The herald., 1897-11-15
FORCED STOP
The Mayor Blocks a Rail-
roads Little Game
BACKED BY P0LICES FORCE
HE CoMPEI.s A sToPPAaE OF
WORK ON THE TRACKS
An Attempt by the Pasa dena Elec-
trio Road to Seize olivera Street
Between Two Suns

With the assistance OF a squad Of po-
licemen and backed personally by
Street Superintendent Drain and Coun-
Gilman Hutchison, Mayor Snyder yes
terday compelled a force of men en-
ployed by the Pasadena and Los An
geles Electric Railway company to sus-
pend operations on a track which the
company had attempted to lay secret
ly and without having obtained fran
chise therefor. The work was being
done on Olivera street and was for the
purpose of making a connection be-
tween the Macy-street track and that
on Main street near the Plaza. No force
was necessary to compel a suspension Of
the work, the emphatic demand Of the
mayor being all that was necessary to
secure vacation Of the street by the
workmen..
Preparation to steal march on the
city authorities by laying the track
without their knowledge or consent had
been in progress for several days. Sat-
urday afternoon George Kuhrts. the
VOilpiuy eHSIUeeT duu ScNeIul uSSlSl-
ants were engaged in making a survey
for the new track, when Councilman
Hutchison passed. He asked Mr.. Kuhrts
if he was surveying Olivera street and
was answered in the negative. He was
assured that the company was simply
preparing to lower it's tracks near Macy
and North Main streets. Mr.. Hutchison
thought no more of the matter until yes
terday's events led him to believe that
there had been q deliberate attempt to
deceive him.
Soon after midnight a construction car
and a fiatcar loaded with ties and rails
arrived at the intersection of Olivera
and Macy streets and a force Of forty
men began tearing up the street to put
down the new track. The company had
made arrangements to have the cur
rent turned on it's wires all night to
furnish light for the work, but for some
reason it was turned off and the work
proceeded in emi-darkness. Contractor
Flood was to have furnished several
teams to haul material, but he made a
mistake as to the time and failed to
appear. Had it not been for this double
handicap, the track would have been
complete by daylight. AS it was the
forty men worked like beavers and even
without light they had the work half
done by daylight. Then they ron out
of material and had to send to Pasadena
for more.
In the meantime some one had notified
Police Commissioner Gibbon of what
was being done and he tried to telephone
the facts to Mayor Snyder, but could
not arouse him. Yesterday morning he
succeeded in communicating with the
mayor and the latter at once took steps
to stop the work.
Soon after daybreak Messrs. Tononi
and Pelanconi. who own much of the
property along Olivera street, tried to
secure an injunction to stop the work.
They called upon Attorney Lee. but
learned that he was retained by the
street railway company and also that
as it was Sunday they could not enjoin
the company. Then they told Council
man Hutchison of the matter and he
started for the city hall to see what
could be done. He met Mayor Snyder
there and it was at once decided to stop
the work by force. On the way to the
police station they were Joined by Street
superintendent Drain, who .accompa-
MED them. At the station several offic-
ers were secured and others were picked
up afterwards. AS quickly as possible
the party went to where the work was
in progress Mayor Snyder demanded
of Engineer Kuhrts that the work be
stopped and it was stopped The en-
gineer wanted to know what would be
done If it continued and was promptly
tf,II hot !
work there would be Jailed, and that
that track was not to go down. There
was nothing for Kuhrts and his men to
do but to suspend operations. Mr.. Drain
insisted that the street be put in passa-
BILE condition. and this was done. The
place was left in charge of policeman
and the worlsmen withdrew.
Just why the company took this means
of laying track on that street or why
they wanted track laid there, Is not
known. At the office of the company
yesterday afternoon no one seemed to
know anything about the matter, and
If any of them did know they would not
talk. The company had franchise for
q track on that street which expired
two weeks ago. They have a line along
Main street to Macy and the track they
attempted to build would have been in
connection between two points on what
Is now their main line. 1t Is expected
that they will now ask renewal of the
franchise from the council, but under a
recent rule adopted by that body there
must be public hearing Of all such
petitions. If another attempt is made
to build the track the men at work will
be arrested