What was known as the Chicago charter convention was organized in 1905, the first_session being held Dec. 12, that year. Milton J. Foreman was president, Alexander H. Revell vice-president, M. L. McKinley secretary and Henry Barrett Chamberlin assistant secretary. The convention was made up of delegates chosen by or representing the mayor, city council, governor, assembly, board of education, sanitary trustees, county board, public library board and the Chicago park boards. Its purpose was to frame a comprehensive, simple and elastic charter for the city of Chicago to be submitted to the state legislature for consideration. The work was completed and the charter taken to Springfield in the early part of 1907, where it was introduced in each house of the legislature and referred to the appropriate committees.

Some of the main features of the charter were these: Consolidation in the municipal government of Chicago of the power vested in the board of education, township, park and other local governments within the city; submission of propositions to popular vote; aldermen to be elected once in four years; the raising of adequate revenue by the issue of bonds and by other means; the power to own, maintain and operate all public utilities in the city, including intramural railroads, subways and tunnels, and telephone, telegraph, gas, electric lighting, heating, refrigerating and power plants; the parks to be under the management of a city department of parks; the public-school system to be a department of the city government and under the control of a board of education of fifteen members appointed by the mayor for terms of three years; the public library to be managed by a board of nine directors appointed by the mayor for terms of six years.

Several radical changes were made by the legislature, one of the most important being the substitution of the old primary system for the one proposed. Another was the redistricting of the city into fifty wards, one alderman to be elected from each. These and other changes aroused much opposition, but the charter was passed May 12, 1907. In the senate the vote on the final conference report on the measure was 26 to 10, the only Cook county member to oppose it being Senator P. J. McShane (rep.) from the 4th district. C. E. Cruikshank (rep.) of the 19th district was absent. In the house the vote was 80 yeas to 49 nays. The Cook county members who voted against it were

MOVEMENT,

avenue.

John Wentworth-2838 South Halsted street.
William B. Ogden-3646 Emerald avenue.
Theodore T. Gurney-247 West Chicago avenue.
Joseph Medill-759 Grand avenue.
DeWitt C. Cregier-193 Gault court.

Free baths are given at the 14th and 22d street pumping stations and at several lake beaches, but special buildings have not been provided at these

points. The Carter H. Harrison bath, which was opened in January. 1894, is said to have been the first free public bath in the United States, if not in the world. Similar baths in Vienna charged a fee of 2 cents and those in New York 5 cents. The Madden bath was opened in April, 1897; the Mavor bath in May, 1900; the Waller bath in February, 1901; the Kosciuszko bath in April, 1904: the Wentworth in December, 1905; the Gurney in May, 1906; the Medill in September, 1906, and the Ogden in July. 1906. The average cost of each plant has been between $15,000 and $20,000, and the average annual cost of maintenance $4,000. Total free baths furnished in 1906, 825,313.

Ordinances passed by city council Feb. 4, 1907; vetoed by mayor and passed over veto Feb 11, 1907; approved by people on referendum vote April 2, 1907.

SALIENT FEATURES.

Systems to be reconstructed and rehabilitated within three years.

City to supervise rehabilitation through board of three engineers.

Life of grant not to extend in any event beyond Feb. 1, 1927.

City to receive 55 per cent and companies 45 per cent of the net profits from the operation of the roads.

Twenty-one through routes specified and provision made for others.

Fares for adults to be 5 cents for continuous trips in one general direction within the present or future city limits.

Transfers to be given at all connecting points on and to all lines except in section on south side between 12th street and the river.

Motive power of cars to be electricity applied by the overhead or underground trolley systems.

Cars to be of the latest and most approved pattern and to be kept clean and warm and well lighted.

Cars to be operated singly after one year. Companies to pay $5,000,000 toward the construction of subways in the downtown section at the city's option.

City given the right to purchase the property of both the present great systems at any time upon giving six months' notice.

Agreed value of Union Traction company's property June 30, 1906, $29,000,000 and of the Chicago City Railway company's property at same date $21,000,000. The purchase price for the city is to be the aggregate of these two sums, with the value of work done and property acquired between the date named and the date of the passage of the ordinance and the cost of rehabilitation and extensions added.

CHICAGO CITY RAILWAY FRANCHISE.

The preamble recites the fact that the city desires, for the proper accommodation of the public, to provide for the reconstruction, re-equipment and extension of the Chicago City railway system and for its unification with the Chicago Union Traction system and to determine the conditions upon which the city shall have the right at any time to purchase and take over the company's streetrailway system.

AUTHORITY.

The first section authorizes the company, in consideration of its accepting the ordinance, to construct, reconstruct and maintain a system of street railways upon certain streets in the city, the streets being specified in a list which is made part of the ordinance. This authority is subject to the rights of the Chicago General Railway company in certain streets until Feb. 8, 1912.

For the purpose of carrying into effect the plan to unify the street-railway systems it is provided that where this ordinance and the similar ordinance running to the Union Traction company confer grants upon more than one company in the same part of any street the rights so granted shall be for a mutual and joint use of tracks. Wherever tracks are used in common they are to be maintained at the joint expense of the companies.

RECONSTRUCTION.

Section 2 provides that the company shall proceed at once to reconstruct portions of its track and roadbed and put its entire system, plant and equipment in first-class condition, as specified in an exhibit which is made a part of the ordinance. The exhibit requires among other things that the company shall proceed at once to remove its present tracks, slots and conduits and substitute electric tracks; to rebuild at least sixty miles of its present electric track with track of the character specified in the ordinance; to construct power houses enabling the company to operate its street railways efficiently and continuously; to rebuild

and re-equip its carhouses so as to enable it to properly clean and maintain its cars; to increase as rapidly as possible the number of double-truck cars until there shall be at least 800 of them in operation (1,200 in case of Union Traction). All this work must be completed within three years.

EXTENSIONS.

In section 3 it is provided that the city shall have the right to require the company to make extensions to the lines enumerated in the list attached to the ordinance, but such extensions shall not be in any street nearer any existing parallel tracks of the company than half a mile, nor shall the company be obliged to build more than four miles of double track in any one year. (Six miles in case of Union Traction.)

MOTIVE POWER.

In section 4 it is specified that the power to be used shall be electricity applied by the overheadtrolley system, provided that the city at any time after three years from the date of the acceptance of the ordinance may require the company to use electric power transmitted by the underground system.

USE OF POLES AND CONDUITS.

Section 5 gives the company the right to use trolley poles, wires and conduits for all purposes solely connected with the operation of its street railways. The city is given the right, without the payment of any compensation therefor, to use the poles of the company for its signal, telephone, telegraph and electric-light wires.

SUBWAYS.

Provision is made in section 6 for a future subway system. The company gives the city, and the city reserves, the power to require the company to join with the Chicago Railways company (Union Traction) and the city in defraying the cost of the construction of a system of subways for the joint use of the companies as downtown terminals and for the use of the city, the legal title to be in the city. It is a condition of the company being required to join in defraying the cost that the subways shall not be used for street-railway purposes except by the two companies named. The companies shall not be required to contribute to the cost any amount in excess of the pro rata cost of that part of the subway system to be devoted to the use of the companies and the total amount which the companies shall be required to contribute shall not exceed $5,000,000, exclusive of the cost of reconstructing the present tunnels under the Chicago river. Provision is made for the future extension of the subway system in the same manner. The city reserves the right to build subways in any and all streets in which the company is authorized to construct and operate street railways. It is further provided that the elevated railways may use the subways upon the payment of a reasonable rental in case the capacity of the subways shall permit of such an arrangement.

CITY TO SUPERVISE REHABILITATION.

The

It is provided in section 7 that the rehabilitation of the street-railway systems shall be supervised by a board of three engineers, one of whom shall be named by the companies and one by the city, Bion J. Arnold being the third (section 34). company shall purchase all the material and do all the work subject to the approval of the supervising engineers, and to the actual amount paid by the company in carrying out the requirements of this section shall be added 10 per cent of such amount as a fair and proper allowance to the company for conducting the work and 5 per cent for its services in procuring funds therefor. During the threeyear period of "immediate rehabilitation" 70 per cent of the gross receipts shall be set apart and used as far as required in defraying the operating expenses, including maintenance and repairs.

a. m. and 8 p. m., over any street in which the tracks of the company are laid, shall be treated as a cessation of operation, unless such operation is interfered with by strikes, unavoidable accidents or litigation.

The right to sell unnecessary property is given by section 9 to the company, but the written consent of the board of supervising engineers must first be obtained.

SERVICE REGULATIONS.

In section 10 the company agrees to comply with all reasonable service regulations which may be prescribed from time to time by the city council, the approval of such regulations by the supervising engineers to be binding upon the company, but not upon the city, as to reasonableness.

Style of Cars-All the passenger cars hereafter to be built or purchased shall be of the best finish. style and design; they shall have center aisles and shall be without running footboards. Cross seats facing forward shall be used, but longitudinal seats, each seating not more than four passengers, may be used at the ends of the cars. All closed cars shall be vestibuled.

Push Buttons-All cars shall be provided with electric bells and push buttons.

Fenders-All cars shall be provided with efficient fenders, headlights and sandboxes.

Brakes-Each double-truck car shall be equipped with two sets of brakes, one of which shall be a hand brake and the other an efficient power brake of modern type.

Cleanliness and Ventilation-The cars shall at all times be kept clean and in good repair and shall be thoroughly ventilated.

Heating-The cars shall be kept heated at the temperature of 50 degress as nearly as practicable, and each car shall contain a standard thermometer. Lighting-All cars shall be kept well and sufficiently illuminated by electric or other lights.

Signs-Each car shall bear appropriate and conspicuous signs upon both its sides and ends so as to indicate both by day and night the route and destination of the car. At night the signs shall be illuminated.

Advertisements-The company may permit advertisements on the inside of the cars between the tops of the windows and the transoms.

Funeral and Mail Cars-The company is authorized to operate funeral cars and separate cars for the use of the United States postoffice department. Single Cars Only-Every electric car shall be in control of a motorman and a conductor and after the expiration of one year shall be operated singly.

FARES AND TRANSFERS.

Section 11 provides that the rates of fare shall be: For a continuous ride in one general direction, within the present or future limits of the city, Over its lines 5 cents for each passenger 12 years of age or over and 3 cents for each passenger between 7 and 12 years of age. Children under 7 years are to be permitted to ride free if accompanied by a person paying fare. Every passenger may demand a transfer entitling him to ride upon any other line of the company or any other line operated by any other corporation from which the company is obliged to accept transfers which crosses, connects with or comes within 200 feet of the line upon which the passenger paid his fare. This obligation does not apply to any connecting point in the south division north of 12th street, except that upon the completion and operation of subways transfers shall be given at such points within the subways where lines of railway connect with each other. In cases of delay passengers are entitled to transfers to the nearest line operated by the company. The company shall also accept as fares transfers issued to passengers upon any line of the Chicago Railways company and the Chicago General Railway company. It shall also exchange transfers with other companies after their franchises shall have expired and shall have been extended or renewed.

NO PASSES,

No passes of any kind shall be issued and only emploves of the company, policemen and firemen in full uniform shall be permitted to ride free. Mail carriers in uniform may ride without paying

It is provided in section 13 that the company shall co-operate with the receivers of the Chicago Union Traction company and other corporations in establishing and maintaining through lines of cars over the lines of the respective companies., This applies to such streets on the west side as Halsted, Ashland, Western and Kedzie. In the casc of lines entering the south division of the city, north of 12th street, passengers are to be carried from the south division to the other two divisions, or in the reverse direction, for a single fare. Certain routes agreed upon by the parties concerned are particularly described in an exhibit, which is made a part of the ordinance. These routes are as follows:

No. 1-Beginning at Indiana avenue and 51st street, north on Indiana to 18th street, west to Wabash avenue, north to Lake street, west to State street, north to Division street, west to Clark street, north to Evanston avenue, north to Devon avenue, west to Clark street; returning by the same route.

No. 2-Beginning at Halsted street and 79th street, east on 79th to Vincennes road, north to Wentworth avenue, north on Wentworth avenue to Archer avenue, east to Clark street, north to Division street, west to Clybourn avenue, north to Belmont avenue; returning by the same route.

No. 3-Beginning at Lake avenue and 55th street, west on 55th to Cottage Grove avenue, north to 22d street, west to Wabash avenue, north to Harrison street, west to Dearborn street, north to Washington street, west to LaSalle street, north to Illinois street, west to Wells street, north to Clark street to Howard avenue; returning by the same route.

No. 4-Beginning at 75th street on South Chicago avenue, north on South Chicago avenue to Cottage Grove avenue, north to 22d street, west to Wabash avenue, north to Washington street, west to LaSalle street, north to Illinois street, west to Wells street, north to Chicago avenue, west to Larrabee street, north to Lincoln avenue, north to Bowmanville (Foster avenue); returning by the same route.

No. 5-Beginning at 77th street and Vincennes road; north on Vincennes to State street, north to Van Buren street, west to Kedzie avenue; returning by the same route.

No. 6-Beginning at 77th street and Vincennes road, north on Vincennes to State street, north to west Washington street, to Desplaines street, north to Milwaukee avenue, north to Armitage avenue, west to 44th avenue; returning by the same route.

No. 7-Beginning on State street at 39th street, north on State street to Madison street, west to 60th avenue; returning by the same route.

No. 8-Beginning at Jackson Park avenue and 63d street, west on 63d street to Halsted street, north to Evanston avenue, north to Graceland avenue; returning by the same route.

No. 9-Beginning at 69th street and Ashland avenue, north on Ashland avenue to 12th street, west to Paulina street, north to Lake street, east to Ashland avenue, north to Clybourn place; east to Southport avenue, north to Clybourn avenue; returning by the same route.

No. 10-Beginning at 71st street and Western avenue, north on Western avenue to Belmont avenue; returning by the same route.

No. 11-Beginning at North avenue and Clark street, south on Clark street to Madison street, west to Ogden avenue, southwest to 40th avenue, returning by the same route.

No. 12-Beginning at Clark street and North avenue, west on North avenue to Wells street, south on Wells street and 5th avenue to Adams street, west to Clinton street, south to Harrison street, west to Halsted street and Blue Island avenue, southwest on Blue Island avenue to Western avenue; returning by the same route.

No. 13-Beginning at 48th avenue and Archer avenue, northeast on Archer avenue to Halsted