The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-05-25
The Public and the Trolley.

The Supreme court of Maryland, IN
the case of the Mayor of Annapolis
against Howard, recently laid down the
following principles, which should be
committed to memory by every resident
Of Scranton:
A citizen has the same privilege to use
the street for travel that the street rail-
way company has for propelling Its cars
thereon. The railway company has. apart
from Its franchise to lay rails. no right to
the use of the street or the highway, su-
perior In any degree to that possessed by
the humblest individual. The franchise
to lay its rails upon the bed OF a public
street gives to the company no right to the
exclusive use Of that street, and In no
respect exempts 1t from an imperative
obligation to exercise due and proper care
to avoid injuring persons who have an
equal right to the use of the street. The
alarming increase of accidents and NOR
tality arising from undue speed and care
lessness in operating trolley lines and
other surface roads in crowded cities Is
appalling. There could scarcely be more
fragrant act of gross negligence than the
reckless propulsion OF a traction or elec-
trlc car at full speed around the corners Of
streets in crowded cities. To escape the
consequences Of such wanton careless
ness these companies should cause their
cars to stop before turning such curves,
and then to proceed under perfect control
until the curve has been passed and the
straight track comes into unobstructed
view. 1t is no answer to say that this
would occasion the companies great in
convenience and delays. The safety of
persons on the thoroughfares is not to lie
put in peril, because due regard for that
safety VIII impose upon and exact from
street railway companies using danger
Gus agencies such additional inconven-
fences and delays.
1t Is almost miraculous, in view of the
inhuman speed of many of the trolley
cars which traverse crowded central
portions Of our city, that the number
of deaths due to the careless running of
these cars Is not much larger The
irregular manner in which the Scranton
Traction company's cars are run opens
the way to very considerable mischief;
government which has thus far kept
the death list down. But this good
fortune cannot be depended upon to
continue indefinitely. 1t is the duty of
the councils Of Scranton, which we are
glad to note one branch is gradually
performing, to enact reasonable pre-
cautionary legislation, governing the
speed of street cars in thickly inhabited
parts Of the city, providing that cars
shall stop at the principal street cross
ings, and requiring that each car shall
be equipped with a safety front and
wheel fender Of type first approved
by an appointed commission, including
say the mayor, the chairmen of councils
and a representative of the board of
trade.
The man who rides bicycle or drives
team Of horses on the public streets
stands, before the law, on precisely
the same footing as the corporation
which propels trolley cars. The public
would speedily take measures to pro-
tect itself from the reckless rider or
driver who should, by his actions, mani
fest an assumed proprietorship of the
public thoroughfares. Why should It
pursue more lenient course toward an
allen corporation which, according to
public rumor, got its franchises in this
city by more ways than one and has no
further interest in Scranton than arises
from Scranton's possibilities as a divi-
dend-naYer2