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53-468: Chicago awarded its first street railway franchises in 1856. Early on, dozens of streetcar companies arose. However, by the 1890s mergers and acquisitions had left only a handful. In the summer of 1863, the "Gridiron Bill" was proposed to extend the franchise of Chicago streetcar companies to 99 years. This generated outrage in Chicago, with large petitions and protests arising. In January 1865, overriding

106-831: A 20-year limit on traction franchises and provided the right for municipalities to buy-out traction companies when their franchises expired. The law had been introduced by Illinois Senator Carl Mueller . In an April 5, 1904 referendum, Chicago voters voted in strong enough support to allow the city to begin acquiring street railways, with voters approving the measure by a nearly a margin of 5-1. The city also simultaneously voted in support of two other municipal ownership-related referendums. Mayor Harrison preferred to be pragmatic and negotiate with transit companies for better service instead of buying them out. However, this ran into opposition, particularly from hard-lined backers of immediate municipal ownership such as alderman William Emmett Dever . Dever attempted to pressure his fellow alderman to take

159-526: A 50-year extension. After the defeat of the Humphrey bills, State Representative Charles Allen introduced a bill which would enable City Councils to grant 50-year franchises. It passed in both the Illinois Senate and Illinois House of Representatives on June 4, 1897 and was signed by Governor John Riley Tanner on June 9. After the bill was successfully passed, the arena of the conflict moved from

212-487: A bill to extend franchises which had been passed by the Illinois legislature. He declared "I love Chicago and am not willing to help forge a chain which would bind her people hand and foot for all time to the wheels of monopoly and leave them no escape." In early 1897, legislator John Humphrey introduced several bills which would grant 50-year franchises with very little compensation to the city. The bills were defeated in

265-562: A candidate against Dunne in the 1907 mayoral election), Dunne switched his position on the ordinance. After the failure of the plan in city council, Dunne and his ally Dever both sought to present the plan to the voters by referendum. They along with the pro-municipal ownership lobby and William Randolph Hearst -owned media outlets were ultimately successful in urging the city council to consent to this. The City Council granted approval to issue $ 75 million in certificates to fund acquisition of street railways. Such bonds were approved by voters in

318-768: A colonel for an Illinois regiment. He supported the Emancipation Proclamation . As a Senator, he supported the impeachment and removal of President Andrew Johnson from office. Yates was born in a log cabin in Warsaw, Kentucky . His family was of English descent and moved to Illinois in 1831. He studied at Miami University and Georgetown College and graduated from Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois , in 1835. He then studied law at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky . He

371-546: A firm position on the issue of municipal ownership by sponsoring several traction reform legislation. In the fall of 1904, Dever proposed holding a referendum on whether the city should enact an immediate takeover of streetcar service. Harrison publicly killed Dever's referendum effort, stating, "The Dever ordinance is a war measure and should be withheld until all other means of settling the traction issue have failed." Ultimately, three months after killing Dever's "war measure", with growing public dissatisfaction over his handling of

424-462: A five cent fare for the first twenty years. It also specified considerably low compensation to the city by streetcar companies. This ordinance was introduced by 23rd Ward alderman William H. Lyman , and was dubbed the "Lyman Ordinance". This was, in essence, a last-ditch effort by the streetcar companies. Harrison vowed to stop the ordinance, stating that, "If Yerkes can pass an ordinance over my veto I'll eat my old brown fedora ". The ordinance had

477-552: A new standing committee on local transportation, and that the city should have the power to own and operate street railways. It recommended holding referendums on important questions of street railway policy. On May 20, 1901, the City Council passed an ordinance creating the Committee on Local Transportation. Some of the committee's special duties was "to carry on any work of investigation that may have been left uncompleted by

530-573: A platform which advocated immediate municipal ownership. While his Republican opponent, John Manyard Harlan, had eight years earlier run as an independent Republican on a platform in support of municipal ownership, in 1905 he supported the tentative ordinances, preferring to delay municipal ownership until a time in which it would be more economically viable for the city. The main focus of Dunne's mayoralty would be on attempting to implement immediate municipal ownership. After assuming office, Dunne appointed Clarence Darrow as "Special Traction Counsel to

583-410: A railroad company. Remaining politically engaged, he campaigned on behalf of Republican presidential candidate John C. Frémont in the 1856 election . He was known as an excellent orator. He had a weakness for whiskey , though at times he strove to exercise temperance. In later years, he was often conspicuously drunk, even at public functions. By 1867 he had "resolve[d] to quit drink altogether" but

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636-402: A referendum held that April. Dunne would ultimately subsequently struggle to arrange other financial and legal steps necessary to undertake acquisitions. While voters successfully approved of municipal ownership of streetcars, a measure to allow the city to "proceed to operate street railways" by issuing Mueller bonds fell short of the required 60% support. A standoff had emerged at the turn of

689-408: A resolution was adopted by the City Council further directing the commission to examine and report what companies, if any, were authorized under their charters to operate streetcars using anything other than animal power, the validity of ordinances granting such right in opposition to the charters of companies, the related provisions of the 99-year act, and what streetcar lines, if any, might be acquired

742-458: A soldier in the Civil War, being appointed by Yates as mustering officer for the state, and afterward colonel of the 21st Illinois regiment . Yates would also secure military commissions for John A. Logan , John A. McClernand , and John M. Palmer (all prominent Democrats). Lincoln disregarded a hint from Yates that he would accept a commission as brigadier general on the grounds that Yates

795-438: A veto from Governor Richard Yates , the Illinois legislature passed the "Century Franchise", which had by then become known as the "99 years act"/ "99-year franchise act" which extended the franchise of streetcar companies to 99 years. There were strong doubts about the constitutionality of the legislation. In 1883, to postpone a conflict, Chicago mayor Carter Harrison Sr. brokered an understanding with streetcar companies that

848-554: The "Municipal Ownership" party label on a platform which supported municipal ownership. In 1902 a municipal ownership referendum passed by a six to one margin. On December 18, 1899, the Chicago City Council passed a resolution enabling the appointment of a special committee of seven, subsequently referred to as the Street Railway Commission, to form a policy on the traction issue. This followed

901-703: The American Civil War . He also represented the state in the United States House of Representatives from 1851 to 1855 and the United States Senate from 1865 to 1871. Yates is considered one of the most effective war governors and was nicknamed the "Soldiers' Friend". He took energetic measures to secure Cairo, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri against rebel attack. He helped organize the Illinois contingent of Union soldiers and commissioned Ulysses S. Grant , among others, as

954-464: The Illinois House of Representatives on May 12, 1897. Newly-elected Chicago mayor Carter Harrison Jr. (the son of former mayor Carter Harrison Sr.) had taken vigorous opposition to the bills, and successfully lobbied legislators to kill these bills. Ultimately, the traction wars would become a dominant concern of the young mayor's five terms in office. Public opinion sided in opposition to

1007-453: The "Harlan Committee", a commission which existed from 1897 through 1898, which was led by then-alderman John Maynard Harlan and which issued the "Harlan Report", a document that laid out facts about the issue but drew no policy conclusion. Among other things, the committee was to examine the feasibility and practicality of municipal ownership, as well as the terms and conditions under which municipal ownership might exist. On January 15, 1900,

1060-680: The City Council. In November 1905, Darrow resigned his position as Special Traction Counsel. In 1906, Dunne would appoint Walter L. Fisher as the city's new Special Traction Counsel. After negotiations with streetcar companies, Fisher created the so-called Tentative Ordinance, which would see upgrades made to service, greater reimbursement made to the city for the use of streets, and stricter regulations. The plan, however, lacked any meaningful proposal for municipal purchase. Dunne, at first, touted this ordinance. However, after backlash from social reform allies of Dunne's and William Randolph Hearst 's Independence League (which threatened that it might run

1113-561: The Civil War, Yates benefited from his relations with Lincoln to bring significant federal financial resources to the State of Illinois and Chicago in particular. Chicago became the location for the largest prisoner of war encampment, Camp Douglas , which had been erected on the former estate of Lincoln's political opponent, the late Senator Stephen A. Douglas (similarly, the estate of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Arlington, Virginia

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1166-458: The Committee on City Hall. It was held by this committee until February 14, 1899, when in accordance with an unfavorable opinion on the bill issued by Corporation Council Granville W. Browning a majority report was created, which recommended that no legislation be enacted at the time. A minority report had been signed by William C. L. Zeiler and William Mangler recommending its passage. Other ordinance were attempted. The minority report recommended

1219-547: The Humphrey bills and/or the Allen Law. So successful was this effort, that only 22 of the 114 members of the Illinois General Assembly that had voted for the Allen Law were reelected. Not only was Harrison, like the majority of Chicagoans, opposed to the 50-year extension, but he also was opposed to accepting any franchise extension unless the Allen Law was repealed by the state legislature. This stance

1272-487: The Mayor" In June 1905, two months after taking office, Dunne put forth his proposed Contract Plan , under which a municipal contract would be given to a select group of private investors that would build and run a new transit city on behalf of the city. The trustees of this system would be granted a twenty-year franchise. This was voted down by the city council. Dunne later presented an alternative plan, which also failed in

1325-713: The Senate. After leaving the Senate, he was appointed by President Grant as a United States commissioner to inspect a land subsidy railroad. He died suddenly in St. Louis, Missouri on November 27, 1873. He is buried in Diamond Grove Cemetery, Jacksonville, Illinois . In 1923 a statue of Yates by Albin Polasek was erected on the Illinois State Capitol grounds. His son, Richard Yates, Jr. ,

1378-463: The Street Railway Commission, to consider and devise plans for meeting the situation that may arise when street railway ordinances come up for action," and, "to make special study of the kind, quality, and sufficiency of the local transportation service and facilities of Chicago, and to make City Council from time to time, as it may see fit, recommendations looking to the improvement of the same." The committee would consist of nine City Council members, and

1431-844: The Union might be reconstructed to the exclusion of New England. After the Emancipation Proclamation, the Democratic-dominated Illinois legislature proved increasingly uncooperative. Yates, fearing that the Democrats had been infiltrated by the pro-secession Knights of the Golden Circle , dissolved the Illinois legislature on June 10, 1863, declaring that "the past history of the Assembly hold[s] out no reasonable hope of beneficial results to

1484-585: The aldermen to be awarded such contracts, a practice known as "boodling". In 1895 the Gray Wolves awarded a franchise to the non-existent Ogden Gas Company to force the existing franchise holder to buy up the rights of Ogden Gas. This and similar schemes resulted in the formation of the Municipal Voters League in 1896 to throw the Gray Wolves aldermen off the council. Lincoln Steffens , a muck-raking reporter from McClure's Magazine ,

1537-482: The attack on Fort Sumter , and took military possession of Cairo , garrisoning it with regular troops. Illinois banks made $ 1,000,000 available to Yates to equip the new Illinois troops raised in response to Lincoln's call. At Yates's suggestion, Lincoln authorized Illinois troops to protect the federal arsenal in St. Louis . In Governor Yates's office, General Ulysses S. Grant received his first distinct recognition as

1590-504: The citizens of the State, or the army in the field, from its further continuance". After his service as governor ended, Yates was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1865, to March 3, 1871. While in the Senate, Yates was Chairman of the Committee on Revolutionary Claims ( Thirty-ninth and Forty-first Congresses ) and Chairman of the Committee on Territories ( Fortieth Congress ). He

1643-410: The city by virtue of their ordinances. The committee consisted William F. Brennan, Milton J. Foreman , Ernst F. Hermann, William Mavor, Walter J. Raymer , William E. Schlake. The report was submitted on December 17, 1900. Among other things, it recommended that streetcar businesses be recognized and treated as a monopoly , that the City Council have broad powers of control over them, the creation of

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1696-410: The city would extend their franchises for twenty more years, and settle the status of the 99 years act at another time. Charles Yerkes , owner of a large number of the city's streetcar lines, began leading a push for extended franchises. Yerkes held great power and influence, at one point holding influence over a majority of the state legislature. On May 14, 1865, Governor John Peter Altgeld vetoed

1749-401: The end, be stronger and richer and more glorious, renowned and free, than it has ever been heretofore, by the necessary reaction of the crisis through which [they were] passing." Governor Yates continued to be an outspoken opponent of slavery, and at the opening of the Civil War was very active in raising volunteers. He convened the legislature in extra session on April 12, 1861, the day after

1802-649: The mayor as an ex-officio member . In its first report, issued December 11, 1901, it reported that the municipal ownership of street railways was not feasible. In May 1903 the Illinois General Assembly passed the Mueller Law, which allowed cities to "own, construct, acquire, purchase, maintain, and operate street railways" through direct titles and leases, with the stipulation that cities must receive three-fifths approval from their electorate before assuming control of railways. The law also placed

1855-542: The repeal of the Missouri Compromise reignited the anti-slavery controversy . He opposed the repeal, which opened the possibility of slavery expanding into Kansas, and became identified with the new Republican Party . Illinois Democrats redrew the boundaries of his district to favor their candidate, and Yates narrowly lost his bid for a third term in Congress. Yates then worked for a time as president of

1908-526: The same time, a new movement emerged in support of municipal ownership. Alongside a number of "progressive" causes, a movement for municipal ownership ( Municipalization ) had arisen in the United States. As a result, a movement arose in Chicago which sought to immediately pursue public social ownership of the streetcar lines, running them as a publicly owned enterprise / public utility . The influential Municipal Voters' League, which advocated on

1961-530: The so-called "Kimbell ordinance", which would, among other things, extend franchises to December 31, 1946 and have a five cent fare for the first twenty years. The proposed "Hermann Ordinance" would extend franchises for twenty years, but thereafter allow the city to purchase, own and operate lines. So strong was the public opinion against the Allen Law, the platforms of the conventions of all parties in Cook County, as well as many party conventions elsewhere in

2014-474: The state legislature to the Chicago City Council . The April 1898 Chicago aldermanic elections was seen as an opportunity shape the City Council's pending vote on the matter. The Municipal Voters' League requested that all candidates sign its platform, which contained a pledge to not vote for any franchise which exceeded twenty years or which did not provide the city with ample compensation. Of

2067-423: The state passed the bill introduced by Allen, seven months after the aldermanic elections, and a month after state legislative elections had seemed to signal a death knell for the Allen Law, an ordinance was introduced to the Chicago City Council that would award 50-year franchises. The ordinance would extend all franchises that had been granted and enacted before July 1, 1897 fifty year extensions. It also specified

2120-493: The state, included support for the repeal of the law. The two major parties' state conventions also passed resolutions calling for the repeal of the law. Again, as in the aldermanic elections earlier that year, the Municipal Voters' League requested all candidates sign their platform. Efforts were also undertaken in many legislative districts to block the renomination and reelection of members who had previously voted for

2173-425: The support of a number of the City Council's Gray Wolves . Harrison stopped the bill by "burying" it in a committee . Decisive roll call votes came from aldermen Michael Kenna and John Coughlin on December 19. The bill was sent first to the Committee of Streets and Alleys South, Streets and Alleys North, and Streets and Alleys West, where it remained until December 19, when it was withdrawn and instead referred to

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2226-586: The tentative ordinances, 150,785 voted "no" while only 64,391 voted "yes". Voters also strongly (by a 3-1 margin) voted "no" on the question of whether the city should grant any franchise to the Chicago City Railway and the question of whether the City Council should grant a franchise to any rail company. There was additionally a referendum on immediate municipal ownership in which voters sided in support of it. Democrat Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne successfully ran to succeed Harrison, campaigning on

2279-526: The traction issue, was founded in January 1896. Mayor Harrison did not embrace the idea of municipal ownership, even after it had become supported by both major political parties by 1900. Transit emerged as a central issue in municipal elections. In 1897 John Maynard Harlan ran for mayor on a platform supporting municipal ownership. When Carter Harrison Jr. had been reelected in 1899 . One of his opponents had been former governor Altgeld, who ran under

2332-446: The traction standoff and with labor unions disagreeing with his opposition towards immediate municipal ownership, Harrison decided to retire prior to the 1905 mayoral election . Harrison persuaded the City Council to submit tentative transit ordinances for referendum during the 1905 municipal election. Ultimately, three propositions were placed on an advisory ballot related to transit. On the question of whether City Council should pass

2385-455: The twentieth century between the railway companies, still asserting their right to 99 year franchises, and Chicago's municipal government. Ultimately, this standoff lasted several years, until court decisions nullified the 99-year act. Richard Yates (politician, born 1815) Richard Yates (January 18, 1815 – November 27, 1873) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 13th Governor of Illinois from 1861 to 1865 during

2438-616: The twenty-nine candidates the league endorsed in the April Chicago aldermanic election, nineteen were elected. Additionally, another six elected alderman had signed the pledge despite not carrying the League's endorsement (as their seats were considered to be "safe" for reelection). It was believed that voters had elected a City Council that would oppose the Allen Law extensions, as 42 out of the 68 alderman were believed likely to cast votes against it. On December 5, 1898, five months after

2491-613: Was admitted to the bar in 1837 and commenced practice in Jacksonville. Yates served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1842 to 1845 and 1848 to 1849. In 1850, he was elected as a Whig to the United States House of Representatives, where he was the youngest member of the Thirty-second Congress . He was reelected to Congress in 1852. During Yates' second term in Congress,

2544-550: Was also active in Illinois politics, and also became governor of Illinois. Gray Wolves (Chicago) The Gray Wolves were corrupt Chicago aldermen who held office from the 1890s to the 1930s. The Gray Wolves were led by First Ward aldermen "Bathhouse" John Coughlin , "Hinky Dink" Mike Kenna , and Johnny Powers of the Nineteenth Ward. The Chicago City Council frequently gave franchises to private businesses to maintain public services. Many businesses bribed

2597-537: Was identified as an associate and "disciple" of Charles Sumner , the Radical Senator from Massachusetts. During the impeachment proceedings against Andrew Johnson , Yates spoke in favor of convicting the President, whom he described as a "most pestilent disturber of public peace ... who, through murder succeeded to the chief command and seeks to betray us to the enemy." Yates did not seek reelection to

2650-513: Was seen as having paid off when the bill was repealed on March 7, 1899. Conceding defeat, Yerkes sold the majority of his Chicago transport stocks and moved to New York . A standoff emerged between the streetcar operators, still asserting their right to 99-year franchises, and Harrison's municipal government. The dispute between the city government and the companies would not be settled until 1907 after Harrison had already left office. Meanwhile, public frustration with this inaction began to grow. At

2703-407: Was taken over by the government for use as a military cemetery). During this period, Yates enlisted the services of former Chicago Mayor James Hutchinson Woodworth , a Republican with strong anti-slavery views similar to those of Yates, to oversee the disbursement and management of the federal funds received. In his 1863 annual message, Yates denounced the talk among some secession sympathizers that

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2756-727: Was too important as a loyal governor. After the Battle of Shiloh , Yates personally took hospital supplies to the succor of the wounded from his state, as did the wartime governors of Wisconsin ( Salomon ) and Indiana ( Morton ). Such humanitarian gestures cemented Yates's popularity, and the governor enjoyed the nickname of the "Soldiers' Friend". In September 1862, Yates attended the Loyal War Governors' Conference in Altoona, Pennsylvania , which ultimately gave Abraham Lincoln support for his Emancipation Proclamation . During

2809-405: Was unable to persist in this resolution. In 1860 he was elected governor as a Republican; he and Abraham Lincoln , with whom he was friendly, supported each other's campaigns in Illinois. Yates's inaugural address denied that states had any right to secede from the Union and declared that "a claim so presumptuous and absurd could never be acquiesced in"; he also predicted that the Union would "in

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