The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-12
QUICK WORK OF THE
TRACTION COMPANY
Engaged In Laying a Single Track on
" ,ington Avenue.
AN iNJUNCl NON IS ASKED FOR

W hingtOn Avenue.
AN iNJUNCi ON IS ASKED FOR
G. ID. Jones the PetitiOner..H He Is the
Owner of Property in Front Of
Which the Track Is Being Laid.
Court Will Hear Argument on the
Subject Monday Morning..Arsu.
ment Before Judge Archibald.
The Traction company yesterday
began the laying of IA single track in
the center of the roadway, to extend
from Spruce TO Gibson street
No previous announcement had been
made of the company's intention and
when the business men and residents
of the block bounding the west side OF
the court house found a gang of hfty
men emitting M the asphalt as the sun
was rising. there was great surprise
and no little indignation. This latter
emotion resulted later in the day in u
prayer for preliminary injunction.
Thursday afternoon i. w. Gallagher,
special agent of the company, applied
at the street commissioners office for
number of permits. the one for the lay
ing of track on Washington avenue
between Spruce and Gibson streets be-
ing among them. Street Commissioner
kinslcy being out of town on TWO
weeks vacation which ends today, his
clerk, IA. G. Hatton. hesitated about
exercising his chiefs authority in such
an important matter. preferrng that
the requests should he delayed untii
Mr.. Kinsley's return. But undaunted
by this Mr.. Gallagher went TO Mayor
| Bailey and made an appeal for the per
mits. The mayor submitted the matter
10 City Solicitor Torrey and upon the
| latter's statement that as far as ne
knew the Traction company held the
right OF way on the streets in question,
| the mayor advised Clerk HattOn TO
| make out the permits. The mayor ar
| terwards approved of them.
At the first break of day a gang OF
| fifty men We're at work on the court
house block. They started in at Linden
street and worked towards Spruce. he
| fore 6 o'clock in the evening when work
| for the day was knocked off rails had
been laid on half the block and the en-
cavation for ties was completed al
| most the whole distance.
WHAT SILLIMAN SAYS.
General Manager Frank Silliman
says that the track will he laid
all the way to Gibson street
without any cessation and that the road
will be operated as soon as the work is
| completed. The fear of the Citizen $
company securing the right of way, he
contends, has nothing TO do with the
| present operations. The service on the
| Suburban lines to Dunmore and Green
Ridge is not satisfactory. because or
| the delays at the turnouts on Adams
avenue. When the line is completed
| out Washington avenue it is proposed
| to run all the Suburban ears out Adams
avenue and back by the new route. The
Nay Aug and Petersburg cars will also
| reach Spruce street by way OF wash
ington avenue. which vii be tapped at
Linden street.
Mr.. Silliman said he knew there was
objection to having Washington ave-
nue. occupied by street cars. but since
| the business character of the street is
now beyond dispute the objections
brought forth when 1t was residence
street, do not hold good. The court
| house. government building and post
office, the newspaper Offices. the board
of trade building. the city hall. library.
high school. Erie and Wyoming Valley
depot and the numerous business
places now or closely adjacent to the
avenue make a car service on that
thoroughfare a public necessity. Mr.
Slliman further added that the road
would be completed with all possible
haste and that only short stretch of
roadway would be disturbed at time.
THE RIGHT OF WAY.
The Traction company's occupation
of WASHINGTON avenue is by virtue of
the Valley Passenger Railway COM
pany's franchises, which they now
| possess. The Citizens Railway COM
pany was granted charter rights for
| Washington avenue and is now SEEK
| ing to secure q franchise for the same.
claiming that the Valley Passenger
franchise expired January 16. 1885, be-
cause the privileges granted were not
| taken advantage of within the two
years prescribed The Traction people
say the Valley franchises were revived
| by supplementary ordinance ap.
proved on the day they would have
| expired. This question is now under
| consideration in the executive depart
ment in Harrisburg, quo warranto
having recently been granted upon Pc
tition of the Peoples Street Railway
company to compel the Citizens COM
pany to show cause why their char
| ter rights should not be revoked. the
| contention of the Peoples company
being that the Citizens company has
secured charter rights for streets now
controlled by the Peoples company
The famed Valley Passenger railway
! ordinance was sprung upon councils in
the fall of 1892 by a company composed
of w. +. Hallstead. Martin Maloney.
August Robinson. John j. Fahey, Jo-
| seph O'Brien and few others. 1t Oc-
| casioned a big fight and aroused no
small amount of public discussion. The
citizens protested in communications t.
the papers and in personal interviews
| with the councilmen against the grant
ing of the sweeping rights asked for
unless the city should receive something
i'm return A party of capitalists head
ed by John w. Aitken. of Carbondale
which party. later Developments led
many to believe was the Peoples Street
| Railway company in disguise, offered
| $40 OOO for he franchise which tha VAL