Evening journal., 1897-04-29
ASSEMBLYMEN AT WAR
Over Amendment to Whining
ton New Castle Railway.

Inn IOiN Nil-N w bJNEoiJA q.
VARIOUS MEASURES ACTED
UPON BY SENATE AND HOUSE
YESTERDAY.
STAR Correspondence Evening Journal
Dover, April 29.-Once more the
lobby has triumphed against the peo-
pie, and the bill to amend the charter
OF the Wilmington and New Castle
Electric Railway Company is again in
committee, mutilated in every part to
meet the demands of men who have no
regard for either the demands or the
interests of the masses.
When the clerk had concluded read
ing the journal Speaker Riggin an
nounced that the time had arrived for
resuining consideration Of the bill. Mr.
Short objected, saying that he thought
the list of committees should be gone
over first. The speaker adhered to his
ruling that the bill was the first mat
ter to come before the House
Mr. Dempsey Immediately resumed
his speech on the bill, prefacing his re-
marks by cOntradicting assertions
which had been made by opponents Of
the bill on Tuesday afternoon. He de-
MED that the old company had exclu-
sive right to the streets of Wilmington.
as had been stated by Mr.. Adams on
Tuesday, and he cited the cases of the
Front street and Eighth street rail-
ways, which were chartered by Legis-
latures at sessions held since the Will
mington City Railway Company was
chartered. The allegation having been
made that the Wilmington and New
Castle Company had broken, or was
about to or desired to break
an agreement with the Will
mington City Railway Company in
regard to taking the new company S
cars to Fourth and Market streets he
denied that the contract had been
broken, and asserted that the company
had no intention Of breaking it, If il
did the old company would have re-
dress in the court, and the Legislature
was no place for it to obtain redress.
The members were elected to make
laws, and not to act as arbitrators.
On the other hand Mr.. Dempsey eX-
planned, the Wilmington City Railway
| Company has broken the contract by
not making an effort to get anywhere
near Third street bridge until after the
! New Castle road was in operation, and
/ that instead of running cars from
| Fourth and Market, it has not yet done
so, except four or five cars a day tC
meet the steamboats,. 1t was to hav,
! their part Of the contract ready by No
vember ! but it was not ready yet
They might have built up to the rail
road tracks and endeavOred TO show
that they intended to act in good faith
but they have not done even that yet
The New Castle company, he said, has
kept good faith with the people. IL has
built a frst-class line between Will
mington and New Castle and done
everything that was promised. and tht
people have been materially benefited
as the fare is now 10 or u cents
! cheaper between the two cities than il
was before the road was put in opera
tion. He said that in New Castle coun
ty there are people starving The!
were willing to work. but could ge
nothing to do, and if, by his vote h'
could do anything that would give any
body employment he would certainl!
cast his vote that way. The passage o
the bill would mean an extension of th'
line and more people would be givei
employment. Then again, it woul'
cause the country through which
passes to grow and prosper. and woul'
! improve things in every way. In regar
TO the scent fare. which had beel
+ spoken of in advocacy of protecting tn
Wilmington City Company, he sal
2 that the Legislature had compelled tn
! company to reduce the fare to that eX
tent, and that it did not do it of its ow
. free will, the man who compelled il Q
Z accent the amendment being now
naaI
tion. He said Mr.. Wilson was afrai
OF the new company going into VIII
mington to gridiron the streets an
swallow up the big corporation alread
- in existence. If the Wilmington Cit
e. Company, with its thirty or forty years
of experience, could not stand, it wa
not the province Of the Legislature
put another leg under it. If the Dbl
z passes the Legislature the company wi
after that have to get the consent Z
the Street and Sewer Department to c'
E cupy the streets Of Wilmington, and b
y had no fear that that department woul
i do anything in the way of grantln
privileges that would not meet with th
views of the people of the city. Tn
people. he said, need the road and wal
70 it, and the Legislature is not injurin
anybody by granting the privileges ash
ed for. It having been stated that Oh
5 granting of the charter amendment
would work to the detriment of Oh
stockholders of the Wilmington Cit
Railway Company. some of whom al
widows and orphans he said it woul
4 be necessary to take a fine-tooth com
/. to find the poor widows and orphan
/ holding stock or deriving revenue frol
J, the road. It was as much as they coul
- do to exist without specializing
a stock at the rate of S25 per share. TT
S Wilmington and New Castle COmpan
t has come to stay, and if this Legisl'
t. ture fails to grant the desired priv
ileges. subsequent Legislatures wi
l. give them the same rights as tho'
s, possessed by other corporations. Tn
Legislature has practically promise
the farmers of the state, who are ol
pressed by the railroads in the matte
S. of freight rates. that they will De give
d relief. Now. this is the only opportl
a nifty. 1t is an opening wedge for lir
Is to compete with the one now operatiI
d down the length Of the state, and is q
" only possible means Of giving any r
NHH. a.. s.. 10. Ns9.Nf