Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-15
ANOTHER ONE FINED.
Funeral Director Meyer Arrested for
0bstructing Travel.
OPINIONS OF ATTORNEYS ON II
Protest Against Long Trains Blocking Rail-
road Crossings.
THE ORDINANCE DIED LAST IEAR

Another funeral director was fined last
evening for obstructing the tracks of the
Citizens Traction Company by not turning
off and giving the cable cars the right Of
way. Anthony Meyer, of Penn avenue,
with one of his drivers, John Elliott, put
up S. and costs for refusing to get of the
tracks.
The hearing was held before Alderman
McKenna. The offense was committed
Wednesday morning about 1880 o'clock.
Meyer had charge of funeral. and at the
corner of Twenty-6rst street took the track
and held it until he got to Forty-ffth street.
Repeated warnings from cable car gongs
and the protestations of Officer Samuel Bow
den were of no avail; the drivers of the car
riages would not pull off and allow the cars
to pass. Mr.. Elliott was the driver of the
last carriage, and was fined S5 for his mat
tention to the warnings of the officer.
Attorneys were seen yesterday by several
funeral directors, and their opinions asked
concerning the legality of the arrests. 1t
cost the undertakers $50 to find out that the
traction company was acting in accordance
with the law.
A KICK AGAINST TRAINS.
In connection with the talk caused BY the
introduction of resolution into Councils
against funeral directors not to monopollze
cable car tracks, the following communica-
tion was received at the office of The DIS
PATCH. As will be noticed, the document
has a sarcastic vein running through it, but
the writer has cause to complain. He is we'll
known resident of this city, who is often de-
layed by railroad trains blocking street cross
ings both in Pittsburg and Allegheny Inc
communication explains itself.
KINDLY permit me to inquire OF MI. A. r.
Heating, through your columns, wnat mas Pc
come of the ordinance he onered in Councis
some time since, limiting the number OF cars TO
compose any train crossing over the streets OF
the city. The delay occasioned by trains OF 30
or 40 cars crossing over the street is frequently
as annoying to passenger on the I penn az avenue @
annex of funeral procession bound for 81.
Mary's or the Allegheny Cemetery"
One Of the chief points where people are de-
layed is at the Penn avenue crossing Of the
Pennsylvania Company. II used to be COM
mon thing for vehicles and pedestrians TO be
delayed here 1ve and ten minutes at time.
Another bad place Is Liberty street wnere 90 90
about four or FIVE miles per hour. Az sixth
street the crossing is often blocked. greatly to
the annoyance of people and owners OF vehicles.
WORSE IN ALLEGHENY.
In Allegheny the crossings at Federal. Ander.
son and Sandusky streets and North avenue
have held crowds OF impatient people waiting
70 get over. At some Of these streets where
there are sidngs near. the trainmen think moth.
ing of holding the crossing ana listening 70 the
curses loud and deep, OF the badly-tempered
people, who think tho only thing railroad 10
made for 10 to cause them delay In going TO
and from their dwellings and business places.
During the evenings, while long lines OF cars
are waiting to get into the " est Penn yard,
the Federal.streot crossing has been blocked
10 long that many men. impatient at being de-
layed, have tried to climb through the uhihs hn
got upon the stirrup OF the car. when the On:
gine ierked the train and threw the Individual
who was in hurry almost under the wheels.
on Mr.. Heating yesterday and asked him TO
give the desired Information about the dsposi-
ton Of the ordinance. he said;
NOW A DEAD LETTER.
''The resolution was offered and referred to
the Committee on Corporations Since then
have heard nothing of 1t, and do not know
what was done about the evil. One thing do
know. is that it had good effect even If IL
did not pass and become law. Since the res
olution was offered the railroad companies
have been more careful, and instead Of running
trains of 40 and 46 cars In the city limits they
cut the trains down TO about one
half this number. A few days ago
between Tenth and Eleventh Streets and
counted the cars on train just going over the
crossing. 1t had B cars apd the time required
to pass was one minute and q quarter. This
was something like business, and everybody
waiting was satisfied. Nobody would object
to waiting a minute and quarter for train,
and hope the railroad company will continue
the good work"
Councilman A. q. Robertson, Chairman of
the Committee on Corporations. when asked
about the disposition of the ordinance, said:
81 do not remember the resolution, but think
1t died with the expiration of the CouncilmaDic
term. All legislation unfinished at the end Of
the term passed out Of existence, and unless
it is brought up again at the next session, it is
a dead letter. think the ordinance referred
to was offered at the last session of Council,
and nothing was done about it at this term"