by tho
American Telephone Trust This com
pany makee Its own prices for what
It sells to the other concern and tho
people of Chicago are expected to pay
for the profits of both subsidiary Insti
tutions of tho Trust
Chicago pcoplo demand a reduction
of telophone rates.
A cent a call or at the most 2ft
cents a call would ylold the telephone
company a profit and save money for
tho people.
In big advertisements printed In
Chicago dally newspapers April 15.
1012, the concern offering $14,000,000
of telephono bonda for sale, quotes a
letter from the president of the com
pany in which It Is stated that tele
phone "Earnings have shown a steady and
substantial growth, having increased
from $3,129,238 in 1900 to $12,078,
390.57 In 1911, or an increase of over
300 per cent In the past eleven years."
Why not give the public the benefit
of this prosperity?
The Chicago Telephono Company,
which Is suffering so much from
want of funds, according to certain
city "experts" that It will havo to
ralso telephono rates on tho people
In order to exist P'd 8 per cent la
dividends last year.
Think of ltl
Bight per cent on twenty-seven mil
lion dollars!
This la the company that started
with a capital stock of half a million
and now has a capital stock of twenty-seven
millions.
It pays 8 per cent annual dividend
on twenty-seven millions and puts up
a twenty-two story modern office
building, besides.
The people of Chicago aro auch
easy marks that the phono crowd want
to get more out of them and aska for
an Increaso of rates at tho hands of
the City Council.
And two "exports" agree that this
"poor" company is losing money 1
In 1911 the Chicago Telephone Com
pany paid 8 per cent In quarterly divi
dends of 2 per cent March SI, I per
cent, June 80; 2 per cent, September
30; 2 per cent, December 80, 1911.
Hero is a nice little nest egg of
$2,160,000 divided up among the stock
holders. When to this is added the proflU
paid the "parent" Bell Telephono
Company, the amount grabbed off the
people of Chicago Is simply enormous.
Instead of raising telephono rates,
the City Council should lower them.
People demand tho penny telephono
and lower charges all along the lino.
From a leaned "Bcyart's" report
to (ho OKy Ooaaatl wo loara that:
Teleeaoae rasas should he raised
because tho Boll Toloaaoao Ooaapaay
owaa tho toeal telophase ooaapaay.
Because the Western leetrlcal
Company Is also owned by tho Boll
Telephone Company.
Because tho looal telephone eoa
pany to obliged to buy all ot Its
mont and neceeaarloa from tho Wo
om Electrical Company.
Because neither tho Western Ble
trlcal Company or tho looal totophoaa
company would havo big enough prof
Ita to suit tho Bell Telephone, wblah
owns them, If Chloago people ware
not pressed for a little more ooia and
their telephone rate raised.
Because tho local telephone
pany has increased Its capital
from tho original $800,000 to $tT,$t
000 and $5,000,000 mora la boada.
Because tho stockholders would aat
got big enough dividend oa this lav
monee stock Issue It tho people of Oat
eago wore not squeesed.
Therefore the telephone company
has tho nerve to ask the City Counell
to raise the rates on the people of
Chicago.
Tho people of Chicago aro to bo used
as serfs by tho telephono moaepty Mi
tho last drop Is to bo aqueesod oat ad
them.
In tho meantime It would bo wall tat
tho aldermen to Inquire into oho al
leged relation, la tho past, of soroaia
city officials with tho above oleotrioal
company, tho twin of tho looal asjs
phone company, both being owaod by
the Boll monopoly.
Tho telephone gang waat tho ooas
ell to raise the rates oa an pheaoa.
To abolish all fat phoaos aad saabe
everybody takes measured sorrieo.
To put a alokel la every psoas bo
fore connection is mad.
Sire Marshal oyforUea assorted
that as practically oaobaK of tho Is
and police alarms aro reeolTod by bats
phone, ho did not favor tho goaotal
Installation of tho y-ta-advaaoa
type of telephono lastrwaoat bow be
ing placed la various part of tho etty
by tho totophoaa eoapaay.
Competition In the tolcphono nold is
necessary If tho pooplo aro to get re
llof from present high rates for phone
service
The Telephone Trust ha com
menced a bitter and an uncalled for
attack on the Mayor and honest alder
men of the city of Chicago who aro
fighting for the people's right against
a heartless monopoly.
The Telephone Trust Is opposed to
the honest, capable and efficient serv
ice that Mr. J. Ogden Armour and his
colleagues are prepared to give to tho
city with their automatic service.
The Telephone Trust has changed
managers In Chicago and has decided
to throw dirt upon honest men In the
city government who oppose Its dom
ineering aad extortionate methods.
The Illinois Tunnel Company aas
fully complied with tho terms of Its
ordinance and yet the grafters unloa
Is not satisfied.
It wants tho Illinois Tunnel Com
pany whloh has expended over $2,100,
000 in instruments, wires and station
equipments, to bo forced to give up
all of this to satisfy tho Telephone
Trust.
Any alderman who votes In favor
of as increase of ratea for the Tele
phono Monopoly will be beaten to a
gnlsh tho next tlmo ho run for office.
Aoeordlng to some account several
men who are working for tho mon
opoly and Ita franchise may not be
ill
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