Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-03
DOWNED THE VETOES
The Mayors Official 0bjec.
tions to Street Rail-
road Ordinances
0VERRULED BY COUNCILS.
Common Branch Holds a Special
Meeting to Do Up the job.
ENOUGH VOTES AND TO SPARE.
0Donnell, Ferguson, McHugh and King
Support His Honor.
0vERRULED BY COUNCILS.
ENOUGH VOTES AND TO SPARE.
ODonnell, Ferguson, hcHugh and King
Support His Honor.
THE BENEFITS OF RAPID TRANSIT

cept their opponents expected, Common
Council yesterday afternoon passed owe
the Mayors veto the ordinances giving uE
Market street to the modern Juggernaut.
For special session, called for a specific
purpose, there was a large attendance, AZ o
the 46 comprising the entire membership o
the Council being present The interest
taken in the matter by Ihe public was at
tested emphatically by the presence of a
many citizens as the Council lobby woul(
hold, and. while they were nearly all FRS
Warders and few of them were business
men or property holders, still they were
deeply interested and showed their appre-
citation of the speeches in favor of the vett
several times by breaking into applause.
The passage of the ordinances was ar
easy matter, there being 80 votes for and
against the Exchange ordinance. For the
Manchester ordinance the vote was SO to s,
one opposing member having left in disgust.
Had a Few Votes to Spare.
Only % votes were required to pass them,
and consequently there were five votes more
than enough, although the Traction people,
before the meeting was called to order,
claimed only 81 votes. The canvass for
votes was carried on the same as at Tues
days meeting. Squire Donahue and Com.
mon Councilmen King and McHugh, the
leaders in the opposition to the ordinances,
were stationed at the foot of the stairway on
the first floor, and buttonholed nearly every
member as he passed. The Traction people,
however, had their canvass made before the
meeting, and few members were held up
by them at City Hail. They openly claimed
81 votes.
The antis were hopeful until the meeting
was called to order, but they then found
that they were hopelessly beaten and their
cause was lost. They had worked hard
Several members of Council declared that
they had been visited at their homes
offered transportation from the city and
other pretexts to get them away where their
votes would not count against the veto. One
Southside member even SAID, with apparent
sincerity, that he had been offered 81, 900
not to vote for the ordinances.
McHugh Makes Bold Charges.
There was plenty of argument and some
rather startling statements made against the
ordinances by Messrs. Ferguson, O'Donnell,
King and McHugh, while the affirmative
side was held up by Mr.. Magee and Mr.
MacGonigle. After Chairman Holiday
had read the Mayors veto of the Exchange
ordinance, the remonstrance, signed by all
but three property owners along the line on
Market street, was read. Mr.. McHugh
then took the floor. He said:'
That's nice communication to come to
this Council from the best business men of
the city: 1t is equivalent to calling US all
set of thieves. 1t is said the people have
changed their minds and want this ordi-
nance We have gone all over the line and
can find but three. The Gusky Company is
quoted as one. Their store is below Fourth
avenue and now has a track in front of it
Market street is 20 feet in one part, 81 feet in
another and % feet in another. How can an
electric car be swung in that space7 am
ready to prove here and in the courts that
members of Council have been approached
by police officials in the interest OF the ordi-
nance; ready to prove that they we're fol-
lowed, not for minutes, but for hours; ready
to prove that men in the city and county
employ have gone in bodies to Councilmen
to get them to vote against the veto, and
have threatened them with vengeance if
they did not. In the interest Of
nance. Not paper in Pittsburg-the
press, the power that rules the world-ex-
cept one that is not against it. We have
heard great deal of the old lady carrying
her basket II sine does it has been since
the consolidation OF the DuQuesne and the
Traction, when they got to charging cents
for small basket and 10 cents for large
one. And since that consolidation they
have cut of the transfer tickets at Craig
street and at Atwood street.
A Suggestion to the Companies.
Iftnese companies want a new route why
can't they use the abandoned track on
Fourth avenue, go down Fourth avenue to
Ferry or Liberty street and then up Liberty
400 feet to the Manchester tracksP That
would preserve Market street. But, no. they
won't do that. They'll do as they please
We are buttonholed at the DOORS on the
stairs and in the Chamber. There are some
OF us here who are old soldiers; others the
sons of soldiers; men who were willing to
die for independence: yet for hand grasp, a
pat on the shoulder, a "you are a good iel-
low they will come here and vote away ouf
liberties. Rapid transit is a good thing The
outlying districts need it. But these lines
could use Fourth avenue and Liberty street
and leave that alley-for market street is
little more-free. They won't do it; thew
override everybody: they say "get out of the
way or we will run over you" Is this hon.
est? If any man dare say it is stand ready
to prove it is not.
Mr.. Knight is unnecessary to make
speeches here to-day. The subject has been
fully discussed. On one side against it are
ali the papers; on the other side are every,
body wearing city or county uniform. If
the men who will vote to pass this ordi-
nance to-day would give their honest rea-
sons they would need no paint for their
bushes. 1t is a sad thing when every officer
OF the city and county must work for this
ordinance or lose his place.
Mr.. FerguSon-We are brought here TODAY
to consider the Exchange Street Railway
ordinance, and we can't find out who are in
the company. 1t is good thing this ordi-
nance was vetoed: it is good thing we have
n wi n dar,a cto nd 70 4; lo%
pirates. Put these ordinances through and
the foot of Wood street and of Market
street becomes public slaughter house. 1t
is not the traction companies fault that peo-
PIE are mangled oh, no, who ever heard of
one of the companies being at fault? Take
those Southslde franchises. The city pre-
to Sellers Mckee and said, "Give us 5000
shares of Birmingham stock for these iran
chises."- Now, i see Sellers Mckee has sold
his suburban franchises for S2O0, 900; he don't
need them. This week in court in a traction
suit Lawyer Neeper asked a man how dare
lie use street the Manchester cars run on,
aud judge Slagle properly called him down
for 1t. L think the property owners will
have a good case in conrt. The Market
House was given to the city about 1906 for
market purposes only, and not for corpora
tions.
The City's Small Share of Profits.
Mr.. O'Donnell-I don't see that it is neces-
sary to say anything. With the vast in
fluence Of the men behind this ordinance it
is useless to resist. But much can be said in
the interests of the people. OF all tue cities
in the country mono are liberal as Pitts
burg Rapid transit is in its infancy. Every
business man on Fifth avenue from Market
to Grant streets, signed a petition for the
tracks on that street. 1t was the same with
the citizens line on Penn avenue. But
will venture to say that petitions Tor the re-
moval of the tracks would be as fully signed
to-day. On Liberty street, from Sixth to
Seventh streets. the business men Will
eventually be compelled to move on account
of the fractions. For all the advantages