Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-06
Wanted by the Birmingham Traction
Company TO Reach Travel Along
Southern Avenue.
CONSOLIDATION WAS A FAILURE.
The Suburban Electric Company Will To-
Day Name Price at Which Its Road
Can be Purchased.
FUTURE PLANS OF BOTH COMPANIES.
The St. Clair Road to be Replaced BY New One Along
Brownsville Avenue.

NeGOIallOns are penuluS pSt"eeh H.
Sellers Mckee, William Finn and H. S.
A. Stewart, representing the Birmingham
Traction Company and the Suburban Rapid
Transit Company, which promise to result
in The sale of the latter's road.
For the last two weeks Mr.. Mckee has
been endeavoring to effect deal with the
Southside company. The first proposition
made to them was to consolidate their in
terests in the Thirteenth Street Electric
and Suburban Rapid Transit roads, and
divide the profits. AS an inducement to
have this proposition accepted, the Birming-
ham Traction people offered to spend $780,,
600 in improvements, thus increasing the
facilities of both roads, by double tracking
the roads and putting on an increased num-
Der of new cars.
The directors of the Suburban held a
meeting early last week and considered this
proposition. 1t was argued that if the Bir-
mingham. Company could afford TO spend
$500. 900 on improvements it would pay to
improve the road and mold it themselves,
and was so decided. A committee was ac-
cordiugly appointed to convey the action of
the directors to the representatives of the
other company.
BIG MONEY OFFERED FOR A LEASE.
The next move made was by the Birming-
nam Traction Company, which proposed to
lease the Suburban road for a long term of
years at pretty handsome figure. Another
meeting held by the Suburban directors re-
suited in similar action to that taken on
the former proposition. In addition, their
committee was instructed that the only man.
ner in which deal between the two COM
panies could be effected would be for Mr..
Mchee's company 10 purchase the other
road outright
1t seems very probable that the latter plan
will be carried through. The Birmingham
traction representatives have told the
Suburban people to make a statement show
ing the earnings Of the road for the last
year, and also TO give the figure at which
the road can be purchased This the COM
mitsee is now at work upon, and the offer
will be made to Mr.. Mckee to-day or to-
morrow.
The Birmingham Traction Company pro-
poses to spend the $500, 600 in line to &C
commodate the hill travel, whether the SUBJ
urban road is purchased or not, and the
manner in which it is to be done will Gre
ate an unfriendly feeling and possibly a
fight between the two companies.
THE POSSIBILITIES OF RIVALRY.
The South Thirteenth street electric road
is already the property of Mr.. Mckee. 1t
is his purpose to abandon the road
and build a new one up Brownsville
and through Allentown and Beltzhoover, to
Knoxville. where the terminus of the
Suburban road will be passed. The new
road will then be run down Ormsby street
to Barkhammer, to the South Twentv-sec-
ond Street Incline, back to the Eighteenth
Street road and from there to Carson street. |
Where the difficulty will be met is in
taking possession o the Brownsville road. |
Il is now owned by the Brownsville Road
Company, which is practically the Subur-
ban Rapid Transit Company, and repre-
sentatives of the latter company said yes
terday that the Birmingham Traction Com
panv cannot occupy the Brownsville road
unless it buys the Suburban road. The
Birmingham Traction people say they will
take possession of the road anyway.
This matter has been talked over consid- |
erablv among Southside business men with
in the last few days. An official of the Su-
burban Company was seen yesterday and
corroborated everything that has been here
stated. a call was also made on Alderman
c. E. Succop, who is member OF the COM
mitlee that waited on Mr.. Mckee several
times. He declined to say anything, owing
TO the position he occupied in the matter,
but admitted that his company had been
asked to name a price at which the Su-
burbsn road can be purchased. An effort
was also made TO see Mr.. Mckee, but be is
absent from the city.
IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL BE MADE.
The official of the Suburban road who
was seen said that if they did not sell they
intended to make extensive Improvements
on their road. 1t had been bonded re-
Gently for that purpose, and it Is pro-
posed to pave Southern avenue to the
outer terminus OF the road, lay double
track along the entire route, extend
the line to Josephine street, via the Browns
vile road, their own property, and equip
the road throughout with new cars. This
improvement will cost a considerable
amount but the Suburban Company real
izng the fact that the population, as shown
bv the recent census, is gradually forcing
that if it will pay the Birmingham Com
pany to spend so much on improving the
road il will pay them as well.
Henry Miller has been elected President
of the Suburban Company to fill the vacancy
made bv the resignation OF John Phillips. |
Mr. Milier is a weii-knOwn merchant on the
Southside, where he is considered to be an ex-
ceptlOnally shrcwd business man.