The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-10-19
AGAINST
TROLLEYS.
They Want Ninth Street
Restricted For Driving
Purposes.

held yesterday afternoon, in order to
grant hearing to the residents Of West
Ninth street, who oppose the laying OF
tracks on that street.
The meeting was held in the drafting
room on the third floor of the building
at Sixth and King streets in order that
there should be room for all who might
desire to attend the meeting.
The three directors seated themselves
at a large drafting table. Although the
meeting was called for O'Clock it was
ten minutes after that hour when Presi-
dent Simmons called the meeting to-
order.
| He stated that the object of the meet
ing was to hear the remonstrance OF
residents of Ninth street against the lay
ing of tracks on that street. He added
that later any other matters might be
taken up at the option Of the directors or
/ majority ofthem.
L. Irving Handy, representing resi-
dents of West Ninth street, then stepped
forward to the front of the drafting table
and said that there were not many OF the
residents there at the meeting as they
did not think it necessary. He CON
tinued "The residents of West Ninth
street do not share in the general trolley
mania. Everybody all over the State
wants to build trolley line or have one
run around their back yard, to be used
in feeding the chickens, but the people
OF West Ninth street don't want the
trolley. There is at present line on
Market street and out West Eighth
street which furnishes sufficient trans
portation, and if it were not sufficient it
would not be on account OF lack of track
as there is enough track to run car
every five minutes. The tracks on West
Ninth street would be an injury instead
OF benefit to the property owners, as it
is the best street for horses and carriages
to reach the western part of the city.
There should be some way of travel
ing about the city beside the trolley
lines.
| "Streets were first intended for carri-
ages just as fingers were made to eat
with before knives and forks, and il any
| person preferred to eat with his fingers, :
we should not compel him to use knife
| and fork. The trolley should not be
forced on people who. did not desire it.
! There is at present line out Front, one
ont Fourth, one out Eighth and another
out Tenth street and Delaware avenue.
Ninth street is the only straight road of
good line and grade left. / have moth
ing to say about the Sixth street matter.
Tie statement has been made that if per.
mission is granted for laying tracks, per-
haps the company won't lay the tracks,
but you, the directors, represent the
property owners, have the right TO say
whether or not tracks shall be laid, and
it is easier for us to come to you now
than to go to the company after the re-
guest is granted and ask them not to
build"
Colonel Hugh Senborn, a resident of
Ninth street, was introduced by Mr..
Handy and said he could confirm all
that Mr.. Handy had said. He claimed
that the laying of tracks on West Ninth
street would iDjure the value of property,
and be- a menace TO the lives OF small
children.
He eaid be had seen various people
who objected to the laying OF the tracks
and more of the residents of the street
in question would have been at the
hearing, but they thought the Justice of
their request was SO manifest that their
presence was not required.
j. A. Wood, another resident, cor
roborated Colonel Senborn.
Mr. Handy brought up the matter of
the cars being nuisance to the churches
on the street, Grace M. f. and Second |
Baptist. Directors Carter and Simmons
remarked that there were churches on
Marketsstreet.
President Simmons stated that in
Toronto trolley cars on a Sunday were
not allowed to go faster than four miles
an hour in passing a church. He said
that arrests had been made for running
cars at a faster rate.
y Mr.. Handy said that if tracks were
not allowed to be laid in front of
churches there would then be no diff
Guilty about the speed of the cars. He
then closed his remarks and said they
would look for careful consideration OF
the matter.
President Simmons then said the
Board would be ready to adjourn unless
matters were to be brought up in con.
nection with the trolley on other streets.
He remarked that decision would be
given in the Ninth street matter as soon
as he could get the directors together for
meeting.
Willard Salisbury, representing the
Wilmington City Railway Company,
said in reference to the Sixth street mat
ter that they were having the matter
investigated and had clerks at work on
the different petitions, so as to get an
intelligent idea OF what they contained
as a whole.
They will then be able to state PFC.
cisely what the petitions mean. He
said they had an amount Of data in the
form of written statements, and the re-
suits of canvasses in sections where pe.
titions had already been circulated and
where petitions had not been circu-
lated.
President Simmons said he was very
anxious to have the matter settled, as it
was of constant annoyance to him
on account OF the buttonholing he was
subjected to.
William S. Hiles representing the
Wilmington and Brandywine Springs
Company, said: 'The matter can not be
settled too soon for the Wilmington and y
Brandywine Springs Company. Petit
tons are frequently subjects oi abuse
and often of unjust criticism. sent n
petition iavoring the Wilmington and
Brandywine Springs Company. which
the address of every signer on
it, This petition is subject to exanina-
tion by the officials OF the Wilmington
City Railway-Gsmpany for them to do
work with. When the I
epitomized statement Mr.. Salisbury
speaks of is completed, We will desire 10
havethe same opportunity of examina-
lion accorded us "
Mr. Hilles referred to criticisms being
published in the daily press at so much
l page by the other company. He said !
he privilege should be granted before !
all cross streets were covered with ,
racks or they would have trouble in get !,
ing through.
Mr.. Salisbury said there was no need t
II Mr. Hilles getting unduly excited t
,ver the analysis OF the printed state. S
nent and what they proposed to show, d
IS he would have all opportunity to ex. :
mine it. ,
"I will not," said Mr.. Salisbury,
present at this time the petitions which I,
llready contain between 10000 and c
1000 names. On Sixth street, the per. y
ons favoring the Wilmington and c
'randywine Springs Company are woe