Show CHICAGO WINS GREAT VICTORY Way to Municipal Ownership Made Clear by Decision of United States Supreme Count MAYOR DUNNE IS JUBILANT I TRACTION COMPANIES ARE LEFT I HIGH AND DRY Chicago March the decIsion of the United States supreme court handed dO down 1 today the city of Chi Chicago Chicago cago obtains almost complete control of the local traction situation The decision sustains the acts of the state legislature extending the life of of the charters of the street railway corn com companies to ninetynine years but does not sustain the contention of the corn com companies that contract rights whIch are limited to fewer years than remain to the charter Ute Life of the th companies are also extended Contra Contracts ts or ordinances of the city limiting the use of the streets by the companies are upheld and the rights of the companies in the I streets are held to expire according to the expressed terms of the ordinances Left Without Rights In its effect the decision leaves the Union Traction c company without any right whatever other than sufferance I In the streets of the north division of the city It leaves Ute the Union Traction corn com comin in the west ivest division without any rights excepting where the ordinances contain a purchase clause It leaves the Chicago Chica City Railway t company which operates all the street streetcar car lines on the south side of the he cit city without rights excepting where their ordinances contain a purchase clause The original ordinances granted to tot t the e street car companies were for ninetynine nine years Inside the city limits as they existed in 1865 The companies have extended their tracks as the boundaries of the city have been en enlarged enlarged and have claimed that the ex extended extended tended lines which were built under franchises from the cIty were also op operative operative under the act The court has held however that the act extended only the charter life Ufe of the street ear ar companies without extending their ordinances Sweeping Victory for City The court alst als denIed the claim of the street car companies that they have been vested with the exclusive right for ninetynine years to enter into with the city for the occupancy occupancy pancy of streets for street railway purposes The decision also holds that the street car companies receIve only such gran grants ts as the city might give and upon such terms and conditions including the time of the grant grani as the city might prescribe The city ai aiL along had admitted that the act Is valid but claimed that it did not extend the or ordinances ordinances under which the street car companies are operating at present uIt It is a sweeping victory for the city said Mayor Dunne there are no r franchises In the city I of Chicago according to this decision i and no Indefinite or perpetual grants in inthe the outlying territory We the I traction companies compani s now in a position I where we can negotiate for the pur purchase chase hase of the lines If the they do not want to sell at a fair pric we can declare our r under the decision |