Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-01-12
WILMINGTON. THURSDAY, JAN. n.

WILMINGTON. THURSDAY, Jan. ~.
The Traction Company has won a
complete victory over the people of
Philadelphia, if we are to take the press
of that city as representing the prevail
ing public sentiment. For the past year
the papers have almost unitedly fought
the introduction Of the trolley, and the
fight has been vigorously prosecuted.
The anti-trolley men have had the CO.
operation of Mayor Stuart, but the
Traction Company had the councilmen,
and there has been great deal of specu-
lation as to the influences which the
company resorted to to acquire and
maintain its "pull" on the latter 1t
has been asserted over and over again
that money swas freely used and
charges have been banded in print Of
gross corruption and shameless betrayal
of public trust. But the supreme court
of the state has settled the fight by de.
Gliding that the trolley ordinances are
valid, ard that the Traction Company
can go ahead and establish its system
over nearly one hundred streets in the
city. The Lediger says of the decision
The Traction Company is in possession
OF the city. 1t can do pretty much as it
pleases with our streets, for the ordinances
passed by councils shamelessly disrrgardel
the interests of the city, and were in fact
so negligent in this regard that the Trac-
ton Company voluntarily offered to Bind
Itself to do certain things in return for the
franchise so rs TO induce Mayor Stuart To
sign the defective ordinances. With an
their 1mperrections on their heads they are
now endorsed as binding the city IL permit
the erection OF trolley wires all over the
city.
On the other hand the Record, which
has been the most influential Of the few
papers supporting the new system,
speaks in equally strong terms in ap.
proval Of the decision. Probably the
public sentiment, as it at present exists,
is more faithfully mirrored by the
ECentng Telegraph, which claims that
"it is but just to say that much of the
opposition to the trolley heretofore
strenuously urged has subsidized during
the past few months, since the success
OF the experiment in two downtown
streets. 1t is the general verdict that
vast improvement has been made; while
: in outlying portions of the city also
there has risen a positive demand for
this means of transit"
Setting aside the charges that have
been made as to the use of impropcr
means in securing this valuable fran
chise, there has been an amusing side to
this long controversy, TO residents Of
such cities as our own where the trolley
system has come into general use. The
people of Philadelphia were given 10
understand that the trolley was some.
thing in the nature of rayenous wild
beast that was to go up and down
through the city deluging the streets in
the blood Of unsuspecting victims. Seri.
ously, the dangers to life and limb were
magnifed out Of all proportion by
the opponents of the system and tho
people are now beginning to find this
out. The greatest objection to any sys.
tenn OF overhead electric propulsion in a
large city is the multiplication Of wire.
and the impeachment they offer in case
of fire This is real and weighty
objection and the anti-trolley mer
would have done better to stand mainly
upon it and not to have weakened theil
case, as they did, by incredible exagger
alton Of the danger to life from the cleo
trio current and from the hazard Of
being run which latter objection
would obviously apply to any system d
rapid transit.