HomeMy WebLinkAbout1918_11_29 Town Board Minutes Meeting of the Joint Town Board of the Town of
Mamaroneck held Friday evening, November 29th, 1918.
The meeting was called to order by Supervisor Burton
at 10:25 P.M.
The Clerk reported the following present: Supervisor
Burton, Justices Collins, Boyd, Dudley and Shafer; John Hickey,
Superintendent of Highways, J.C. Fairchild, Town Clerk, and
Ralph A. Gamble, counsel.
Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried, the read-
ing of the minutes of previous meetings not yet approved was
dispensed with.
Superintendent Hickey reported that the town fences
on Fenimore Road had been badly dammed by someone cutting wood.
Upon motion of Justice Shafer, seconded by Justice Boyd,
it was
RESOLVED: that the Supervisor report the cutting down of
trees it this section to the State Constabulary and ask for
their assistance in having this nuisance stopped.
The Town Superintendent of Highways submitted his esti-
mate for Highway purposes, recommending as follows:
Item No.1 $9,000.00
Upon motion of Justice Shafer, seconded by Justice Collins,
it was
RESOLVED that the amount recommended, namely, $9,000.00,
for item No.1 be approved . Carried
Item No. 2
Upon consideration of this item it was the sense of the
Board that the cost for the proposed reconstruction of Winfield
Avenue Bridge in so far as the interest of the Town of Mamaroneck
lies, be met by bond issue.
Item No. 3 $100.00
Upon motion duly made , seconded and carried, it was
RESOLVED: that the estimate of the Superintendent of High-
ways of $100. for item No. 3 be approved.
Item No . 4 $1500.00
Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried, it was
RESOLVED: That the estimate of the Superintendent of
Highways of $1500.00 for Item No. 4 be approved.
Upon motion of Justice Dudley, seconded by Justice Collins
it was
RESOLVED that the Superintendent of Highways take up the
matter of the reconstruction of the Winfield Avenue Bridge with the
Officials of the Town of Harrison and the County Engineer, and re-
port thereon to this Board at its next meeting.
Upon motion of Justice Shafer, seconded by Justice Dudley,
it was
59
RESOLVED that the Mamaroneck Paragraph be and hereby is
designated to publish the Highway Report for the fiscal year ended
October 31st, 1918"
Counselor Gamble reported to the Board that pursuant
to the Resolution passed at the last meeting, directing hire to draft
a formal resolution authorizing the increase in fare on the Westches--
ter Street Railway Company to 7 cents up to and including December
31, 1918, , subject to all the covenants and conditions of the former
resolutions modifying the franchises, he had prepared such a reso-
lution and offered it to the Joint Town Board for its consideration.
The resolution was offered by Justice Shafer, seconded by
Justice Dudley, and was unanimously adopted.
November 29, 1918.
WHEREAS, the Westchester Street Railroad Company made by
application to the Town of Mamaroneck in May 1918, for an increased
fare on its railroad on the ground that said company claimed that
its financial condition was serious and that it would be impossible
to meet operating expenses of the road: and
WHEREAS, application was made by the City of White Plains
to the Public Service Commission, Second District, for an investi-
gation as to whether or not it was necessary that such rate of fare
be increased and as to whether or not the service furnished by the
company could be improved, and if so, in what specific ways: and
WHEREAS, the said railroad company claim ithet it would
be impossible to operate its railroad, unless relief was granted
during the pendency of said investigation; and
WHEREAS, a Public Meeting of the citizens of the Town of
Mamaroneck was duly called and advertised by the Town Board for
the public consideration of the said application of the Westchester
Street Railroad Company for an increased fare; and
WHEREAS, the said Public Meeting was duly held, as adver-
tised at the Town Hall, Mamaroneck, N.Y., on June 3rd, 1918, at
which time a resolution was duly offered and adopted, that it was the
sense of the meeting that the Joint Town Board approve the afore-
said application for an increase of fare from five cents (5¢) to six
cents (6¢) for the period from June 10th, 1918 to July 31st, 1918
and that a proper resolution to the affect be adopted; and
WHEREAS, the Joint Town Board of the Town of Mamaroneck
did thereafter by resolution temporarily modify the franchises
or consents heretofore granted by said Town to the Westchester Street
Railroad Company, its predecessor or predecessors and accepted by
said companies so as to permit said Westchester Street Railroad
Company to charge a rate of fare of six cents (6¢) instead of five
cents (5¢) as provided under said franchises from the 10th day of
June 1918 to and including the 31st day of July, 1918; and
WHEREAS, the said investigation by the Public Service
Commission, Second District, was not made within the period for which
the aforesaid modification was granted due to difference between
the City of White Plains and the Public Service Commission, Second
District, which differences were settled and said investigation was
undertaken about August 1st, 1918; and
WHEREAS, the Westchester Street Railroad Company claimed
that it was still operating at a loss and that it is still un-
able to meet operating expenses even with the increase of fare here-
tofore temporarily granted, and that it would be impossible to operate
its railroad unless relief was granted during the pendency of said
investigation: and
WHEREAS, the Town of Mamaroneck did thereafter by reso-
lution again temrorarily modify the franchises or consents hereto-
fore granted by said Town to the Westchester Street Railroad Com-
pany, its predecessor or predecessors and accepted by said comran-
ies so as to permit the Westchester Street Railroad Company to
charge a rate of fare of seven (7¢) instead of five (5¢) as pro-
vided under said franchises, from the first day of August, 1918
to and including the 30th day of September, 1918.
WHEREAS, said aforesaid modifications were granted upon
the express condition that they were temporary only and should
expire on July 31st, 1918 and September 30th, 1918 respectively ,
at which times the aforesaid franchises and consents should again
be in full force and effect subject to the same covenants and con-
ditions as when granted and accepted, said modifications being
granted without prejudice to any rights of the Town of Mamaroneck
in the premises and were in no way to be construed as an approval
of said proposed increase of fares: and
WHEREAS, the aforesaid investigation by the Public Service
Commission, Second Department, has been completed and embodies
certain recommendations to be carried out on the part of both par-
ties, and it is necessary that the same be marked out along lines
that will be mutually advantageous to the Railroad and to the Munici-
palities interested therein, which negotiations are now being carried
on: and
WHEREAS, the two modifications of the franchises herein
granted allowing an increase of fare have expired and the Company
still claims that it is operating at a loss and is unable to meet
its operating expenses and must have additional revenue and has
again now made application to the Town of Mamaroneck to charge a
rate of fare of seven (7¢) cents for the period from November 1st,
1918 to and Including December 31st, 1918: and
WHEREAS, this Joint Town Board did on November 21st, 1918
pass a resolution to grant said increase of rare under all the terms
and conditions contained in the former modifications of the franchise
allowing an increase in fare, said Resolution, however, providing
that it was adopted subject to the passage of a formal resolution
embodying the said terms and conditions of the former modifications
of June 3rd, 1918 and August 15th, 1918:
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the franchises or consents
heretofore granted by the Town of Mamaroneck to the Westchester
Street Railroad Company, its predecessor or predecessors, and accepted
by said companies, be and the same hereby are modified temporarily
so as to permit the Westchester Street Railroad Company to charge a
rate of rare of seven (7¢) cents instead of five cent (5¢) fare
provided for under said franchises from the 27th. day of November
1918 to and including the 31st day of December, 1918, such increase
to be entirely used for the benefit of the lines of the Westchester
Street Railroad Company and these lanes only: and
` BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this modification is granted
upon the express conditions that it is temporary only and shall ex-
pire on the 31st day of December 1918 at which time the aforesaid
original franchises and consents shall again be in full force and
effect subject to the same covenants and conditions as when granted
and accepted, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this modification is made
without prejudice to any rights of the Town of Mamaroneck in the
premises, and in no way shall be considered an approval by the
Town of Mamaroneck of the proposed increase of fares as a desirable
or sufficient method of obtaining the desired additional income,
or as an approval of the report and reccomendations of Engineer of
the Public Service Commission, Second Department, Mr. Barnes, that a
seven cent (7¢) fare should be granted by the Municipalities.
Upon motion the meeting adjourned at 11.25 P.M.
Town. Clerk