Evening journal., 1897-08-16
STILL ANOTHER VIEW OF IT.
A WEST SIDE MAN COMMENDS
THE DEPARTMENT.

DECLARES THAT ONE GOOD ROAD
is BETTER THAN TWO BAD ONES
AND THEREFORE OPPOSES UN-
NECESSARY COMPETITION ION
SIXTH STREET.
The policy which the Board OF Dl-
rectors Of the Street and Sewer De
partment has adopted relative to the
granting OF the use of our city's streets
to the Wilmington and Brandywne
Springs Electric Railway Company IS
both wise and conservative and no
doubt meet with the approval OF
every man and woman who has given
to the subject that calm and impartial
consideration which it deserves"
This was the opening remark of a
West Side business man whose estab-
lishment is situated between the West
Fourth and West Eigth street lines Of
the Wilmington City Railway Com
| pany. Continuing he said
The directors of the Street and Sewer
] Department are in no sense the promo
ters or conservators of private interests
or Lney ought not to be. Their mis-
sion is chat Of all other departments OF
public service, which is to so administer
their official functions as to bring the
greatest good to the greatest number.
II they permitted private and selfish in
teresis to stand between them and
their true official duties It would con-
stitute q public calamity and a most
criminal malfeasance. But It Is evil
dent that with Directors Webster anc
simmons they make the public inter.
est their first consideration, with du,
and proper regard for private persona
and property rights. / am opposed tC
any new company paralleling the tracks
on Fourth and Eighth streets.
assume that one good com
pany is better for the public than
two bad ones. The present service out
our way more than meets the public
demand. There is absolutely no com.
plant as to its sufficiency and the fare
is the same as that which prevails I'm al
other cities. Consequently the publ,
has nothing to gain and everything tC
lose If the Wilmington and Brandywin'
Springs Railway Company is allowed tC
lay tracks i'm Sixth street to French
No doubt the owners of the charter o
the Wilmington and Brandywin,
Springs Railway Company could dis
lpose Of il to much better advantage Il
, I
tors of the Street and Sewer Depart
ment to grant their petition but tn,
value of that franchise to the privat,
individuals who secured it from tn
General Assembly and who own It hai
, nothing whatever to do with the merltl
of the case so far as that department il
concerned. The whole question re
e solves itself into this: Does publi
convenience demand a line of stree
3 railway in Sixth street when there ar
well-equipped lines already operating
: on Fourth and Eighth streets? An ex
tremcly lazy or incOnsiderate maj
b might answer in the affirmative, but
careful study Of the matter ends in al
unqualified reply in the negative
Affirmative action on the petition woul
be voting away to a private corpora
d ton a public street for no public bene
it, Grants of this kind should alway
be followed by commensurate benefit
. to the people. There are cases in whicl
lcompetitiOn is as harmful to the publ
as monopoly, and this is one of them
II the old company were disregardini
= public demands and falling TO give on
! citizens an adequate service / wOul
S favor admitting the new company Blu
r no such condition exists. The mos
a captious critic Of the old cOmpan
/. must admit that since il adopted cleo
l. trcity as its motive power the servic
q has been all that could be desired, an
d the extensions in proportion 10 publ
e requirements. III the new cOmpan
l. wants to come into the city let il cor
meet with the old company line an
make a traffic agreement so that IL
If cars can come into the city to som
n central point This would give th
e rural districts the benefit of trolle
n connection with the metropolis Of IN
e state and, at the same time, leave th
n service On the West Side Of our cit
r, unimpaiTed"