Evening journal., 1897-08-31
TROLLEY MEMS GALL.
PRESIDENT PORTER DECLARES 1T
AN ABSURD SCHEME.

TO GIVE OVER ONE OF THE BEST
STREETS IN THIS FAIR CITY TO
A WEAK-KNEED ELECTRIC
ROAD
When seen by an Evening Journal
man this morning, President William
T. Porter. Of the Water Commission,
whose fourteen years Of hard work has
given to Wilmington the best water
system in the United States, was right
eously indignant. He declared that the
overtures now being made to tear up
Sixth street for a weakened" trO.-
ley railroad was enough to make one 8
blood boil.
When asked for his views on the sit
uation brought about by The new Bran
dywine Springs Railway Company, he
said:
''In the first place. am nok interest.
ed in any way in the Wilmington City
Railway Company-never owned its
stocks or bonds.
'sMy only interest is in the city OF
Wilmington and its inhabitants.
have lived here fifty-three years and
cannot help having its interests at
heart.
Now / have made a study of traffic
on the streets of Wilmington and
must say that where electric cars go
vehicular traffic invariably leaves
Every street in this town where there
is a double track of trolley road, ex-
cept probably Fourth street, has beer
practically abandoned so far as othel
commerce is concerned.
''The unblushing gall displayed 10y
the Brandywine Springs railway peo-
pie is something amazing If the pro
ceedings before the Street and Sewer
Department are reported correctly.
"They do not petition for a favor. bu
they demand as a right that one of th'
best streets in the city be given up K
them for their own purposes. / have
never heard of ony Of our people ad
vocalring this project of giving away
Sixth street, for 1t will be nothing mOr'
nor less than a gift, for whenever {
trolley road is put down in a street,
say again. that street becomes OF Yer.
| little use for any other purpose.
There is no good reason that / cal
think of why this trolley road or an.
other railway coming in from tn
country should be allowed to take NJ
our streets, other than a desire on thel
part to increase their revenue by en-
croaching upon the rights guaranteed
think, by law and equity, Of the VIII
mington City Railway Company.
'The Wilmington City Railway Com
pany has furnished the citizens OF VIII
| mington with a first-class accommOda
| tion at low cost, and for which The.
have so far received but little remu
neration. Now if their road is to b
paralleled by those coming in iron
outside. IL will not be many years be
fore ali their stock and bonds will b
practically worthless.
There can be no good reason given
in which the people of Wilmington ar
interested why the Brandywln
Springs riad should have its terminu
at Sixth and French streets, or at an.
point within the city limits. Tn
greater portion of its passengers (an'
there will certainly he but few. will il
any event have to take the Whining
ton City Railway to reach differen
parts of town and the transfer nigh
as we'll he made on the outskirts as il
the centre of the city.
"In my judgment the people Of Will
mington would not be benefited a paTti
Gle by this selfish scheme. and a favor
able consideration of this company
proposals would launch the city int
an ugly law suit, in which she woull
certainly come out the loser.