Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-16
CITIZENS HOLD
MASS MEETING
COUNCILMAN BLANCHARD IS
CENSURED
Five Hundred Aroused Citizens Gather
In Brooklyn Heights to Protest
Against Slaughter by
Railroads

Five hundred thoroughly aroused
citizens of Brooklyn Heights and other
sections of the city gathered at the
Kings Highway Improvement associa.
tlon rooms last night to protest against
the frightful series of street car catas>
trophies that have occurred during the
last few months. Early in the evening
it was evident that the little room
could no longer accommodate the ever
increasing crowds, and the assembly
adjourned to the outside, where a gi-
gantic overflow meeting was held.
C. II. Clayton, president of the Kings
Highway Improvement association,
presided. In the opening meeting he
asked that personalities be omitted and
that each speaker express himself
briefly BY motion, the time of each
speaker was limited to five minutes.
But good resolutions to the contrary,
when William Kennedy arose and de-
scribed in awful detail the accident as
he had witnessed it,, and reminded the
assembly that two of his own house
hold were injured in the wreck, the
meeting literally went mad. AS he
ended, "I want to see justice done to
the living and the dead" the cheers
were prolonged.
Scores McAIeer
After him, former Councilman Sam
uel Rees arose and begged for a calm
consideration of the question. Cat
calls and hisses were his reward, and
the assembly loudly cheered the speak
ors advising radical measures. At this
time John Murray Offered a resolution
censuring the, company for employing
inefficient help, for working it's men
too long hours, and for running dilapi-
dated cars The city council came in
for a share Of the blame for not having
enacted legislation remedying the bad
state of affairs, as did Councilman
Blanchard. A vote on the resolution
showed that the members were almost
equally divided, and the chairman de-
cided against It, Cool heads interfered
and a scuffle was averted.
The recent accident was not the only
phase of the question discussed. W.
y. Green declared, I'VE haven't had
John Nefroney classed the present
line as a "stolen franchise to Dead
Mans hole" "If Mr.. McAleer was
any kind of a man." he said, che
would be here at this table now help
ing u.s."
w. H. Stewart said that property
owners had paid $500 to run the line
in question down Also street, and he
asked why it was not being done,
had provided funds for new bridge
over the Arroyo. and the city engineer
had made plans for Strengthening out
Bridge street.
Want Patrolman's Help
A motion was carried that a COM
mittee of nine be appointed to wait
upon the city council and the railway
company to demand immediate relief.
A dispute here arose as to whether
the committee should be elected or
appointed and after a heated discus
sion the, appointment was left to the
chairman. Samuel Rees, r. E. Wir-
sching. I. N Sears. Fred Lambourn,
George RhineschiId. John Nefroney,
w. e. Green. George P. Cook and
Daniel Warehouse were named.
Following this, dozens of suggestions
were offered as to how the committee
should proceed. 1t was suggested that
the city council be asked for a police
man whose duty it should be to see
that every car going down the hill
stop before 1t began the descent. This
suggestion bid fair to pass till r. P.
Umsted informed the assembly that he
had been on the fatal car and that it
had stopped to take on a passenger,
but this had not been sufficient to stop
the wreck. Can a policeman stop
runaway carr" he demanded.
Petty personal animosities marred
what should have been a harmonious
working meeting. A committee was
appointed and instructed to present
the following resolution of censure:
"Resolved, that this mass meeting
condemns the negligence of the Pacific
Electric Railway company and the city
councilmen, and in particular the
councilman from the Ninth ward for
not protecting the lives of the citizens
of the Ninth ward in their travel upon
the Brooklyn avenue street railway"
After the adjournment of the meet
ing, a short session Of the committee
was held, at which it was decided to
meet Councilman Blanchard at his
office at 3 o'clock this morning and to
proceed with him to the railway COM
pany's quarters, the matter also to be
brought before the city council at the
next meeting of that body.