Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-01-18

rts own Proposition For q Csntinuanes
gifts Franchise.

The Council Committee on Ordinances
mat NJ The city building, last evening, to
consider the matter of the Citizens Rsil-
way Company's grant, which expired by
limitation last October. The meeting was
In accordance with @ resolution offered W
M Hildreth and adopted on October IL,
instructing the committee to prepare an
ordinance renewing the franchise, subject
10 three conditions: First, to replace the
nrescnt rails with fiat ones: second. TO
teen their track and two feet on either
side in complete repair; third, 10 reduce
fares TO five cents.
: Andrew Wilson. president Of the COM
many, was present, and offered long com
inunication in its behalf. II referred 70
the Hildreth resolution, and replied sepsr-
,tely to each of the requirements.
list. To lay fiat rail.
This would be great and unj just expense,
nc most of the present track and rails are
na,x and to now replace them would in
volye great expense. Nothing but the ties
could be used and they must be raised
bigber. which would involve an expense
equal 20 new ties.
snd. Paving and keeping in repair the
track and two feet on either side.
This will be a great and unjust expense,
especially in view Of the fact that when
fat rails arc laid it il intended to use the
provision will compel the company to
keep half the street in repair.
ard The reduction OF fares 70 tiye cents.
The use Of tickets is believed to be pro-
lection TO the company and conyenlcnce
10 The people. All railroads make diff
ference in price, fsyoring the use OF tickets.
Tickets are now sold on all OF our cars IN
quantities TO place them within reach OF
all, and they are generally used by all our
citizens, only strangers and persons VINO
seldom ride paying the cents. Up TO the
wear 1876 the fare charged was g cents or 30
tickets for 81; in 1876 and since, S tickets
have been sold for a quarter; q great pro-
portion OF the fares is paid in tickst,s, and
this proportion is increasing ye,rly. This
change was made believing Fat the def
cheney would be made lip by increased
travel, but the result did not Justify the
! expectation, and to-. gross earnings of the
! company rcdrced ten or eleven
/ thousand dciIars annually. The pro-
/ posed legislation would compel the
! Immediate expenditure of large sum of
money to build new road, it would entail
, greatly increased annual expense for re-
! pairs to the street and reduce the all ready
! small revenue and in fact require an i'm
possibility. TO build new road would re-
! ouire all the surplus earnings from the
| present business for five or six years under
! The present conditions. But hampered
! with the proposed conditions, even if the
! money could be borrowed on mortgage,
: with increased expenses, reduced revenue
! and the additional burthen of interest
there could be but one result-the total
loss OF the property to the stockholders.
'hnk that vorr ho-., n,jy
intend such result, and ON behalf of the
stockholders Of the company | represent,
W no are your fellOw-citizens, anu ~ho!A
| you also represent, respectfully petition
| your honorable body to reconsider your
former action, modify your instructions to
| your committee, so that we may be allow
| ed term of at least five years within
which to change our track, relieve us from
the additional paving and repairing of the
streets and allow the fares To remain rs at
present.
1t is believed that by paying nothing to
the stockholders and applying all the sur
plus earnings of the road to that purpose,
} the desired change could be made in the
time named without interruption of travel,
and that the payment Of taxes and the re-
pairs already required would be just COM
pensstiOn to the city for the privileges
granted the company.
The managers have always been disposed
TO do everything for the accommodation of
the public, consistent with justice to the
stockholders, who have received but small
, returns Tor the money invested, IN fact
, they are doubtful if they have treated the
, stockholders with the consideration they
deserve. They have made extensions
TO the road to meet the requireme hts
Of the public, BELIEVING they would be unrc-
! muneratiye and which proved to be so.
They have continued TO operate one line
from year 10 year. knowing they would
have 70 apply the earnings Of the other to
meet the deficiency. They have increased
their facilities for carrying passengers,
shortened tho time between cars on part of
the road, at great additional expense with
OuteIpectinga corresponding increase ofthe
earnings. They believe thatthe eight humid
red thousand to one million passengers
they carry annually, constitute large
proportion OF the people OF the city whose
convenience and comfort have been pro-
vided for by this company, and that they
do not require or expect their Representa-
tiyes i'll Council to so legislate as to, in
effect, contiscHte the property Of their fell
low citizens who spent their money to build
o road which has been 4 benefit to them
and contributed in a great degree to the
improvement and prosperity OF the city,:
The company also submitted an Ordin-
snCe in accordance with its idea of justice
and recommended its adoption by this
committee for presentation to Council.
The ordinance is quite long, though its
principal features may be briefly stated.
1t first of all renews the exclusive grant
and provides for the use of certain streets
for q street railway, the cars to be drawn
by horses and mules and not propelled by
steam. The city is to have the same right
rs always, TO take up and remove the track
for necessary street repairs, making sewers,
To, ut, In p,,l, oh
from the last ordinance are found in two
sections, as follows:
Section provides for the listing by the
assessors, for taxation purposes, OF all re al
estate and personal property belonging to
the company. No tax Is to be impose upon
its franchises.
Section provides that within six years
from this time, the company must replace
it's present rail with fiat one. One sixth
of the track must be replaced each year,
and, during the last Of the six, that por.
ton between Tenth street and Sixteenth
must be replaced.
Mr.. Hildreth's resolution was mandatory
and lefC the committee neither option or
discretion, and finally, on motion OF Mr..
Kimberly, it was decided 10 refer the whole
matter back to Council, and ask further
Instructions.
Mr.. Acton Rcyman, President OF the
Elm Grove Railway, was also present at
the meeting, and stated that his company
desired to extend it's line up Market street
TO Seventh. lie had no formal petition, and
nothing was done in the premises, the I'M
Outstanding being that he would present
formal petition before the next meeting.
GOOD COFFEE.
Everybody wants it, but very few got
it, because most people do not know
how to select coffee, or it is spoiled in
the roasting or make. TO obyiate these
difficulties has been our study. Thur