Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1896-03-26
Electric Railway MATTERS.

EDITOR LEADER:-Will yon kindly
allow us space to answer an inspired
article which appeared in to-day's Keg-
lister, in relation to the electric street
railway franchise.
The Register states that large re-
monstrance against the granting of a
franchise to any company which will
not occupy Greene, Front and Putnam
streets has been made. We are in per-
feet accord with the Register and the
signers of the remonstrance in regard
to this point. We are not only willing,
but anxious to construct the road on
these streets, but that is as far as we
do or can agree with the Register. 1t
the same. If the people can see no diff
d ference between our bid and the bid of
= Mr. Davis then the Council would have
cause to hesitate in the matter. If
granting the laboring men and all
Others half fare rate during two
hours of the day in which of necessity
there is the most travel, also carrying
the school children and children be.
tween eight and four years at half fare
and younger children free is not worth
the consideration of the Council we
have nothing more to say on that point.
The Register says it is business
proposition and the old company will
grant it. Why then did not Mr.. Davis
make his bid accordingly? But how
does the Register know this? 1t also
states that it makes no difference to
the Council whose money constructs
the line. But we take it that it makes
difference to the people whether the
earnings of the road are kept here and
spent in the improvement of the city or
taken elsewhere. 1t adds that it is
cheap argument that because the old
company has done nothing it shall
have no consideration now Perhaps it
would not be amiss to recite little re-
cent history for the benefit of the Reg
lister, as its memory seems to be quite
defective. When the undersigned,
about eighteen months ago, applied
for franchise the representatives of
route number one Immediately made a
counter proposition reciting at length
their woes and failures with the old
line and so worked on the feelings of
the Council that we were asked by
some members thereof to compromise |
the matter, which we did by withdraw
ing in their favor. AS soon as they
were assured that we were out of the |
way they informed the Council that |
it need not consider street railway mat |
her unless the electric light plant was
thrown in at low price and fat con-
tract were awarded them. The Coun-
Gil very properly declined to sell the
electric light plant or award said fat
contract, and as every body knows,
nothing fnrther was done until we
again applied for franchise, which we
did on the solicitation of members of
the Council. We had no sooner APP
piled than the representatives of route
No. again approached the Council
with higher bid for the street light
ing plant and an offer to furnish lights
at lower rate than before. Finding
this proposition was ignored by the
council they waited until the time had
nearly expired for submitting bids for
route No. 2, when they rendered a bid
coupled with another demand for the
street lighting plant at still higher
price for the plant and an even less
rate for the lighting.
We have said to Council that when
the street lighting plant is to be sold,
if that time ever comes, we desired to
submit bid, and if we cannot pay a
better price than our highest competi-
tor or furnish lights lower we would
not expect to secure the plant.
A. L. GRAcEY,
JOHN KAISER,
NELSON MOORE.
Marietta, Ohio, March 25th,