Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-14
THE JACOBS LADDER
To Scale Grim Duquesne Heights Will
be Public Stairway.
TIE CITIZENS MEETING TONIGHT
Win Consider Legal, Equitable and Finan.
cial Bearings.
A BIG KICK AGAINST THE INCLINE

The citizens of Duquesne Heights are on
the wRrpath. A meeting of Thirty-ffth
ward citizens has been called for Friday
evening to consider the matter of erecting
steps from the top OF the hill to Carson
street. The people who are at the head of
the movement claim to be forced into this
action by the iron-clad rules and independ-
ence of the Duquesne Incline Company.
Among the complaints raised is one
against the Scent fare. It is said this is
the only incline in the city where a 6-cent
fare is charged. The company has always
argued that the corporation lost money for
quite awhile after the erection OF the incline,
but the citizens claim it is making money
now, and the company could well afford to
reduce the fare, and the movement to erect
steps is one to force a reduction of either
fare or traffic.
Another cry raised is that the incline
stops running at 1890 at night, and does
not start again until 2:3O. This is claimed
to be great inconvenience, especially for
the millmen, large number of whom live
on the heights. Some are supposed to go to
work at 2 o'clock, and they either have to
lose a heat or walk down the hill.
WHAT AN oBJECroR SAYS.
Frank Gordon, one of the citizens inter-
ested in the scheme, said last evening. 'The
feeling is general all over the ward that the
incline people are not doing the right thing
by the citizens. The proposition to erect
the steps is favored unanimously, except by
those who are interested financially in the
l. Ar0
to put up the steps, and a few of us while
talking about the matter day or two ago,
raised $485, so you see it won't be hard to
raise the funds. The great trouble with our
people on the HILL is that so many of the
industrial men have large families of chill
dren, and if they use the incline very much
it has serious effect on their salaries. The
company sells monthly ticket for 81 so,
but they are 80 arranged that the holder
cannot ride up and walk down, and the
ticket must be used in the month for which
it was purchased"
Alex. Ferguson, ESQ.,, has been retained
by the citizens to take charge of the matter
and secure the right of way for the steps.
ing the properties over which it is desired
to erect the steps. 1t is the intention to
start at point about 700 feet east of the top
of the incline and come out 150 feet above
the south end of the Point bridge. The
landing will be opposite the end of Cawley
street, located across the tracks of the Pan
handle road, 0or the purpose of preserving
egress and ingress for the people who live
on the side of the hill abovr the railroad.
HE STRUCK A sNAG.
When Mr.. Ferguson visited the County
Commissioners Office he discovered that
most of the property over which the steps
are to be located is owned by Alex. Nimick
and Singer, Nimick & Co., and
as Mr. Nimick is director
in the Duquesne Incline Company,
it is expected that some trouble will be ex-
perlenced in securing the right of way. Su- |
perintendent Brown, of the City Engineers |
Office, promised to aid the citizens in any |
way he could in securing right of way. !
the citizens claim to have no selfish motives !
in the matter further than desire to pro-
vide something that will be of substantial |
benefit to their people. 1t is proposed to
erect the steps at their own expense and |
donate them to the city if the latter will |
agree to keep them in repair.
The incline people say it is a political |
dodge on the part of the citizens to defeat |
Mr.. Holiday, who is also interested in the |
incline. Mr.. Gordon denied this statement.
He said the citizens had held caucus and |
Endorsed S. McCombs in opposition to Mr.. |
Holiday, but 1t was not because the latter
is concerned in the incline
The Duquesne Heights citizens are pro-
ceeding in about the same manner as those |
Of Mt. Washington did a few years ago |
when concessions were secured from the |
Incline Company.