Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-05-16
The Electric Railway and the City.
Editor of the Epsaing Capital.

Editor of the EDeaing Capital:
1t was q matter of surprise to me to
see ia the Baltimore Sun of Wednesday
while riding on street railway in that
city fthe construction of which railway
by the way met with no determined op-
position from her City CounciD that the
Mayor. Counsellor and Aldermen of the
city Of Annapolis had referred TO the
street committee a very absured preposi-
ton under the circumstancesl by one
Fred. B. Hubbell and had thus further
delayed action upon the request of the
Edison General Electric company for the
use of the city streets, for q passenger
railway. That this proposition Of Mr..
HubbeIl is an sbsured one under present
circumstances for the corporation to CEN
slider however smart 1t may be on the
part of Mr.. Hubbsll and his instigatsrs)
it seems to nae can be readily demonstra-
ted LIST. The Edison company petition
ed the city for the use of its streets for
public improvement and convenience
that viii add to the taxable basis both of
the county and city and for which the
city incurs not the slightest expense or
responsibility. In addition, this improve
ment, from its very nature, must have EN-
ployed number of our people at good
wages both in its construction and OPP
Grafton. And it is also known to every
citizen Of this city that the enterprise
must be in operation within few weeks
or else that its profits would be materially
lessened, and that the probability of its
construction will be diminished by every
week of delay. Now in the face of this
state of facts, the corporation by the sd
vice OF some enc who evidently had no
interest in the city or its future, instead
of considering whether the franchise was
proper one to be granted or not, failed
to act upon it until they could advertise
the use Of its streets to all corners, and to
say the least Of il franchise put up at
public auction is a novelty. but thus de
lay number one of more than four weeks
is created.
To this peculiar advertisement appears
one individual, not corporation, who Of
fers to make the city a partner in his
railway Tin the sweet bye and bys) to the
extent of five per cent of his profits. But
here comes the absurdity he will actually
bond to forfeit $250--if after years de-
liberation he does not do q thirty days
job of work. In other words the city
council has considered at least to the ex-
tent of referring to committee the bold
proposition that they shall sell their con-
troll over the use of the city to her
streets for railway purposes to an indi.
vidual for the space of one year for the
sum of two hundred and fifty dollars. OF
course no such bargain could have a le-
gal existence but while considering it the
council has lost several weeks more OF
the time which Is Of inestimable value to
the men and citizens who would be
now employed except for this foolish
delay. OF course the council may have
some information that the public has
not. which would explain their peculiar
course in regard to this matter and justi
fy delay in their action upon it, If so in
justice to themselves and to the unem
ployed who desire work upon the con-
templated railway, they should make
such information public and it would also
be interesting to know the nature of the
interest which Messrs Douglas, Thorn
as, Fisher, and other bankers and capt.
talists have in Mr.. HubbelPs enterprise.
Until there is some reasonable explana-
ton for the unprecedent ed action OF our
corporation, the public will continue to
think that their course has been an un.
wise one in this matter d. CLAUDE.