The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-09-13

majority of stock was for the
purpose OF converting Ii into a trolley
line; hat $4,000 had been paid to get
the controlling interest and that as the
steam road had not paid. 1t was the
purpose to make it an electric road. If
the scheme could not be carried out it
was considered that his company had
practically thrown their money away.
In addition to getting the controlling
interest his company would have to
spend $75, 900 more to equip it as an
electric line. The property had not paid
as a steam road. and the purpose in
converting il into a trolley line was to
make the trip to the ocean a pleasure
ride instead of the disagreeable ride
over the steam road. thereby. increas-
ing the patronage and making the prop
erty profitable. He said his company
asked for nothing new Its charter
gave it the privilege Of running its line
through the streets, and as to the prob
able injury the competition would inflict
on the Wilmington Street Railway there
would be practically none. as that in
jury had already been inflicted when
his company secured controi OF the
Sea-Coast road. He said there had been
a fight on for fou or five years between
three corporations in Wilmington, viz:
the Wilmington Street Railway Com
pany, h Wilmington Gas Light Com
pany and the Wilmington Sea-Coast
Railroad Company. The contention
between the Street Railway Company
and the Gas Light Company was as to
which 5nould get control Of the Sea-
Coast road and that his company got
it. The requirement of the Sea-Coast
road by his company had damaged the
Wilmington Street Railway Company
about all il would be damaged and the
granting of the privilege of the streets
could do it very little more damage.
Some said the Wilmington Seacoast
Railroad asked this privilege to depre-
ciate the street railway at the
sale so it could be bought by the
latter, but he stated that whether
his road bought the street rail-
way or not it wanted the privilege pro-
vided for in the proposed ordinance.
1t would no doubt be a bidder for the
street railway but he doubted very SER
iously if it would be the purchaser,
hence the privilege asked for was
wanted. If his company buys the street
railway. the streets asked for will prob
ably not be used. but the purchase of
the street railway by his own COM
pany was a remote consideration. He
said the purchase of the Sea-Coast Rail-
road depressed the bonds of the street
railway but the bondholders could pro-
tect themselves by becoming bidders for
the railway and in any event if the
value VI lHe SlISSI a dy 10 CoONCu
it would afford just as much advantage
to any bidder as it would to his COM
pany. He then went on to say that be-
fore his would decide to build
a trolley line, they would nave to know
whether they could get the privilege OF
the streets, as nobody woul make an
investment otherwise. 1t was terminal
facilities in the city that he was after
and if these facilities are granted now
h bidders for the street railway will
know what they are going up against
when the sale of the street railway
takes place. He argued hat an electric
line to Wrightsville Beach extending
from lines down town would save the
travelling public 500 a year in fares.
Now it costs 45 cents for h round trip
to the ocean including ten cents for
street car fare and 80 cents for the Will
mington Sea-Coast Railways fare
whereas if its lines are run down town
people can take the cars and 30 to
Wrightsville Beach for n fare, 30
cents. To build lines down town would
cost several thousand dollars n this
would practically be given to the people
as no fares will be charged on the
down town ines. 1t will also give
better facilities for reaching the beaches
by a trolley car every twenty or thirty
minutes. He declared it was a mis-
taken idea hat the privilege asked for
would effect the price of the street rail-
way at the sale. This, he said. in an
swer to a question by the mayor. To
a question by Alderman West as TO why
he could not wait till after the street
railway had been sold and then get the
privilege, he said his company mad to
get started to work at the earliest mo-
ment. as before work was commenced,
an electrical engineer would have to go
over the grounds and estimate the pos
81 --l 14-+- A11nrpann INnCf
asked if the company would be given
the privilege would they guarantee to
build a trolley line. Mr.. MacRae a
his company would not make such a
guarantee but that was what they in
ended to do. He said the people OF
Wilmington wanted the trolley line and
the board should throw no obstacle in
the way of securing it.
FIGHT BY THE STREET RAILWAY.
Hon.. John D.. Bellamy addressed the
board as attorney for the street railway.
He said he represented pondholders who
held SIPS, 900 of the bonds Of the street
railway, and that of this amount he
only held S12, 900 himself. There were
some bonds owned here and elsewhere,
but Mr.. Thomas A. MCINTYRE, of New
York. held most of the bonds. He said
he wanted to discuss four propositions
to the board: First. to grant the pr1v1l-
ege asked Tor by the wilmington sea-
Coast Railroad would be a violation of
good faith on the part of the city; sec
ond, it would be contrary to good policy;
third, it would be illegal n INVOLVE a
suit; and fourth. the Seacoast Railroad
had no right under it's charter to lay an
electric road in town. Mr.. Bellamy, dis
cussing these points said Wilmington
had the first street railway in the
state, built about 1868 by Mr.. VIM. r.
Canady. but it was abandoned and torn
up about 1876. 1t lie not pay and Will
mington was without a street railway
till 1878, when he CMr. Bcllamy) a young
man, hardly 80 years old. secured a
charter and built a horse line. Char
lotte, Raleigh and Asheville. then a
lines and their charters gave them the
exclusive privilege of the streets for a
period OF 80 years. He copied these
charters for his inc and the courts have
decided hat the franchise is const1tu-
tional. Mr.. Davis, he said. argued that
the legislature was prohibited by the
constitution from giving an
franchise. but where the time was linn
tied, say to %, 80 or so years, and was
not perpetual. hat was not a violation
- 49, III rns6 tho mnSf