The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-16
PINGREE'S SCHEME BURSTS.
TOM JOHNSON RETIRES FROM THE
DETROIT RAILROAD DEAL

Sends Word Oficinliy That He VIII Not Sell
Because of the Impossibiiity of Getting the
Ordinance ThrouEh-High Fares Ahead.
DETROIT. Mch July l5.-The Tom l.. John
SON PinRree combination scheme to sell the
railways Of Detroit to the municipality fer
Sl7,5OOOOO. guaranteed by forty-eight-
year franchise. has gone glimmerinR. Tom
Johnson himself struck tho deciding blow
when he ordered his man. Bernard Clark.
as tho President of the METROPOLITAN Halfway
Company which holds the option on all the
Johnson and r. T. ilson lines. to write the fol-
lowing letter TO Gov. pingrec ms President OF
the Municipal Company. This letter withdraws
all offers and reads:
We are satisfied that it is not feasible to
consummate under existing conditions the
plans of transferring the street railway prop
erty to your company We must face suuarcly
the proposition which the opponents OF the
plan put forward that our franchises
are running out. and that when they
do expire We shall have an expensive plant ON
our hands. which the opponents Of the plan
say they can compel us to sell at n ruinous
sacrifice unless We are willing to accept
new franchise on their terms. We must
so manage the railways in the meantime,
If possible. to prevent the loss so threat
ened Low fares aud short franchises are
incompatible If railways are to be run for
rroilt as private enterprise Bringing our me-
gotiations to an end, We thank you heartily for
the courtesy and fairness which you have
shown to us throughout"
This letter was evidently prepared last night,
and early this morning the Aldermen. who had
favored the plan, began TO desert in groups Of
two or three and left no hope for the passage
Of the franchise over the Mayors veto.
When this was don" there was nothing for
i but to give up. and Tom Johnson. with
his valet, private secretary and lawyer, left for
New York; Mr. Johnson was in No. pleasant
letter that the railway company must
so manage its rrGIpTirty as !" make it
indication that the present owners will
60 back to straight fve-cent fares and
ton OF their franchise by which they can make
the suburbanites and good many others pay
~ cents toget downtown where it now costs
Manager J. C. Hutchns said that he must
refuse to discuss tn" change from the pres
but it will come at no distant day. There
are those who believe that this is only
g., trick on, the part of Johnson and
spring "a new scheme TO accomplish their end.
This does not look feasible. as Johnson's anger
rage was the Simon Pure stuff Then, too.
Judge Speed, chief legal adviser for Gov.
PinKree. sai id tonight:
NO further move will BE- made Nothing
will be done. The whole effort will BE- aban-
doned;, The position of the Governor is lust
this He has made an honest effort to give the
people three cent fares, and If that effort is
give up the effort and let Mayor Maybury bear
the brunt OF the failure"
The Police Department Is making great pre-
trnce Of looking W alleged hoodlers In the
Common Council. but no one believes 1t will
amount 70 anything. The defeat is a great vic
tory for the newspapers who for five months
have fought the move with every means in
their power. The opponents Of Pingree and
his scheme are Juhilant tonight. and insist 1t
means the end OF the Governors influence In
politics