The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-10-15
CAUGHT ON THE FLY.
An Interesting and Matter of Fact
Communication.

communication.
Communicated
The all-absorbing topic agitating the
residents of this, the largest, town in the
county, is the prospective electric railway.
1t is certainly a very interesting argument,
now that it is practically settled, that we
are indebted to councils kind considera-
ton and considerable persuasion on the
part of a number of our earnest and hard
working g-fOr-the-Lown's s-future- benefit citi-
zens for the brilliant future that is fore
shadowed by the proposed connection oil
the surrounding mining towns with Shen-
andoah.
The gentlemen, particularly the town
members, who have been instrumental in
securing the railway charter, have been
| the subjects Of many animated street-cor-
ner devotees and remarks of not very
complimentary order have been overheard
by the writer concerning them.
You may call the gentlemen referred to
| lobbyists, political wire-pullers and self
interested, if you will, but thore is one fact
l will call your attention to- in the future
| records Of the towns history their names
will receive just and prominent mention
for their farsightedness and shrewdness.
Supposing they have benefited them
selves by the railway undertaking. is it not
a profitable and acceptable improvement
for the town. And did they not give the
moneyed men of this and other towns
ample opportunity to secure stock in the
enterprise? But the people with the ad-
vantage within reach turned deaf ear to
| the call. Why Because the holders of
the charter were not as wealthy as some
deemed necessary, or because they might
ask for a certain amount of stock in return
for the time and labor they expended in
securing the charter.
In the estimation Of some they were
nothing but Adventures, endeavoring to
enrich themselves under cover of the
charter and at the expense of these would
be capitalists, themselves disguised as pro-
moters of home enterprises when, in
reality, they were nothing more than
dawdlers, who have wasted opportunities
and are now squealing and attempting, by
foolish arguments, to delay profitable i'm
provement to the town.
The other evening l happened to be
within hearing distance of number of
citizens who were discussing the privilege
granted the electric railway by council,
with the provision that they were to lay
fiat rails. "Well," remarked one of the
group who is known as a noted gilt-edged
| speculator and one who ridiculed the rail
way idea when the opportunity to secure
stock presented itself to him, and who is
now embittered by the prospects Of outside
capitalists congolling the franchise, "it is
about time that we sit on these half-dozen
| political manipulatoIs and self-styled rep
rentstives Of Shenandoah. They are en-
| deavoriDg to have the Borough Council
erase fiat and insert "T'' rail. There is
the techHicality upon which we can base an
argument with our friends IN council and
prevent any suggestion of amendment
| recommended by them to council relating
to the right Of way. We should embarrass
as much as possible these schemers. 1, for
one, will bring all the influence l possibly
can to bear on my friends IN council to in
sist on the original agreement, including
fat rails"
Another prominent business man, on be-
ing questioned the other evening as to his
opinion of the "1'' rail being used, re-
piled that he was opposed to it as it is
injurious to vehicles. On being told that
the rail is being used on the streets of some
Of the largest towns and cities in the state
he expressed about the statement and
; added, ~ have travelled as much as any
body and l meyer saw them" He further
added that it didn't make any difference,
anyway, that he was going to fight the rail
no matter who used it, Continuing he
said, Il am aware that the railway will
benefit my business and, as 1 am one of the
largest real estate owners in the town, i
will certainly benefit me by increasing tn,
value Of my property, but do you suppos,