Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-02
POWER OF PENNIES.
The Equalization of Fares Gives the
Duquesne the Best of 1t.
STORY OF A BIG DEAL EXPLODED.
Mayor Gourley Denies Crookedness in
. West End Franchises.
MAY HAVE TRANSFERS on ALL LINES

The popularity and convenience Of the
Duquesne road and the power of cents as
drawing attraction we're shown yesterday
by the traffic of the two lines interested in
'trafic arrangement" Where heretofore
the Fifth avenue cars were crowded and
Duquesne cars next thing to empty, yester-
day the conditions were reversed. 1t was q
common thing to see 40 to- 80 passengers on
little Duquesne car and very few or none
at all on the larger cars of the cable road
going in the same direction. Coming in on
the electric line yesterday people would be
seen standing on the corners waiting for
car, but seeing them already crowded
would turn and walk up to Fifth avenue
for cable car, where they were always
sure of a seat. The largest load carried by
On electric car yesterday was 50 passengers,
another carried IS and over 80 were carried
in several instances. The Duquesne man.
agement put a new schedule into effect from
Craig street to the city, which is five min
utes longer than the old one.
Transfer tickets are being printed for
use of the Fifth avenue lines passengers to
Williamsburg, and will be ready to-day. The
sengers are to be transferred at South High
land avenue, will be ready to-day.
Williamsburg Transfers for All Lines.
1t Was announced yesterday that there
would be traffic arrangement by which
passengers on the Citizens Traction road
were to be carried TO Williamsburg on the
Duquesne line at 7-cent fare, and that a
similar arrangement was to be made for the
Highland and Center avenue branches c.
L. Magee was asked what truth there was
in this statement. but he denied it, saying:
"There has been no serious talk about
transfer to Williamsburg with the Citizens
line, but We have contract with them that
whenever they desire to put it into effect
we must give the benefit of transfers OH our
Larimer avenue, Highland avenue and Gen.
ter avenue branches. That contract was
made when we secured from them the priv
ilege of crossing their tracks on Penn ave-
nue. for our Larimer avenue branch. The
Duquesne line stands ready to keep its
share of the contract whenever the Citizens
Traction Company desires.
Another story reported yesterday was
that the Pittsburg Traction Company had
agreed to deal with the Duquesne Com
panv in consideration for the grant of e1-
elusive franchises of Pittsburg and
West End street railway.
1t was stated that the largest Pittsburg
stockholder in the Fifth avenue line was
also one of the largest in the West End
Company, and that he was so anxious to get
the franchises for the latter that he in
fuenced Elkins and Widener to consent to
a deal with the Duquesne to get them, it
being understood that c. l.. Magee, Senator
Finn and other Duquesne magnates were
in a position to secure the West End fran
chises from Councils if they desired. Mayor
Gourley was reported to be investigating
the story.
Denials of Any West End Deal.
No names were mentioned, but it is
known that Thomas Bigelow is the largest
Pittsburg stockholder in the Fifth avenue
line. He, with three others, Messrs. Burns,
Reilly and Gallery, own the West End line,
it is said, and therefore he seems to have
been the man referred to in the report.
C. L. Magee positively denies that there
is word of truth in the report, and says
the West End line has no connection with
the Duquesne in any sense, and he did not
believe it had any with the Fifth avenue
Mayor Gourley was asked last night what
he knew of the matter. lie said:
81 don't believe there is any truth in the
story. Knowing the men in the West End
line as do, my opinion is that they acting
SIS it true you are investigating this
story and if you find any foun dation for it,
will veto the West End railway ordinance
81 have nothing to say about those
ordinances at present. I was over the
territory yesterday included in the fran
chises and was surprised to see how populous
it was will take no further action in thesi
matter until I have heard both sides of the
question fully presented. I am to have
with Mr.. Gallery and several
others tomorrow.