Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-08
CAR FARES TO GO UP
In Philadelphia Because Of the
Supreme Court Decision.
THE COMPANIES ARE KICKING,
But the People Happy Because Of the
Prospect Of Getting
TEN MILES OF STREETS PAVED YEARLY

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. president E. B.
Edwards, of the Ridge Avenue Passenger
Railway, acting in his capacity as President
of the Board of Presidents of the City Pas
senger Railways, has called meeting for
next Tuesday to consider the decision of
the State Supreme Court, compelling the
railway companies to pay for paving from
curb to curb the streets on which their rails
are located
AT the same meeting will be considered
proposition to raise the car fare from to
cents
The decision was the general topic of con-
versation among street railway men yester-
day. The additional expense placed upon
the roads was estimated as sufficient to wipe
out all the present dividends. A director
in the Fifth and Sixth Streets Railway said
that the only thing he saw open was
return to 6-cent fares. The decision would
wipe out at one blow all the profits that are
now received He thought tnat in meas
ure it would be hardship to great many
small stockholders who lived upon the in
come received from the stock.
An official of the Traction Company did
not think that the CITY would at once de-
mand impossibilities of the road, but he
also said that the matter was not settled by
the decision of the Supreme Court. The
conditions under which the other roads of
the city have charters were, in some cases,
different from the Ridge Avenue Company.
'The decision" he said, 'might not apply
to these companies.
THEY WILL FIGHT.
This latter statement also develops the
fact that nearly every company in the city
will fight before it will pay for the paving.
Nearly all of them claim that their charters
are entirely different from the Ridge Ave
nue's, and that the ordinance of 1857 does
not affect them.
John G. johnson, who represented all the
companies in the recent litigation, was
asked what position would be taken by the
other companies. He said "Those COM
panies whose charters contain provisions SIM
liar to the Ridge avenue, of course, will not
run the expense of carrying the cases to the
Supreme Court, but those whose charters
are not similar will do SOP"
Are there many of this latter class?"
"Oh, yes; there are good many and they
will want decision"
The city officials view the decision with
great deal of satisfaction, and they all
promise to start in on vigorous work.
MR. wINDRIMs VIEWS.
Director Windrim commented on the de-
cision at length yesterday. He said:
eve have hardly got ourselves together
vet I shall certainly see that number of
the streets shall be paved as soon as posi-
BILE. The condition of some of them is dis
graceful. think that all the streets in the
cold city," that is between Callowhill and
South streets and the main thoroughfares in
the remaining section of the city should be
Iu oil nf in
very bad way. The condition of Walnut
street from Second street to Broad street
is disgraceful Ridge avenue is also in need
of repair.
'The new work will give the opportunity
for very important Improvements in the
methods of paving and the grading. In
many places the grades are out of all pro-
portion. These could be changed and made
uniform. 1t will also give us frst-class
streets. AS the decision plainly says that |
the companies must keep the streets in re-
pair afterwards, it will be to their interest |
to see that only the best materials are used |
''The decision will be an advantage in an |
other direction. The city has expended |
about $500, 600 in paving these streets, and 1 |
suppose this money will come back into the |
hands of the Highway Bureau. 1t is needed |
there very much.
TO ACT AT ONCE.
'T shall consult with the City Solicitor in |
a day or so, and after that will take action. |
The department will only ask what is fair
The amount which will be required of the
companies each year will be decided by
law
Chief Bullock, of the Highway Bureau,
said that he regarded it as a very important
decision. sit will save" he said, 'the city
immense sums of money, and at the same
time she will now be able to secure many
miles of new pavement each year with no
expense to herself Under the ordinance
the matter each company
may be required to lay one-half
mile each year. That may be required,
although the smaller companies may not be
asked to lay that much. Right here comes
in the question ofwhat a reasonable demand
upon the companies would be, but do not
think there will be any trouble over that
point. 1t will, think, result in probably
ten miles of new pavement being laid each
year free of cost to the city, and in few
years Philadelphia will be proud of her
streets"