The age-herald., 1898-05-12
AN INCOMING MOTORMAN
Found ia Hole" in the Track on First
 Avenue.
CHAPTER IN STREET RAILWAY WAR
Looks as if Birr 'ngham Traction Company Has an Ally in North Birmingham Com- pany- Birmingham Railway and
 Electric Co., lnconyenenced.

The East Lake electric cars have stopped running on First avenue, below Twenty fourth street, and thereby hangs a tale.
 Tuesday afternoon when incoming car on that line reached the corner of Twenty third street the motorman found a hole in the track, so to speak. that is, a section of the rail about eighteen inches long had been removed. A force of workmen were engaged at relaying a section of the track between Twenty-second and Twenty-third streets, which belongs to the North Bir- mingham dummy line, which leaves First avenue a the corner of Twenty third street. This section of the track has been used by the East Lake line which belongs to the Birmingham Railway and Electric com pany, through an agreement with the North Birmingham line of reciprocal nature. the latter being allowed the use of the "Y" on Nineteenth street. which belongs to the Bir- mingham Railway and Electric company.
 It will be remembered that the North Birmingham line was recently bought by John London and associates and that MT London is also a leading spirit in the Bir- mingham Traction company.
 
 It will also be remembered that the Bir- minsham Railway Electric company and the Birmingham Traction company, who are changing the East Birmingham steam line into electric power, have recently waged a hot injunction war against each other, the latest victory being scored by the Birmingham Railway and Electric company when it obtained injunction restraining the Traction company from stretching it's trolley wires across the wires of the Twen- ty-fourth street line of their company at the corner of Twenty street and Eight avenue, where the lines cross.
 Is Separate Company
 That the stoppage. of ears on the East Lake line by the North Birmingham com pany has any connection with the Traction company's fight is denied by MT. London, from North Birmingham point of view.
 When seen yesterday by an Age-Herald reporter Mr. London said that the North Birmingham and the Birmingham Traction company were two separate and distinct companies and that the stoppage of cars was due to the relaying of that section of the track with heavier rails.
 However unconnected it may be with the Traction company fight it Is causing the Birmingham Railway and Electric com- pany deal of trouble.
 A Loop Hole
 This company has recently obtaired franchise from the city on Twenty fourth street, between First and Second avenue and on Second avenue between Twenty second and Twenty-fourth streets, which connects with it's Second avenue tracks. This line is about completed, but had not been put into regular service. It was, how ever, christened Tuesday afternoon without formal ceremonies and was used to bring the East Lake cars into the city down Sec ond avenue, where the Eighteenth street ''Y" was used, the return trip being made by the same route.
 Superintendent McClary. of the Birming- ham Railway and Electric company, had a force of men at work on the track and some delays were occasioned by cars get ting off the track at rough and low places. When seen by an Age-Herald reporter he did not take the same view of the matter as did MT. London. His company did not receive any formal notice that the tracks would be "closed for repair,'' "but besides a little inconvenience" he said, i've are running our cars all right"
 There is an air of mystery about the matter that is suggestive of act No. 6 in the fight between the other two com panies. 9S