Omaha daily bee., 1889-03-29
TIRREL TALKS.
He Gives the Dorsett Affair Some
Hard Knocks.

He Gives the Dorsett Affair Some
Hard Knocks.
Walter G. Tirrel, local manager of the
Thompson-Husto company, is one of the
most practical as well as experienced cleo
tricans in OmahL He says it would be
great detrment to the city IL q franchise
should be granted TO the present or any
other stock -jobbing subway corporation. In
speaking of this matter, he re-
viewed at considerable length the history Of
Dorsett and his system in Chicago, said he,
"the scheme was introduced and worked
there in just the same manner as they are
trying TO do 1t here. The company was an
inflated concern. 1t first bonded the fran
chise for $1,500,000 which cost $4,000 in
sugar to certain officials for s1,500,0O0. 1t
then issued stock, went around
selling it to everybody, and raised as much
more. After the conduit was put in and
tried 1t proved such a failure that to-day the
only wires to be found in IL are those belong
ing to the district messenger service. The
stock Is worthless If this city should now
force us to put our wires underground and
pay the subway company $1,000 a year per
mile rent, which Is the amount they get in
Chicago, we would either have to double the
price of our lights or go out of business. /
know that the thing is impracticable, and
went to Chicago for the pur-
pose Of investigating it. But there
seems to be a few members of the council
who consider the subject no further than the
promise of this company that it is going to
spend $50, 600 this year and they think It will
make money plentiful What does $4,000
amount to when franchise is thrown away
for Doodle to an institution that will be of
no use to anybodyi 1t will give few men
you now that il this thing IS defeated my
people will spend $3.50, 600 here during the
next twelve months In enlarging and build
ing emn,Nm1nt NEW plant the Instead Of rons gys
to sixteen men, as now, will
then have from forty to fifty. The plans for
new buildings, new machinery and every
thing else are ready and we expect home me-
up, so you see the bulk of that $500 will
not be sent away from here. 1t is our inten-
ton to reduce the price of lights and main
tain circuits day and night for the benefit of
small manufactures in the heart of the city.
But if this subway job goes through and we
are ordered to go under ground it will be i'm
possible for us to increase and improve our
service.n 81
Mr.. Tirrell also argues that by reason of
the great territory he is compelled to cover
here in order to get to business, 1t would
ruin him to be forced to patronize any sub
way concern that charged rent at the rate of
$1,000 mile per year. v''If we must go un-
derground let the city provide some system
and control it, or leave the matter entirely
to the telegraph, telephone and electric light
companies themselves. This Dorsett affair
is not what we want. 1t is objected to be-
cause of the fact that 1t has been failure
everywhere. l am satisfied that all these
stories of proffered Doodle to councilmen are
true and when the time comes they will be
proven true. 1 can't tell you until this mat
ter is settled what we will do about the
building of a new power house. We have
thei option on site that will cost us
S23, ,000."