Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-12-19

The Electric Power Grant.

Inc Electric ROVER VrNnts
The mayor having vetoed the resolu-
tion by which the councils unlawfully
undertook to grant the right to put poles
and electric wires upon the streets to
propel the rail cars, n new and proper
start has been made in the work OF
making this grant. 1t will now be made,
If II Is made, with due deliberation. The
objections to the project will have con-
sideration and the opinions of the people
will be heard. Those who have any
thing to urge in the matter may have
audience through oar columns If they
express themselves with proper brevity.
We have already said that the proposed
electric street car propulsion was proba-
bly, good thing, but that the poles and
overhead wires were Objectionable. We
understand, however that the present
sentiment of councils il favorable to
their erection the committee that has
been at Easton reported favorably upon
the system as practiced there.
Certainly, however, such grant
should be accompanied by proper rcscr-
vations. 1t should not, for instance, be
perpetual, upon the terms now made.
Five dollars car may be fair tax
now, but i'm ten or twenty years IL may
he absurdly small. The city certainly
should have the power Of raising the
rate Mt the end of say five year terms
and the councils, even If they make
their grant perpetual, should surely re-
serve the right to change the car charge
at stated periods.
This charge is in the shape of tax (;
and the city may change its tax rate
annually. Why then should it fix an
annual tax upon street cars and.poles,
that may be held not to be subject TO
change? Here is what seems to be u
perpetual grant of the use of the streets
for electric poles and wires for street car
propulsion, at an annual price of five
dollars per car and fifty cents per pole
which the grantee of the privilege will
he sure to maintain IL IA charge that
runs with the grant and law
never be increased. is that as
IL should be !? Surely not
This grantee win further maintain,
after he has entered into his contract
with the city, that no pressure of public
necessity can ever take IL from him,
even though the electricity used should
be dangerous to life. II is true that
if il shall he held to be public
nuisance, as the electric wires in New
York are held to be when condemned
by the authorities of the city, the author
tiles may lawfully abate sllch nuisance (;
but there is likely to be a wearisome
legal jangle before such power can be
..l,. Oh
properly wise council, in granting the
right to erect poles and put up overhead
electric wires, covenant that they shall
not prove public danger and nuisance ;
and that If they shall 80 prove to be,
in the judgment of the councils of the
city, the councils may revoke the grant
of their use or otherwise abate the evil.
And again, should not the councils re-
quire the provisions of the act of 1889 to
he obeyed which requires street railways
to be laid in continuous circuits? ? TO he
sure, there is the law for them to obey /;
but it is seen that il has not yet been
obeyed, and presumably the street car
companies expect TO wrigglc out
of obeying it by pretending that they
obtain complete circuit through their
turnouts. That this is not a compliance
with the meaning of the law is sui,i-
ciently shown by the statement that no
street car company could fail to have
such circuit, as it would need to get
its ears bncit to tho starting rinrr
by some device. 1t was just these
miserable turnouts, that are such
nuisances upon the streets, that the
law undertook to abate, by requiring all
street ear companies to make complete
circuits on independent lines Of rails.
1t Is the way in which street car SER
vice can be made to be of the least in
convenience to those who otherwise use
the streets, and il Is the only way in
which a satisfactory car service can be
had. 1t should certainly be required by
the councils if they make this grant. The
requirement will not be an onerous one,
and it will be TO the ultimate interest OF
the car companies themselves To acccde
to it.