The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-18

ellyn and High Constable ID. Nj. Davis,
of the borough of Taylor, got up with
the larks yesterday morning and
marched to the line that divides the
borough and Lackawanna township on
the Scranton side. Six feet inside the
line they piled up six big railroad ties
on the tracks of the Scranton Traction
company, and when the first car came
along at 5,45 in charge of Motorman
Michael Lynch he found his progress
blocked.
Later in the day the borough officials
rooted up the marble cornerstone,
weighing couple of tons, and they put
this on the track, also. An hour or
so after that, they sank a big hole in
the center OF the track and planted a
post in it as thick as the trunk of a
tree. All day the cars went only as far
as the Delaware, Lackawanna and
western branch which used to run up
to the Archibald breaker. In the after
noon Attorneys Horace Il. Hand and
!. II. Burns, representing the street
car company. brought proceedings in
equity in court and Judge Archibald
granted a preliminary injunction re-
straining the borough from interfering
with traffic.
Deputy Sheriffs Frank E. Ryan and
T. j. Price, accompanied by General
Manager Silliman and Attorney Hand.
went to Taylor at 6 o'clock in the even
ing and served the injunction papers
on the borough officials. The obstruc-
tions We're then removed and after
$50 o'clock the line was opened and
cars made regular trips to the end of
the line in Rendham.
REASON OF THE BLOCKADE.
1t will be remembered that for nearly
a year. beginning about the middle of
1898 and ending the middle of 1894, there
was a deadlock fight between the
Lackawanna Street Railway company
and the borough with regard to the
conditions upon which the borough
would grant the right of way to the
company to lay it's tracks between I'm
ion street and the borough line at Rend-
ham. The company had secured the
right of way from the supervisors Of
Lackawanna township before the bor-
ough was Incorporated.
At last on July a. 1894, an ordinance
was passed by the borough council,
and was signed by the president, DIR.
T.. e. Weston, now of West PittstOn,
and was approved by the burgess,
William +. GrifTiths. The ordinance
was Incorporated in an agreement with
the company and the agreement was
then and there signed by Hon. Lemuel
Amerman, vice-president of the COM
pany. and Robert C. Adams, it's secre-
tary.
After the road was built from Union
street to Rendham the Lackawanna
company leased to the Scranton Trac-
ton company. which is now operating
1t; but the ordinance provided that the
same obligation should be binding on
any future COMPANIES that might buy
or lease the road. The part of the or
dinance which has bearing upon yes
terday's trouble is as follows:
TEXT OF THE ORDINANCE.
Section BE 1t ordained by the burgess
and council of the borough of Taylor and
it is hereby ordained by the authority of
the same that authority and consent Is
hereby granted to the Lackawanna Street
Railway company by the borough of Tay-
lor to construct operate and maintain an
electric street railway upon that portion
of Main street, situated between Union
street and thd borough line at Rendham in
the borough of Taylor.
Section 1.-THE track of said railway
shall be single track.
Section III-The said track shall be laid
in the center of said Main street
Section 1N-Switches may he construct
ed at snch points and only at such
points as shall be approved by the coun-
ell of said borough of Taylor.
Section N--All rails shall be of such pat
tern or style as shall he approved by the
council of said borough Of Taylor. and IL
at any future time said Main street or
any part of it shall he paved, said rail-
way company shall change the rails
throughout the paved portion to such pat
tern or style as said council shall direct.
Section NI-All T rails shall he panked
on both sides with an S-inch plank, and
such plarks shall be renewed when the
council shall so direct
Section NII-Said track shall be laid
upon the grade adopted by the council
Section NITI-Said railway company
shall widen and grade all that portion of
said Main street which shall not be re-
served for sidewalks, the width of said
sidewalks to he fixed by the council: and
shall construct a driveway on both sides
Of said track. Said railway company
shall also construct suitable cutters upon
both sides of Main street, with culverts
Section IN-The said street railway com
pany shall maintain. clean and keep in
such repair as the council shall direct the
same Main street for period of three
years.
WHAT THE BURGESS SAID.
Burgess Grittiths was interviewed in
the afternoon by Tribune reporter
and he said that the company had
failed to comply with the provisions of
the ordinance. The roadway between
Union street and Rendham. he said. is
continuation of ruts and holes, and
the mud is so thick that it Is the on
posite Of pleasant to drive that way.
From the beginning the company, he
said. neglected to do anything except
the merest triiling repairs. nothing but
a makeshift. with the road. Commit
tee after committee was sent to wait
upon the Traction company to remind
it Of its obligation, and the only result
was cheerful promises. which never
were fulfilled.
In the fall of 1895 the road was in a
wretched condition and the burgess
said he telephoned to the company's Of
flee and explained that it was a naces-
sity that sorle repairs should be imme-
diately made on account of the near
approach of winter He said then that
he would give the company one hour
to get gang of men down to fix the
road or else he would stop it's cars
Within an hour a gang did come
down, but stayed only a short time.
Then the borough adopted another tack
The street commissioner went to work
and charged the bill un to the COM
pany. The bill amounted only to s12 20.
but it was a difficult task TO get it
paid A week ago last Saturday, he
said. the bill was at last paid.
The company has refused to pay it's
- Cor. ,,nIa % n s.,