Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-20
PAM. TRACTION COMPANY.
The New Deal on the Allegheny Long and
Short Line-They'II Build a New Bridge
With Free PoOtWaya.

The New Deal on the Allegheny Long and
Short Line-They'II Build a New Bridge
With Free Footways.
The name of the Pittsburg, Allegheny
and Manchester Passenger Railway Com
pany has been changed to the Pittsburg. AL.
legheny and Manchester Traction Company.
Within the next few days their attorney, f.
M. Magee, Esq, will publish an applica-
ton for charter under the new name. The
latter was adopted at special meeting of
the stockholders yesterday.
Nearly every share of stock held in the
city was represented at the meeting. which
was held at the Allegheny National Bank.
After considerable discussion about the
change of name, which was effected. COM
mittee was appointed to wait upon the
officers of the Suspension Bridge Company.
The committee will endeavor to negotiate
with the bridge company for satisfactory
proposition for the running of the COM
pany's new cars over the bridge. The COM
mittee was instructed to find out if the COM
pany would sell the bridge and at what
figures. If they do not wish to do so then
they will be asked what arrangements thew
will make to run cable or electric cars over
the present structure. The COMMITTEES is
composed of c. L. Msgee, H. M. Long and
G. B. Hill.
President Harper, of the bridge company.
has stated time and again that he would
under no conditions entertain the idea Of
running other than horse cars over the
bridge. This was the cause of the DELAY of
the railway company in changing their
motive power. They have tried to make the
bridge officials see the necessity OF rapid
transit on their road, but the latter said they
would never run the cable or electric cars
on the bridge while it was in their posses
sion. This caused the railway company to
try and get possession of the bridge.
If the railway company cannot make salts
factory arrangements with the bridge COM
pany they viii build bridge of their own
within 30 feet of the present bridge. One of
features of the latter is that they will make
foot passage free. This, it is said, would
cripple the suspension bridge, as over half
of its revenue is now derived from foot
travel
After the meeting yesterday Commodore
Kountz, one of the directors and ex-Presi-
dent of the company, said: ''The meeting
was perfectly harmonious and there was no
friction. If the stockholders of the bridge
company sell at fair price we will buy the
bridge. If moi, we will try and make an
equitable arrangement to run traction cars
on the bridge. IF the company will not
allow us to do this we will build our own
bridge. This will be above the present
structure, and within 30 feet of it. We
have a charter for the bridge which was
secured sometime ago. If we are compelled
to build it our cars will have to make a
slight curve at the corner OF Duquesne way
and Sixth street. One of the stipulations
in the charter is that we will charge moth
Ing for foot passengers. If we build the
bridge, would not want much stock in the
company if it was selling at the
present figure. One good advantage we
would have. il we constructed the bridge, Is
that we could run the cars over it as fast as
we pleased. This we could not do on the
'ther bridge.
THE question of motor power on the road
mas not been decided nor will it be until the
bridge matter is settled. This will have to
De done befor the Both of this month as the
all for the meeting must be made before
hat time. From the sentiment expressed
1t the meeting to-day, think it will be a
,able road. 1 am for a cable first, last and
III the time. I have no confidence in an
electric road for the reason that they will |
lot work. They are only success on level |
yround and are badly deficient on a heavy
.rade. This is best explained by watching |
! horse car on a level road. The only power |
equired to move the car is starting it. If |
7ou watch the horses you will find that the |
races hang loose and the animals exert |
title power to haul the car. When climb |
ng grade the horses have to pull and tits |
lere that they exhaust their strength. This |
8 the same way with an electric road. |
When going up hill the power exhausts
tself and runs down. This I got from per-
ons VINO have made close investigation of |
he matter.
Another thing-every car that is put on
equires additional power to run it. For
Instance, if you have four cars on the road
nd put on 40 cars, it will require ten times
nore power to run them. On cable road
o cars can be run with almost the same
ower and expense as four cars. You have
oticed that on the Penn avenue line when
ars are on the cemetery grade the same
lumber of cars are coming down that are
DING up. II three cars are ascending, the
hree cars coming down will pull them up.
ne way are pulling the cars
Ding in the opposite direction. The
over is exerted in the starting of the cable.
After once being started the friction will do
be rest. You do not have this advantage
q electricity. In the latter the power is
,st. In cable the power is husbanded.
am pretty sure our road will adopt the
able. There Will be no attempt made to
1ueeze the suspension bridge people to give
5 the use of their bridge. We must have
lpld transit. If we cannot get the present
ridge there is nothing left to do but build
ne Of our own"