Evening journal., 1893-02-09
RAILWAY MEN TALK.
Charter-Seekers and Charter
Holders at the State House.
FULL HALL OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The oharter-seekers Say That They Are
in Dead Earnest and Mean business.
The Wilmington City Railway Company
Wants Protection-It Is Called a
"GraspIng'' Monopoly.
ICE Correspondenoe EyeninRJournal.

wants PrOtectton-lt Is Caiieo
"GraspIng'' Monopoly.
stan Correspondence EveningJournal.
DOVER, Feb. 9-The much-talked-
about electric railway hearing was he.
In the State House last evening. The
hall Of representatives was crowded to
hear the interchange of views and
courtesies. The meeting began at $40
and lasted until H. 30 o'clock.
Among those present were Mayor VIII
ley, Allan Speakman, A. G.. Wilson, Q.
p. Johnson, Daniel w. Taylor, A. J.
Hart, George w. Bush, w. T. Porter,
II. G.. Morse, E. II. Brennan, George S.
Capelle, F.. w. Buck and Col. Enoch
Moore, Preston Lea and Willard Sauls-
bury, Jr., representing the Wilmington
City Railway Company; Robert @.
Justis, DR.. l.. II. Ball, Richard
w. Crook. Charles B. Evans, John Pill-
ing, Jr., H. II. Ward and Frank ID. Car
penter. representing the Wilmington
and Brandywine Springs Railway Com
pany; Thomas Holcomb, Hon. John A.
Cranston, Hon. d. w. Elkinton, and
Winfield Scott Quigley, in behalf of the
New Castle, Newport and Wilmington
Railway Company; Peter L. Cooper, Jr f,
DR.. Howard Ogle, Evan G.. Boyd,
DR.. Peter Cooper, Julian Janvier, Archi-
bald Given and James B. Toman, Of the
Wilmington and New Castle road. The
H., p. & P. Railway Company was not
represented, neither was the New Castle
and Suburban Company.
Coopsr's Strong Fight.
Speaker Whiteman called the meeting
to order at SIS and Representative
Dasey was made chairman.
Speaker Whiteman stated the object
Of the meeting, and moved that the
friends of the different roads be heard
Peter l. Cooper Jr., representing the
Wilmington and New Castle Railway
Company was the first speaker. He
said
eve believed we were asking for the
passage Of a measure to promote the
public interest Of this state; of great
public Importance and great moment.
was instrumental in calling this meeting
as l had discovered a spirit Of opposition
and did not want any dog in the manger
business or stabbing under the fifth rib.
We want to know what the opposition is.
"New Castle not only needs an cleo
trio railway but IL needs electric lights,
and if the railway was not n paying in
vestment, the loss would be Offset by the
electric light plant profits. New Castle
Is large, but as yet undeveloped town
with fine river front We proposed tC
build parks along the Delaware river and
have tuem carefully conducted.
AS to the route, we wanted to ruI
through the streets of New Castle, along
the public roads and across private prop
erty, through South Wilmington, owe
Third street bridge to Fourth and Mar
ket streets
"The population Of Wilmington
doubled between 1880 aud 1880. BY th
year 1900 we will have a city Of nearl,
| 100, O00 The city will extend to thI
high land in South Wilmington.
Il propose to call things by thei
proper names / might as well say wha
/ mean. The traffic in South Whining
ton would be as valuable as that o
| from New Castle to Wilmington w
did not know that we were encfoachin
upon anybody's rights. We ask for n
measure to carry US into Eden Park o
the city limits because such road woul
be valueless The people would notpu
money in such an enterprise. We wan
to 90 to Fourth and Market streets w
had no idea Of opposing ary other road
We do not ask TO parallel any Othe
road. IL is not our desire to squeeze an
corporation. Our simple proposition
to build a thoroughfare between thes
cities without regard TO any other con
pany OF the rights Of any other company
ii the Legislature gave the Wilmington
CITY Company an exclusive right IL ha
oyerstepped its powers as it infringe
upon the charter of the municipalit,
All charters in an incorporated town al
subjected to the consent of the COunc
or Street and Sewer Department. Sout
Wilmington was not in the city limit
when the railway charter was granite
and the privileges Of the railway were n'
aud could not be considered to be e.
tended by the extension Of the limits
the city. Such franchise is interferen'
with the public domain.
Judge Brewer, of the Circuit Court {
Nebraska, has delivered de cision viii
upholds my claim and covers this cas-
which ! will read you. What was q
intent Of the Legislature. Did it inter
TO give that of which il knew nothing
that of which it knew? Did it propo
/, TO foreclose the public in advancef III
fact that the company had the right
operate a railway does not mean that ne
inventions under the same name sha
come under its restrictions cab
road is not one part Of horse rail va
Il is an entirely different thing Wh'
. the Wilmington City Railway chart
was granted It was operated by hor
power. and the charter provides that 9
T horses should wear bells The Legisl
L ture could not forsee these improS
5 ments. improvements cannot be barr
s out. Electricity was practically unknoV
J. when the Wilmington City charter "
/, granted and its applications cannot ha
d been thought Of. With The amendme
it got the right to use electricity. 1
only amendment was passed in 1871.
" provides it shall not enter npon a
/ Street to erect poles or wire without I'll
= having received the consent of the prof.
T. citv authorities. Judge Brewer 50
l. nothing can be construed under
IS charter i must be positively stat
le There is nothing in the charter
b. amendment which gives the Wilmingt
" Citv Company the right to use electriei
n 1--WE claim the right to 60 to Four
and Market streets and believe you
grant II. Why did they not debar
Front and Union and Eighth street lin