Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1904-10-14

| Inc b0aru Oh DlT6CtOTs VI Itie boaiu
of Trade met last night and took ac-
tion on a matter of vital interest to
every citizen who is interested in Dan
ville's welfare. Mesrss Goeser. Cole,
Pursel, Ellenbogen, Watson, Foster.
Doster, Reifsnyder and Special Com
mitteeman Price we're at the meeting.
The Directors were to have met
Tuesday evening. but owing to prev
ious engagements of several of tn EN-
to attend meetings of Importance Presi-
dent Goeser could not get quorum
until last night, when they voted to a
man for policy that is perfectly safe
and sane. progressive and public spirit
ed.
The Directors unanimously endorsed
the action of the Committee that on
Tuesday mailed to President Trues-
dale, of the d. l.. ~ w., the reply of
President Goeser of the Board of Trade
to a letter of President Truesdale, in
which the latter replies to the letter
of the Board of Trade and a resolution
adopte at meeting of the Board Of
Trade and Danville citizens held on
Wednesday evening. September 28th.
the resolution, as is we'll known, en-
phatically declaring in favor of grade
crossing, which everyone here is con-
vinced is an imperative necessity.
The letter of President Truesdale to
Mr.. Goeser is as follows:
October 8, 1904.
Mr.. John H. Goeser,
Preaident, Board of Trade,
Danvllle, Pa.
My Dear Sir:
This will acknowledge receipt of
your letter of the Goth ultimo, inclos-
ing copy of resolu ii ons passed by your
board disappearing the action OF this
company in opposing the attempted
grade crossing of onr main track in
Mill street, your city, by the electric
line which ia now constructing Its
railway between Danville and Blooms
burg also calling upon this company
to Withdraw opposition thereto and
permit said crossing of our main track
to be made at grade as the trolley peo-
pie desire.
From adyices received from our peo-
pie on the ground, as we'll as copies of
newspaper articles which have been
sent me, have observed with much
regret that great feeling has been
aroused among the people of Danville
over our attitude IN this matter, that
we are being strongly criticised and
denounced by them therefor and that
our motives for so doing are being
questioned and impugned, it being
claimed that our attitude in this mat
ter is chiefly due to our opposition to
the building of this electric line for
the reason that it will probably reduce
our passenger business and revenues.
desire to assure you that this feature
of the matter has not affected our ac-
tion in the least. 1t is not the p)lioy
of this company to oppose the con-
struction of electric railway lines be-
cause of she competition of those lines
with it. We recognize that electric
railway lines such as the one in ques-
tion are deemed essential to the pub
lie interests under modern conditions
all over this country and that to op-
pose their construction because OF their
effect OIL the business of steam rail
WAYS is the sheerest folly. This COM
crossings Of its line by electric railway
lines and it policy is and will continue
to be to oppose such crossings in every
legal way possible and we shall only
consent to their being put in after the
courts of last resort in the various
States through which our line runs de-
eide that we must permit same. We
have several reasons for our action in
adopting and following this policy.
They are in all cases, at all times and
in all locations very dangerous and
there has no method yet been discover
ed by which they can be made safe.
They are q source of great danger and
constant menace to the lives Of our
employees and our passengers and are
so to the employees Of and passengers
| handled by the electric companies and
in our opposition to their installation
we feel that we are serving the owners
of the street railway companies aud
the travelling public using their lines
even more than we are ourselves. Our
views in this matter are confirmed by
| the experience we have had at differ
ent points on our line during the last
year and half.
Within that time, in Newark. troll
| lev car crowded with children on their
way to school got beyond control of
the men operating it and ran through
the crossing gates in front Of one of
our suburban trains and was struck by
same aud a large number of the chill
dren ON the car we're killed and many
others injured ; also the engineer of
our engine which struck the car was
| badly injured and will be q cripple for
| life. Our company was held blameless
| in this accident and the street railway
| peopIe were called upon to pay all
| damages growing out Of it, Their presi
dent, within the last two weeks, told
me that this accident had cost his
company over q quarter OF million
dollars. At the time the street rail-
| way company built its line over our
track we objected and the matter was
taken into court and was contested all
through the courts Of New Jersey but
Notwithstanding our opposition the
court of last resort In that State per
mitted its construction. This grade
crossing could have been avoided at al
expense to the street railway company
of not to exceed 8 per cent. OF what
they paid as damages in this one ao
cident.
Another case: : About a year ago, up
on our Bangor and Portland line, il
your State, after considerable pressure
had been put upon US by prominent
people interested in an electric rail
way, we permitted a grade crossing o
the main track of that line at sta
tion. This crossing was put in. tin
electric company agreeing to equip i
' AL. n l. sa.. %, .rn