The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-11-23
MONTGOMERY CAR SYSTEM
 MAY BE TIED UP TODAY

company exhibit desire to comply with its terms think it would be ad- visabIe to assist them, insofar as may be possible and consistent but any prolonged delay or unnecessary tardi- ness in so doing will not be tolerated In the event that the company de- dimes, or makes no effort to comply with the new law, you are charged te effect the arrest of each and every violator of any one Of it's provisions not only once but as often as such violations are detected.i Tt should be further understood that thls ordinance applies to the Gen eral Manager Superintendens and all other officials or employees who in any way whatsoever aid or abet such vio- lations. as well as to conductors and motormen. Tt is not our purpose to impose any unnecessary hardship upon the Mont gomery Traction Company; f is solely question of enforcing the law to the best Of our ability. and Twill expect you to begin the active enforcement of thv ordinance tomorrow morning at e:So o'clock.
 Yours very truly,
 Mayor. Z"
 Mayor Teague Is Firm.
 There Is no use,v said Mayor Teague to representative of Tbe Advertiser, in adopting any half way measures. If the ordinance Is to be enforced, and that I assume Is what it was placed among the laws of the city for, that means 1t ls to bs enforced. l shall surely take every means In my power to see to it that the ordinance Is com piled with
 The way look at it, under the ordt- nance. any person who attempts to op-a crate a car, no matter for hSw short distance, in violation of the provis- ions of the ordinance, is subject to ar- rest and fine. Therefore. If officials or employees of the Traction Company should attempt to operate cars again without signs for the races, after hav- ing been onca arrested, they would again be subject to arrest. the second attempt constituting second offense.
 The ordinance has been placed on the statute books, and 1t Is up to me, as Mayor. to see that it is enforced. am going to do it, if 1t takes every policeman in the city of Montgomery to do It."
 It was not determined by the offi- cials of the Traction Company until yesterday afternoon what would be their course with reference to the or dinance. As stated in The Advertiser yesterday morning, there were but two courses open, as the Traction Company people viewed the situation, the one being to ignore the ordinance, fighting any cases brought under it in the courts, and the other was to alternate the white and black cars. doubling the time of the schedule for each race on each of the various lines.
 conference was held yesterday in the office of Ray Rushton. attorney for the company, attended by Mir Rushton. w. H / Ragland, the General Manager of Che company, and Mir. Royster, the superintendent At this conference it was decided that the company could not, with justice to itself and it's pa- irons, comply with the ordinance.
 Company Cannot Comply.
 We have been forced to the con- clusion," said Attorney Rushton, after the conference, '"that we cannot com ply with the ordinance. It is simply out of the question"
 Then your course will be to simply ignore the ordinance. and run your cars as you haveG it was suggested.
 Well. mo-" replied Mir. Rushton. T would not say that we shall ignore the ordinance IL is simply that we cannot comply with It."
 twill you take any steps in court apply for an injunction, or anything of that nature-or wait for the city to aet9' was asked.
 I've will act on the defense all the time." was the reply. We do not ex- pect to take the initiative at all"
 We do not think" continued Mir. Rushton, there is any disposition on the part of the Mayor or other city officials to cause us any unnecessary trouble in~enforcing this ordinance Of course, if the city should throw a cora don of police across the street. and seek to prevent us from operating our cars in any manner. unless we should comply with the ordinance, we would have right to apply to the courts for an injunction. But we do not antici- pate anything of that kind at all And under ordinary circumstances, of course. 1t would be Impossible to enjoln any criminal procedure"
 Following the conference of the street car officials. General Manager Ragland sent letter to the Mayor. setting forth the position of the Trae- tion Company regarding the ordinance and giving the reasons why 1t feels that it cannot comply with the provis- ions Of the enactment
 Mr. RamIand Explains.
 This letter reached Mayor Teague | just before he issued his letter of in- structiOns to Chier Taylor. It Is in full as follows:
 "Montgomery,~ Ala, Nov. 22, 1906 '1Ion. W. M. Teague, Mayor. Mont |
 gomery. Ala:
 Dear Sir--I beg to acknowledge re- ceipt of your notice that the provisions k of the ordinance requiring separate ears for the white and colored races | will be enforAed, beginning Friday No- f veTnber a.
 We fully appreciate your position, and realize that you are given no dis cretion, but must enforce all valid orr dinanees of the city We are advised,