Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1905-05-13
.LA&GOM first attracted world.

less and brilliant A.Hcrican WAS the
first to propo>" street railways in GlaS-
gov This was in 1870 Mr. Train
went to parliament for power to build
lines in GlaSyD but tie town council
also pctitiOncd for liIl" power. \ com
promise WIS finally made hy which the
city built the lines and leased them to
the company for Il term of wears eX-
piring in 1884 The council drove n
hard bargain with the company. The
company was compelled to pay to the
city the annual interest charge on the
full amount of the investment. Il year
ly sum to the sinking fund sufficient to
clear the entire cost of the lines by the
time of the expiration of the lease an
annual depreciation charge of I per
cent, so as to keep the plant in perfect
repair. and on top of all this an annual
rental of 500 IL mile. The rates of
fare were limited to a penny mile,
with morning and evening cars for
workmcn ut Il penny G. ccntsD Il ride to
or from their places of employment.
The original company sold its fran
chiSe for $4,000. and the purchasers
made money on the investment. Three
years prior to the termination of the
lease negotiations We're entered into
for its renewal. 1t speedily became ap-
parent that the council and the com
pany could not come to terms. The
company owned the horses and the
rolling stock and had secured II char
ter from parliament permitting it to
buy OmnibuSeS and cabs and to do
business as general carriers. 1t imaG-
ined that ii had created Il monopoly
and that 1t had Glasgow at its mercy.
1t refused to reduce the hours of labor
for its employees or to agree to revise
the rates of fare. nder no conditions
would it agree not to compete with the
city with buses and cabs even prOvid-
ed Il satisfactory purchase price were
fixed.
1t was n case of Scotch meeting
Scotch. and the town council prepared
for war. Parliament gave them the
right to operate their lines. but they
had less than two years i'll which to get
ready. In that short time it was neceS-
Sary to build barns, ears and all the
traffic appliances; also to purchase and
train thousands of horses. With n view
of substituting electricity for horse
power it was decided to build the Struc-
lures so that they could be used for
either. When ii came to the selection
of general manager the committee
named John Young, and Glasgow nev-
or has regretted that decision. For
years he had been ut the head of the
cleansing department and had brought
1t to Il high state of efficiency.
The world is indebted to John Young
for much of the progress which has
been made in the scientific treatment
of sewage. He established the great
farms belonging to Glasgow. which
now are fcrtiliZcd with what We're
waste products. He abandoned what
had seemed to he his life work and en-
tered on new and almost unfamiliar
field of activity. lie gave to it the full
of Il splendid executive ability The of
ticials of the private company Sneered
at the presumption of this farmer and
sewer digger" They called attention to
the fact that it requires years of train
ing and special aptitude to properly
manage street railway property.
Today John Young is president of the
powerful Municipal Tramwny Assoca-
tiOn of Great Britain and the admitted
peer Of railway experts. Street railway
corporations in the United States, also
the London county council, have made
him tlattcring offers, but he will spend
his life working for the city which de-
lights to repose confidence in his hon
eSty and ability.
Mr.. Young invented Il new type of car
and ordered 300 of them. lie erected
nine stations, constructed car and re-
pair shops, secured the United King
dom. France. Canada and the United
States for 5000 horses engaged and
drilled l,3O0 men and for two years
worked day and night in preparation
for the date set for the formal opening
of the municipal tramway plant. At
midnight of June 30, 1884. the private
company withdrew its ears. and on the
following morning the new ones were
Eeen for the first time on the streets Of
Glasgow. TEey bore the now familiar
sign, Glasgow Corporation Tram
ways"
There was great eXcitemslt in GlaS-
gov. The rival company was ready
for the fight with 1I5 omnibuscS, erch
drawn by three horses and maSScd on
the best paying routes so as to "blan-
ket' the car traffic. The city fired the
first gun by cutting the former rates
In half, and the buses were compelled
to meet the rate. Steadily Mr.. Young
enlarged the service and heightened the
routes for which certain prices were
charged. After sustaining heavy losses
Hhe company admitted itself beaten
and retired from the field
For the first eleven months of mu-
nicipal operation the tramways showed
a profit of $125,0O0. This result had
been attained against severe odds The
city had to meet the competition of the
old company, the winter had been one
OF almost unprecedented bitterness. the
horses were raw and many of the men
inexperienced, the fares had been re-