The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-11-15

but sent a copy of his letter to R. D. Apperson, President or the Montgorn- cry Traction Company. with second letter, in the course of which he says;
 Improvement In the street railway system here in Montgomery has been so very slow that I think your atten- tion should be called to. these mat ters, for your own good. as well as for the good of the public"
 The letter of Mir. Blakey to Mir Rag land is in full as follows:
 Montgomery. Ala, Nov. IF, 1906. Mir. W. H. Ragland, General Manager,
 Montgomery Traction Company,
 Dear Sir:--The development and improvement of the street railway system since the consolidation has been q very great disappointment to me. The company seems to be very slow in adopting modern methods and improv- ing the service.
 My Ieniency in regard to this mat. ter has been mistaken by the public as neglect Of duty and has not been at all appreciated by your company, which is shown by the company's slow ness as to improvement of equipment and service.
 There is no system about your schedules. Each line is operated on saTd Tdnedoe to otRer & ines. S~n which n0 often m causes two or three cars to follow closely behind one another for ten or twelve blocks, and would-be patrons are compelled either to walk or wait fifteen or twenty minutes for a car.
 "A great deal of your track Is in very bad condition and all the bond ing that has been done by the com pany is nothing more than a farce; even where good material has been used the bonds have been so badly installed that they amount to nothing. Your entire bonding force has been composed of negroes who are alto gether ignorant of the requirements.
 Your rolling stock Is in such bad condition that 1t is barely possible to keep cars running, and unless you add a few cars for winter service 1t will be utterly impossible to give service on all the lines.
 q see no improvement whatever in condition of cars since you have moved into your new ear car house and shops Cars that have loose bolts and rattling washers, broken seats, etc, come out of the house in the morning in just as bad condition as they went In the night before. There was possibly some excuse for this condition Of af fairs several months ago. but none now. as you have sufficient pit room fin your new shed for every car in ser- vice to be gone over every night. The roaring noise made by the running of the gears and pinions show that arma- ture shafts and car aRses are not prop erIy lined and adjusted. such condi- tion being due either co utter inability and ignorance on the part of your shop force or to carelessness.
 some of the above mentioned con ditions. as you know, I have the au- thority. by law. to regulate and hope you will not force me to take any un- pleasant steps in the matter. have made seevral efforts 70 have gen eral business talk with your president' but have failed each time that he has been in Montgomery, am sending him a copy of this letter by today's mail.
 "The company has been entirely too slow in improving their service. both for their own good and the good Of the public. and if you expect the pub lie to patronize your railway, you must give them better service.
 Yours truly,
 a. A. Blakey,
 "City Electrician"