Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-22
THEY MUST 60 UNDER
The Wires of the Pleasant Valley
Railroad Doomed.
so YESTERDAYS ORDINANCES SAY
The Railroad officials and Others Interested
Protest.
BLAMING THE ANIMUS OF RIVALS

A special session of Common Council wa
held yesterday to consider the Pittsburg anc
Birmingham Traction Company's ordinance
Mr.. Duncan was called to the chair, Presi
dent Holiday being yet unable to be pres
ent. The ordinance was read. There wa
not a word of discussion or of argument
either for or against the bill and the ordi
dance was passed finally by vote of u
ayes, there being no opposing votes. Mr.
MacGonlgle presented an ordinance relating
to the operation of passenger railways by
electricity oy means of the overhead system
of wires. The ordinance provides,
First-That no passenger railway company
shall operate its road by electricity by the over
head system on any street in Pittsburg between
the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, Grant
and Eleventh streets.
| Second-That the Chief OF the Department
of Public Works is directed to notify any rail
| way company who may have erected any ap
| pliances for the operation of the road by over
head wires to remove all such appliances from
| any street within the prescribed limits within
go DAYS of the service of such notice upon such
company; and in case any company does not
comply with such notice the Chief of the De.
partment of Public Works is directed to re-
move all poles and other appliances at the cost
HITTING ELECTRIC ROADS.
Following this Mr.. MacGonigle presented
an ordinance relating to the Federal Street
and Pleasant Valley Passenger Railway
Company. 1t opens with preamble stating
that the company in question claims that,
under an ordinance of March II, 1888, it has
the right to erect poles on Smithfeld street,
Sixth avenue, Seventh street and Duquesne
way, and suspend wires with which to propel
its cars; that there was no intention, in pass
ing this ordinance, to give such right, and
it is only done under color of an alleged
authorization by the Chief of the Depart
ment of Public Works; that the erection of
such poles and wires is public nuisance
and dangerous to life and property; that the
company has built track on Duquesne
way, right which was not embraced in the
ordinance of March II, 1888. and any right
granted in previous ordinance had lapsed.
The ordinance then provides:
First-That the Chief of the Department of
Public Works is directed to notify the company
to remove the poles and wires within so days,
and on failure of the company to do so to re-
move them at the expense of the company.
Second-That the City Attorney is directed to
present to the proper court bill in equity
against the company to restrain the company
from using Duquesne way between Seventh
and Ninth streets.
Mr.. MacGonigle then presented an ordi-
nance repeating the ordinance of March 12
1888, granting the use of certain streets to
the Park Passenger Railway Company.
The preamble of this ordinance states that
the Federal Street and Pleasant Valley Com
pany, the purchasers of the Park Passenger
Railway Company, claim right of property
in the tracks of the Transverse Railway
Company on Seventh street, Liberty street
and Sixth avenue, running from Sixth ave-
nue. and Smithfeld street down Sixth ave-
nue., across Liberty street and along Seventh
street to the Northside bridge, and then
provides that the ordinance of March II,
1883, which is supplementary to the ordi-
nance of November 1, 1881, be repealed.
All these ordinances were referred to the
Committee on Corporations and the Council
adjourned.
SHOALS AHEAD FOR SOMEBODY.
The Pleasant Valley people consider the
action of Councils yesterday exceedingly
unpleasant for them, and should the ordi-
nances introduced be recommended to Coun-
ellis and pass, there is every indication of a
bitter and protracted legal fight resulting.
Immediately upon the adjournment of
Councils, a number of gentlemen interested
in the matter were seen with the following
results:
D. F. Henry, President of the Pleasant
Valley Road: 81 consider such action of
Councils to be so obviously unfair and SEEM
ingly prompted by the animus of rival cor
porations that it needs no demonstration.
When the privilege was first accorded the
company it was done by Councils and ap-
proved bv Chief Bigelow, of the Depart
ment of Public Works. At first a clause
was inserted requiring only notice of 80
days to remove our poles or wires, but to
this the company objected, and as it stands
now years notice is required, and this is
operative only on conditlon of the city pro-
viding an equally good means of locomo-
tion. The very boundaries indicated in the
ordinance show that the Pleasant Valley
road is the one aimed at. Nothing is men
toned of other wires except those for electric
roads, and you will notice the Pennsylvania
road is not interfered with, although it runs
overhead wires"
A LAWYERS OPINION.
Colonel Stone, attorney for the Pleasant
Valley road, said he saw no excuse in equity
or any other way for the city to stultify it
self by snnuling contract made with the
company with full understanding of the
motive power to be used. He thought the
position taken by the ordinances introduced
could not stand the test of the courts.
Mr.. Graham, General Manager of the
road, said: sit is perfectly outrageous.
There is no justice in such proposition. To
single out one particular line for adverse
legislation is manifestly unfair, and must De
prompted BY some other motive than the
good of the city. I cannot see how these
ordinances, if they were passed, could stand
the test of the court"
Councilman S. A. Duncan, who presided
at the meeting of Common Council, and
evidently speaking as Councilman, not an
electrician, said he thought the net work Of
wires overhead was thick enough over
Smithfeld street and the center of the city.
Morris Mead, Chief of the Bureau of
Electricity, said regarding the iron posts
and wires located by the Pleasant Valley
Company: "They say the wires are per-
fectly insulated, the cross pieces on the iron
poles being of wood and insulators being
used all through.
ICE CONDUCTOR.
"I think, however, that of wet dav, or
with sleet or ice, the electric current would
be likely to reach the pole. The current is
not, think, strong enough to kill a man,
but nervous person or delicate woman
would be pretty badly shaken up by touch
ing one of the poles while in connection.
The current OF an incandescent light about
100 volts would scarcely hurt any person, and
that required for an electric street railway
is between three and four times as strong.
The average passerby would be in no dan
ger, however, from contact with the pole or
the wire. Still, the wires are rather low in |
the street, and, of course, it is not desirable |
to impede the fremen any more than is
absolutely necessary"
STEEL TIES FOR THE WEST.
A Shipment Sent on Yesterday From the |