The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-03-28

Fngenders Much Feeling
(Special to Charlotte Observer
Durnam, n. c., March z.-Durnan
zs been all excitement today. There
is another railroad war on tina threat
ms TO eclipse all fights between the
~ and the Southern Railway Com
pany of the past.
When the citizens awoke this morn
quiet hours of the night the Southern
road, with a force of some 200 hands.
had taken possession of all of Petit
grew and Peabody streets, having laid
a part OF two track in Peabody.
Throughout the cay this has been all
the talk, and me tension Of public
opinion has been strained and the fric-
ton D~oticeably great,
Judge PEBBLES reached here on
morning train, and a few minutes late1-
a restraining order was served on the
Southern to quit ell work ON the Petit
grew street side. In the meantime,
there vas a hurried call for a meeting
of the board Of aldermen, and a reso-
luton was passed that will carry the
Peabody street side into the courts
again. During all this time papers are
being prepared to carry the entire mat
ter before the state corporation COM
mission, which will probably be lone
tomorrow. In this way, the city is
taking three routes into the courts, aud
litigation is now on that will last for
years-at least, that is the way the
matter looks. Durham is certainly III
a fighting humor, and there will be j
fight to the finish.
TAKEN BY SURPRISE.
The action of the Southern in laying
tracks on the two streets in the dead
hours of the night came a. a great
surprise to all. 1t is a repetition OF
what the city did II years ago when
the Seaboard track-then the Durham
and Northern-Was laid upon peabody
street in the night, and precipitated Il
legal fight for a period of some L.
years.
The Southern forces reached here
on a special train this morn
ing at 1:45 o'clock. This train
brought many cars of cross ties, irons
and some $50 Or 200 men. Without a
stop the force went in on a side track,
and a few moments later had broken
the switch lock that connected the
kaboard and Southern tracks, and the
train was showed in on the Seaboard
track and was pushed along towards
the Duke factory. In the meantime,
the men were throwing Off the cross
ties and rons as the train moved up
the street. From then until day the
work was pushed rapidly, and a part
of three tracks was laid. When Dur
ham awoke this morning the Peabody
street track had been laid from the
Hotel Carolina to a point near the
Duke factory, some three blocks in
length; one track on the Pettigrew
r~street side had been laid two-thirds OF
Athat distance, and a third track had
been laid across the mouth of the Carr
street tunnel, his making three addi-
-tional tracks across the mouth of his
tunnel-two on the south side and one
on the north.
Soon after the arrival of the special
train, Sergeant Cagie, who was on
duty at the time, quickly notified Chief
WOodall, and he directed that the city
attorney, Mr.. Ii. A. Foushee, be mott
fed. This was done. The answer Of
WI. L OuShNC q th"t hS NiU ~ AAo
that anything could be done at hat
time of night. This was while the
force of men were at work OH the Pea
body street Side. Later, when the
forces crossed to the other side, the
authorities were again notified, this
time, or Don after that, word being
sent to the mayor. But the work pro-
ceeded, and it was a surprised town
when the people awOke this morning to
find that both streets had been taken
possession of by the Southern road.
There was great indignation as
to the Pettigrew street side, as this
did not have a railroad track in it,
and the street had never been in ht-
CATION. The street was condemned
and taken in 1874, and several years
ago was macadamiZed. The tracks
laid cover the street to within four
feet Of the sidewalk; the new roads
nave been laid on the macadam.
Nudge PEBBLES. who is holding court
here this week, reached Durham soon
after 10 o'clock, and at 1910 O'Clock a
restraining order was served by Sher-
if Markham, to prevent any further
work on Pettigrew street. This put
a stop to the work, and there can
be nothing done until next Friday
morning, when the matter is made re-
turnable before the judge.
At II o'clock this morning there was
a special meeting of the board of al
dermen. This meeting was held for
the purpose of taking some steps to
prevent the road getting hold of the
two streets. 1t was learned that the
new track on the Peabody street / d
was for the purpose of connecting with
the Norfolk & Western road, in order
for that hoad to get to the new union
station. Sometime ago the aldermen
had given the Norfolk & Western
road a license to cross Chapel Hill