The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-01-17

two years experience, amply demon
strafed that it is not profitable enter
prise, and. IL current newspaper and
street reports are to be credited, the man.
ayers of that enterprise are anxious 70
dispose OF it 10 advantage. A Pittsbnrg
paper Of last week says that negotiations
are in progress looking toward the trans
fer of the Highland Inn to the National
Government. to be utilized as a soldiers
home, while another report has il that
the Highland Inn has been offered to the
State Of Pennsylvania, 10 be utilized for
public purposes.
The people OF Somerset viii have
just cause 10 hail the day when either the
Nation or State OF Pennsylvania acquires
property in this vicinity for the purpose
of utilizing it for soldiers home oT =
State institution, but is there any good
reason why they should convey the
privilege Of utilizing their public high
ways to an individual or corporation
who desires to be relieved Of an uu-
profitable Investment? Are the streets
Of Somerset To be given gratuitously to
A, b and C in order that they may be
included in the sale OF a properly in
which the municipality IS ~ interest
in the world?
AS said last week. IL the right to utilize
the streets of Somerset for street railway
purposes is Of value TO strangers. il is
certainly Of some value to the owners
the people-and should not be voted
away at the solicitation of an unknown
promoter. whose obvious object Is TO
hawk the property and rights Of others
in the money centres. TO his own or cor
porate advantage and 10 the future disad-
vantage OF the owners thereof
The sixth clause of the ordinance in
trodueed in the personal or corporate
interests of Mr.. Scott is altogether too in
genious TO escape attention. II provides
that amer the expiration Of twenty Eve
(25l years the borough Of Somerset shall
have the option Of acquiring the plant of
the traction company.
Existing laws do not contemplate or
provide for municipalities acquiring or
operating street railways and it is not
probable that that function will be given
them in the fu.u-s; and in case it should
be, would il be expedieut for the present
residents Of Somerset to enter into such
an agreement for an unborn generation? I?
Fifteen years ago the person or syndi-
cate who would have asked for q fran
ehise Of the public highways Of the towns
Of Greensburg. UniOntOwn, COnnells-
VILE, Latrobe or JOhnstOwn, for the pur-
pose of constructing street railways
thereon, would have been looked upon
As dreamer, but the dreams Of gener-
alton ago hsye materialized and every
one of the towns mentioned has adj
vaneed both in population and material
wealth until they are among the leading
interior cities of the Commonwealth.
Their success, advancement and aehiev-
merts are about to be duplicated here.
and instead OF profting by their expert
enee, as an intelligent people should. are
the citizens of Somerset content 10 per-
nit their servants in council to vote away
grstuitously valuable public property
and privileges that may in the near fu-
ture be Of inestimsble value, at the behest
Of an unknown syndicate, who may be
seeking to rid local corporation Of a
great burden.