The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-04-13
MOTIVES OF THE COMBINE.
A Correspondent Writes on the water
and Electric Questions.

A Correspondent Writes on the Water
and Electric Questions.
EDITOR HERALD Like most of the
other citizens OF the borough, 1 have
watched with some interest, during the past
week, the progress of the controversy be-
woen the Borough Council and the Elec-
tric Railway Company, and in doing 80 l
have observed few things tc which l de-
sire to call your attention and the attention
of the public.
The communication published in Mon
days issue of the HERALD, over the sig
nature of Borough Solicitor Pomeroy, is,
presume, authoritive, and constitutes the
defense of the majority of Council, for
their action in throwing obstructions in the
way of the building of the road. Mr..
Pomeroy complains that you have not been
fair in your treatment of the action of
Council in tho premises. will not discuss
that statement, but leave it to you and him
to settle. Hi3 defence Of CJunciPs ection,
and the gisL of his communication, outside
the wall Of distress that he sends up on sc-
count of alleged unfair treatment, is that
j
the Railway Company did not intend to
pave the track, according to agreement.
Let me ask Mr.. Pomeroy and the men,
bers OF Council for whom he speaks, how
and when they made this interesting dis
covery7 The answer is contained in the
same sentence in which the charge is made.
The discovery, if such it be, is an inference,
gathered from conversation alleged to
have taken place between judge Sader
and certain members of CJuncil, after the
latter had decided TO get out an injunction,
if nj cessary, to stop work on the road.
Aside from the work done on the extreme
west end of Coal street, early last winter,
there was no work done on the road within
the borough limits until Monday of last
week, aud by Wednesday evening, within
three days from the time work had COM
menced, the eight members of Council who
subsequently directed the Solicitor to take
steps to stop the work, were running wildly
around the town declaring that the thing
had to be stopped. Now, ask Mr.. Pome.
roy-and if he answers at all / know he
will answer truthfully-did Council know
then what the intention of the Railway
Company was regarding the question Of
pavinR2 Did Mr.. Pomeroy or Cjuncil ex-
pect, when the privilege of laying the
the tracks in the streets was granted, that
the construction and paving of the road
were to be done simultaneously And if
they did not, how in the name of common
sense can he justify the action of Council
in stopping the work of construction within
three days after it was commenced Every
intelligent citizen will understand, and
| does understand, that no matter what the
intention of the Railway Company may
have been, that to pave the track is imprac-
ticsble until it is lined up, ballasted and
settled.
But, isn't there something else back of
| this mCvement2
Ordinarily should consider it only an
{ Extraordinary coincidence that the eight
members of Council who have halted the
progress of railway construction are the
identical eight who have banded them
selves together for the purpose of erecting
a public water works, at cost of 500, 600,
or a trlA. like that, and who now cCnsti-
tute the committee OF Council on new
water works. But when l see the same
citizen spirits who have been mot active
in promoting the water works proi isct, take
leading parts in this comedy of blunders,
and again telling the p3ople what they
want, am forced to the conclusion that
there is a sinister motive at the bottom OF
| the movement.
OF course this Oouncilmanic combna
ton and its ctiz IN allies proclaim that they
are acting in the interests of the people
the dear people, who don't know what they
want, and need Ist such guardians as they
elect members of Council But did you
ever know or hear of usurper or dem.
agogue who despised the people and disre.
garded their rights, who did not proclaim
impudently that his purpose was to advance
their interests2 1t is under the cover OF
protecting the people and advancing their
interests that the greedy and svaricious
have alway consummated their own self,h
schemes and robbed the masses of their
rights and p ivilegas. 1t was ever thus,
aud it will probably always continue to be
so.
The gentlemen who have been active as
private citizens in the movement to harass
the Railway OImpany and retsrd the
progress of the road, are so we'll known to
the public, that I need not go to the extent
of mentioning their names here. We all
know who they are. Is there a man
among them who has eyer thought of pro-
jecting any scheme purely for the benefit
Of the public, or who would give a serious
thought to anything that did not promise
to yield him n personal proft2 Is there a
man among the lot who is not distinguished
for greed, self'hness and either arrogance
or stupidity2 Is there man among them
who would contribute dollar to the most
deserving charity without the assurance
! tbot II would ha advartispd in suoh a wa ~