Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-30
THE TEST NOT MADE.
Manchester Railway officials Did
Not Try the New Motor
MR.. KOgETTS POINTED REMARKS.
he Says They Don't Care Whether They
Get Rapid Transit or Not.
ALLEGHENY COUNCILMEE ARE RUBBED

The test of the new electric car on the
Pittsburg, Allegheny and Manchester line
which was to have come of early yesterday
morning did not materialize. The car is
still at the short line stables, an object of
wonder to the railway employees. The
cause given for the experiment which did
not take place was that the patentee did not
have all his machinery on hand, and post
poned the test for several days. Whether
it will be a success or not is matter that
cannot be answered at present. The patent
was worked successfully on the Ridge road
line in Philadelphia, and the inventor
claims it will also work in this city.
The car is. equipped with a storage electric
battery which propels it along the streets.
1t is an electric system of transportation by
which no wires, overhead or underground,
are needed 1t is very cheap, and if it can
be worked successfully it will be formid..-
BILE competitor of cable lines and other sys-
TENS of electric roads.
From present indications it looks as
if the Manchester traction line will not be
in operation for along time. 1t was ex-
pecte6 when the idea of changing the mo-
tive power was agitated, that the horses
would be superseded with cables or cleo
tricIty within one year. The matter is in
such shape now that it may be several
years before anything is done. 1t is tied
up in Allegheny Councils and according
to the statements of Commodore Kountz,
the company does not care whether the
Councilmen give them the privilege of
changing their motive power or not.
CoUNCILMEE RUBBED.
The Commodore was seen at his residence
Yesterday afternoon bv DISPATCH reporter
To the questions Of the latter the Commodore
said: 1.-THE matter of granting us permits
sion to change our motive power is in the
hands of Councilmanic Committee. From
present indications the people will have to
elect a new set of Councilmen before they
get the rapid transit they have been
clamoring for. Nearly every man in Coun-
ellis wants us to do something, il you please,
for the permission they give us for chang
ing our power. The line is better stock to
run with horses than it would be to run it
with the cable. If the members of
Councils exercised the same spirit of
liberality that is shown Us by
Mr. Kennedy they would subserve the
interests of the people better than they do
at present. Mr.. Kennedy has tried to get
the thing through because he knows it is
going to benefit the people. He is young
man, with great deal of iberality and q
desire to encourage Improvements to the
city.
Councils have no right to make any de-
mands upon the company other than to re-
strict the rate of speed of the cars within
the city limits. I do not believe that they
should be allowed to run at a faster rate
than nine miles per hour. When the Coun-
cilmen get outside this and want to NEEDLE
with the tracks and other matters they are
going trife too far. If / owned every dol
larsin the company 1 would run the road un-
til the day of my death before would be
coerced into doing anything that is not
equitable with honesty and fairness.
think 4 speak the sentiments of President
Dalzell when say the road will run with
horses until Councils do what is right with
us. If the people complain let them. We
can stand it as long as they can.
A DON'T CARE SPIRIT.
''we have shown our willingness to give
the people rapid transit If we cannot get
permission to change the power we do not
care. We have charter to run horse car
line, and as long as the dividends are salts
factory to the stockholders we will continue
to run the cars with horses. Our charter is
perpetual, and there is no compulsion about
giving the people rapid transit. Until the
Councilmen come to their senses we cannot
do anything. After we get permission from
Councils it will take three months before we
could get our iron made. Then it would
take five months more to get the road built.
''No, the company will not reduce the
rate of fare. We sell five tickets for %
cents. The object in making people paw
cents for single trip is to force the regular
patrons to buy tickets. When they do this
the company gets the money. When every
person pays their fare in cash the company
takes what is left BY the conductors. / do
not care what the members of Council think
of4he matter. As far as I am individually
concerned the fare will stay where it is at 6
cents"
On the other hand the people along Ohio
and Federal streets are very much opposed
to four tracks on the streets. They object to
giving the streets up entirely to railways
especially when two tracks would answer
the purpose. They are also decidly opposed
to the payment Of 6-cent fares, and a most
beautiful fight is yet to be waged before the
matter will be settled. Rapid transit has
made travel on the streets exceedingly dan
gerous.