The record-union., 1891-07-09
STREET RAILWAY TALK.
Further Efforts to Secure the P-Street
Line.
The Franchises to Mr.. Carey and the
Central Company Should Both
Be Granted.

The action of the Board of Trustees, on
Monday last, in refusing to grant the
Central Street Railway Company fran
chise to extend its line through Sixth
street, from to P, and thence through 2
to Twenty y-eighth, was a great surprise to
the residents of the southeastern portion
of the city, and in fact to citizens in gen.
eral. Everybody knew that q de-
termined effort was being made by citi-
Zens of the extreme southwestern portion
of the city to induce the company to
change its route and run through Second
or Third streets, but only the few
on the inside believed that the board
would refuse to grant the franchise even
if the company could not be induced to
change the route.
When the question of granting the
franchise came up before the board the
situation had suddenly changed. Mr..
Carey had appeared before the board and
asked for q franchise to run a line on
Third street, from X to o, and thence
through 0 to Tenth, where it would join
his present line, the cars to be
propelled by horse, mule, electric
or gasoline, power. Mr.. Carey appealed
to the board not to grant the
proposed franchise to the Central
Company on the ground that a
road on p street would iniure his present
line on 0 street and the one he proposed
to build if the franchise was granted him
as asked for. The board then refused to
grant the franchise for the P-street line,
and it was understood that it did so be-
cause 1t wished to protect Mr.. Carey from
competition. Prior to the meeting, how
ever, one of the Trustees openly avowed
that ne would vote against the franchise
asked for by the Central Company unless
it would build the road on Second or
Third street, instead Of Sixth. But no
matter what motive governed the board,
the franchise was refused and the people
of the entire city, with the exception OF a
few who are personally interested, are
justly indignant.
The opinion of q vast majority of the
people is that both franchises should be
granted, with proper restrictions, pro-
vided a guarantee is offered that they
will be built and operated without delay.
Citizens are tired of having streets tied
up year after year with franchises that
are never used for any other purpose
than to keep out others who would build
roads if they could get the chance.
But it appears that the matter is not to
be allowed to rest where it is. The resi-
dents of 2 street and the whole south
eastern portion of the city are determined
to make another effort to induce the Trus-
tees to do them justice and grant their
almost unanimous petition for an electric
road. One movement is on foot to induce
the board to grant franchise for Fourth
street and another movement for line
on Eighth. There is no doubt that
Messrs. Weinstock, Lubin IL Co. would
be very glad to have the road come in on
Fourth and that Hale Bros. would be
equally delighted to have it come in on
Eighth. But the people Of the south
eastern portion Of the city, who are more
interested than any others, prefer Sixth
street, because it would land them nearer
the center Of the retail district.
1t would appear that If the Board of
Trustees refused to grant the franchise
for Sixth and 7 streets, because of a de-
sire to protect Mr.. Carey, that it would
refuse TO grant it for Fourth and Eighth
streets, but it is rumored that delega-
ton waited upon one of the directors of
the Central Company and offered to
guarantee the granting of the franchise
If the company would change it SO as to
run through Fourth street, instead of
Sixth. This rumor may be well founded,
or not, but if it is there is some scheme at
work that will not be for the best inter
ests of the city or the people who desire
the franchise granted.
The fact is that there are twenty good
reasons why Sixth street should be Sc
lected, from business standpoint, to one
in favor Of any other street. The Central
Company thoroughly appreciates these
reasons, and if it builds "a road at all it
will be where it will do the most busi-
ness. Mr.. Henry is perfectly well aware
that nine out of every ten passengers who
come down from the southeastern portion
of the city on Mr.. Carey's O-street line at
present get off between Tenth and Fourth
streets. That is one reason why he Sc
lected Sixth street. He also knows that
If he came in on Sixth street he would
accommodate land get the nickels from
the vast number of people who annually
attend meetings at the Congregational
Church, the Synagogue, Masonic Hall,
the Sixth-street Methodist Church, the
Westminster Presbyterian Church, the
Armory, and the skating rink and Ath-
letic Club in the old Pavilion; while he
would land and receive passengers at
Sixth and X streets, midway between the
Metropolitan Theater and the Clunie
Opera-house. The Central Company is
not at all likely to overlook all these ad-
Vantages, and if it did it would display
very little business sense.