Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-11
IN BLOCKS OF FIVE.
Braddock Councils BeSieged by Street
Railroad Men, All of Them
Eager for the
RIGHT OF WAY ON MAIN STREET.
The Home Corporation Making Lively
Fight Against Its Four
Competitors.
BIG REDUCTION In LONG TRIP FARES.
One Electric Line Will Carry Passengers to the
RIGHT OF WAY ON MAIN STREET.
BIG REDUCTION In LONG TRIP FARES.
One Electric Line Will Carry Passengers to the
Borough for Ten Cents

would not cause more interest than has been
raised by the street railway question. 1t is
snarl in which at least five companies and
five lawyers are engaged, and the patients
blood is getting hotter day by day, and the
topography of the borough and surrounding
country adds interest to the contest. In the
first place it should be understood that
Braddock borough is surrounded on three
sides by Braddock township and on the
fourth by the Monongahela river. 1t mas
but one entrance and one exit, aside from
two railways and the river, and that is the
old plank road, of which Main street is a
part and the only paved street IN the bor-
ough that is easily getatable by street rail-
way. The entrance on the western side is
so taken up by two railways and the plank
road that there is little room for anything
else.
The first company in the fight is the
Braddock and Turtle Creek Street Railway
Company, and it holds the age in one re-
spect. This company got a move on it''
rs far back as 1885, getting the right to co
Etruet horse car road from the Carrie fur
naces west of Braddcck, through the
borough and on to Turtle creek.
WAITING FOR ELECTRICITY
For time it was found impracticabIe to
make any advance on account of the dis
tance being too great for horsepower, but
when electricity began to attract attention
the company repaired its fences and pre-
pared for operations when the fullness of
time should come. William Yost, ESQ, is
attorney for the company, and takes up tine
gauntlet in Its behalf against all corners.
The second company in the order of sue
cessIon is the Braddock Street Railway
Company. 1t was organized in 1887 by
Alexander Dempster, B. L. Wood, Jr., W.
Seaife and Arthur Kennedy Its route
originally was from the west line of Brad
mock to Turtle Creek, but last wear it was
pleced, and the line now contem plated would
connect with the Second Avenue Electric
! Railway at the city line and extend to
Turtle Creek, through Braddock, OF course.
Some time last year Andrew Mellon. How
ard Chllds and others bought the charter
from Dempster ct al. w. F. McCook. ESQ.
looks after this company's interests.
The third company is chartered as the
Hazelwood, Homestead and Braddock Street
Railway Company. 1t proposes to bridge
the Monongahela river at Homestead. Its
eastern terminus is Braddock As it is
proposed to run on the township road be-
tween Pittsburg and Braddock it conflicts
with two OF the other proposed lines. George
c. Wilson, Esq, is the legal counsel for
this corporation, and it is owned by Mr.,
Gallery and other gentlemen, presumably
largely the owners OF the Second Avenue
Electric Railway.
The fourth company is named The Brad
dock Electric Railway Company and is
composed of Messrs. A. L. SaiIor-EIIis.
George Miller and others. Mr. Miller was
once conductor on the Pennsylvania Rail-
road, and Is hustler from 'wav back. His
extensive acquaintance in Braddock and
his energy have made him a formidable
man to tight, and he has done big work for
his company in Braddock. This company
proposes to run from Camp Copeland, a
suburb of Braddock, and back into the
township at the northeast corner of the
borough and thence to Turtle Creek. Its
attorney is c. c. Lee, ESQ.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST.
The fifth and last, but not BY anv means
least, company contesting is the P1ttsburg.
Braddock and Turtle Greek Street Railway
Company. No one found would give the
exact membership of the company. but if
was authoritativelv stated by the represen-
tatlve of the competing company that
Charles Newmeyer, OF Hawkins station, and
Booth & Finn were interested in it. r. S.
Frazer, Esq, is its attorney. The route is
from the Pittsburg line, through the bor-
oughs o: Williamsburg, Swissvale. via |
Hawkins station and Camp Copeland. |
Braddock and by way of the plank road to |
Turtle creek, and the tug OF war consists in |
one respect, that if all get right of |
way all must run on Main street, |
line by which they can accomplish
their object. There are but three streets |
running parallel with the Monongahela
river and Main street is the only one graded |
and paved, and the only one on which a
line can be run so as to catch popular avor.
Beside road to pay must run between the
Edgar Thomson Steel Works and the Car
RE furnaces in order to ger paving patronage,
and each is located within half a mile of the
respective ends of the borough.
NOW, here comes the great tug. The
nome company" the Braddock and Turtle
Greek Company, recognizing the strategic
importance of the right of way on tbe old
plank road through the township. quietly
went to work and secured the right of wav,
thereby making the township supervisors
men OF prominence in the fight, so much SO
that they are discussing the advisability of
having their ears hermetically sealed SO as
TO escape the clamor that has been raised,
HAVEN'T GOT ENOUGH.
All that remains is to get the right of |
way on Main street, Braddock, and should |
any OF the other opposing companies sue
ceel in getting it, it will have q line but a |
mile long and on which but two cars will |
find occupation, as the entire borough route
can be traversed in six minutes. Should
any of the opponents of the Braddock and
Turtle Greek Company secure it, it must
then make terms with the former or its
victory will be a barren one.
On last Monday evening nine Council
men solemnly sat behind nine desks in
Council chamber and the Burgess sat in his
usual place, when they were confronted by
five ordinances, five lawyers and other rep
resentatives o the five companies, with the /
home company buttressed with executed |
rights of way at either end of the municipal |
corporation, and with jaws sharp set to de-
YOUR Main street.-the tenderioin steak, the
juicy part of the menu. The weather was
boiling hot and the representatives of op-
posing interests hotter, and it is supposed
some of the Councilmen were, if possible, |
hotter STILL The ordinances were as much |
alike as SO many peas. and the Council
could be excused in deciding that the situa-
tion was decidedly uncom ortable,
AN UNPLEASANT PROSPECT.
Before some, it is suggested, the prospect
OhoiSN NSS "SdOn ou Tue one nanQ ana
tophet and perdition on the other Each
contestant was prepared to promise every
thing from nickel up to a seat in heaven
as forfeit II 1t did not keep its obligation
and complete the line by August /, 1891.
Further each was willing to agree to keen
the portion of the street it used. payed.
clean and in repair, and not to uunecessar.
ily interfere with travel while constructing
the road. The attorneys were earnest arpu-
meAtstive and eloquent, but when il leaked
put that the home compa ly had secured the
right Of way through the town
ship, there was some CONSERVATION
In the opposing camps, and mis-
. consultation to which the attorney for the