The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-28
HAS The MONEY
PITTsBURG MAN OFFERS TO BUY
ST. PETERsBURG's STREET
CAR LINES
CAN PAY CASH FOR THEM
Promises to Introduce Electrical
Traction and Give Cars Sub
jects an Up-to-Date
Service
LOCAL PRESS FAvoRs THE SALE

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
ST. PETERSBURG, Oct. 15.-The offer
of Murray A. Werner, of Pittsburg, Pa,
to buy all the municipal and private
street railways of st. Petersburg, intro
duce electrical traction and organize d
complete system of electric tramways has
been received very faverahly by the local
press. The municipal council has been
discussing the matter for several years,
but Mr. Verner's offer is the first genuine
step towards the introduction of cleo
triclty. The city owns three lines and
number of other lines are owned and
operated by two private companies. The
city has begun legal proceedings against
these companies with view to unifying
all the surface traction companies and
Mr.. Verner's offer stipulates that the
city shall turn the private lines over
to him when the matter has been liti-
gated.
Mr.. Verner's offer is regarded by the
press as straightforward, businessllke and
fa1r. 1t is too early to predict success,
but the municipal council was not ap-
preached until Mr.. Werner, who had been
to st. Petersburg three times within
four years, had carefully studied the
whole problem from a financial and tech
nical point of view and through his local
representative, Mr.. w A. Heydecker. the
American vice. consul, had sounded va
rious authorities about the matter.
Werner Means Business.
Mr.. Verner's proposal is, briefly stated,
to organize company under the laws of
Russia with a capital stock of $1,000, 600
roubles and the right to issue bonds to
the same amount. He states that he and
MS friends can supply the money. He
VIII agree to complete the transformation
OF all existing lines into electrical lines
Within four years from the date of the
FRANCHISE and will so arrange the traffic
tnat no needless change of cars will take
place in going to and, from the center of
the city He will employ girder rails
weighing ninety-siX pounds (English) to
the Hneal yard, except in the suburbs
Where eighty-pound rails would be used
overhead trolley-wires will be employed,
put the insulated copper feed wire will be
carried in conduits.
Douple deck cars will be abolished and
replaced by, trains with three gsepara te
classes The platform of the winter cars
viii be enclosed. Bridges will be widened
ana strengthened where necessary at the
company's expense and, the company Of
Iers TO assume the burden of building a
stone or steel bridge across the Neva
river the palace to replace the present
wooden structure, the cost of the bridge
10 pe deducted from the annual payments.
inns is point of great Importance to
the city, which is considering the issue
OF ponds Tor this purpose. It is stipulat
ed that Russian materials and Russian
engineers and workmen shall be empIoy-
ed as far as available.
Inc compensation clause stipuIates the
immediate payment by the company of
the actual cash value of the invenforv
OF the existing lines, the payment to the
city during four years of the preyious
net revenue of the various lines and the
payment annually thereafter of a per-
centage of the gross receipts to be agreed
upon by mutual consent. The nun pal
1ty shall enjoy the right of purchase at
the end of twenty-five years, again after
lapse of equal period, and thereafter ey
cry ten years Bonds shall be paid for
at par and net earning capacity of the
shares shall be capitalized for purposes
of purchase.
Not Paying at Present.
The lines have not been paying satis-
factorily, owing presumably to increased
cost Of operation under municipal con-
troll. A decrease of about $1,000 rorbles
In the net revenues is anticipated for
1902.
An immense sensation has been created
here by the frankness with which M
Stahkovich, marshal of the nobility of
the province of Orel, greeted the mission
ary congress at Orel M Stahkoyich
boldly preached freedom of conscience
liberation of the dissidents and other
heresies with which mobiles and officials
are popularity supposed not to be tainted
The speech has been printed by the pa
per OF Prince Ouhtomsky, which appears