Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-10-05
STREET RAILWAY DISCUSSION
Remarks by Representatives
of Three Companies.
ALL WANT TO USE SIXTH STREET
Old Company Makes Appllca-
tlon for Extensions.
Street and Sewer Directors Hear Argument
Favoring and opposing Franchises Sought
by the Wilmington CITY. Brandywine
Springs and wilmington Traction Com
pauies,

Iub DiEbCtOISU VI bllb CbFdct duG )bWtf
Department held a special meeting
Thursday afternoon for the purpose of
hearing representatives of the Will
mington City Railway Co., the Will
mington Il Brandywine Springs Rail
way Go. and the Wilmington Traction
Co., relative to applications pending
before the board for permission to oc.
cupy certain streets. The Brandywine
Springs people asked for permission to
occupy Sixth street, the Wilmington
Traction people desired to lay tracks on
sundry streets and the Wilmington City
Co. opposed both applications and an
nounced its intention to build any ex-
tensions in the city which may be
necessary. The Wilmington City Co.
was represented by President John A.
Rigg of Reading, Pa, Willard Saus-
bury. its attorney, and Superintendent
Harvey B. Vandegrift; the Wilmington
& Brandywine Springs by Col. Benia-
min Nields and William s. Hilles, at
torneys, and Superintendent Richard
W. Crook, and the Wilmington Trac-
tion Go. by Edmund Mitchell, Jr..
Harry II. Billany, William II. Head
and G. Leighton Mahoney. Several
spectators were also present, The meet
ing began about o'clock and the dis
oussion continued until about 30 and
at its conclusion President Simmons
stated that the board would be unable
to give q decision in any of the railway
matters before two weeks.
After the object of the meeting had
been stated by President Simmons, Mr..
Salisbury read to the board letter
from tho Wilmington City Railway
Co. expressing desire to lorate, build
and operate railway lines on such
streets, avenues or other highways in
the city as the directors or public deem
desirable and make any extension that
will prove public convenience. The
letter called attention to the fact that
the company had always done what was
possible to accommodate the people
and was ready and willing at any time
to confer with the directors relative to
any extensions or other improvements,
and in view of this willingness to meet
the public needs opposed the granting
OF the privilege to u: city streets to
any other company ant asked for per-
mission to construct the following ad,
ditional lines: Beginning at Eighth
and Church streets and running down
Church to Sixth and along Sixth in a
westerly direction to the city line
another line beginning al Fifth and
Monroe streets and running along Fifth
to Madison, to Seventh, to Windsor, tc
Ninth, to Jefferson. to Tenth, to Wash.
| ington, to Delaware avenue and
Eleventh street and there connect with
tine Delaware avenue line and the pro.
| posed line on Washington street; an.
other on Ninth street from Market tc
Woodlawn avenue ard along Woodlawn
to point connecting with the Rising
Sun line; another from Second and
French streets along Second to Union,
and another from Third and Monroe
streets, along Third to Washington. tc
Fourth. The letter was turned over t.
the directors, who will give it consid
GRAFTON along with the other applica
tions which are now pending.
After Mr.. Salisbury had read the
letter to the department he said tht
Wilmington Traction Co. had no lega
standing, as it had no charter, anc
until 1t had charter no application
from it should be considered by thu
board William II. Head, represent
ing the Traction company, said tn,
draft Of charter had been placed il
the hands of Resident Judge Srruance
as required by Law. Mr.. Salisbury re
garded the condition with respect t,
the Brandywine Springs company a!
even worse than with the Traction
company. He said he had in his poke
an agreement good for % years, signet
by the Wilmington City and Brandy
wine Springs companies, specifyin,
that the Brandywine Springs compan.
was to deliver its cars at Lancaster ant
Greenhill avenues to the Wilmington
City company to be moved by the latte
company within the city limits ant
promising not to mako an effort to OK
tend Its limo into the city during tn
existence of tho agreement. Mr.. Sauls
bury said it was matter for the de
partment to determine whether j
would consider an application from tn
Braudywine Springs company as Ion,
as the agreement should be in exist
ence.
William s. Hilles, representing tn
Brandywine Springs company, who fol
lowed MI. Salisbury, reviewed the his
tory of the company he Represented
and explained tho agreement between
his company and the Wilmington Cit
company. He said his company wa
compelled to buy the Wilmington
Elsmere road before the agreement wa
signed, 1t was necessary, he said, TO
his company to guarantee $685.
worth OF bonds of the Elsmere com
pany. 1--WE were compelled to take tn
Elsmere road" he said. sit was
bitter pill. but it was forced down on
throats. We took our crow and wer
permitted to sign an agreemen
whereby we were no have the privileg
of turning our cars over to the Git
Railway Co. 8 employees in the cit
limits, provided we paid the Cit
Railway Go. a consideration.
Mr.. Salisbury interrupted Mr.
Hilles at this juncture, remarking tina
the Brandywine Springs Co. took tn
Elsmere road to avoid lawsuit.
Continuing, Mr.. Hilles said after hi
company had complied with the re
quirements the Wilmington City CO
agreed for little over half of tn
money collected from fares in the cit
to allow its conductors and motorme
to handle the BrandywIno Springs car
in the city limits. His company wa
compelled to have its line ready t
operate by January LIST, 1898, and
was necessary to do something, henc
the agreement. Mr.. Hilles elaine
that his company made an effort t
handle about 100000 people betwee
the city and the Springs during tn
summer and was handicapped by an
noyances which the company could nc
put up with another year. He said hi
: company's cars had been compelled I
wait time and again in the city an
the Maryland avenue cars allowed {
pass them. His company had pal
to the Wilmington City company
under its agreement concerning fares
sl69. Il for May, 1913. 10 for June an
$dso.34 for July. He said while tn