The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-05-10
Stone & Webster Make Many
improvements During
First Year in City.
The Company Is Gratified
at the Spirit of the
Citizens.
MANAGER J. w. LEADLEY SAYS
BUSINESS HAS INCREASED
MORE IMPROVEMENTS ARE IN
SIGHT.

Today, May 10, 1907, is the first an
niversary of the transfer of Pensa-
cola's street railway and electric
lighting systems from the old com
pany to the present owners, Stone &
Webster, of Boston.
The change of ownership was re-
garded with a great deal of Satisfac-
ton by the public generally a ynar
ago, and the improvements which the
new owners have made during their
first year have more than justified
the expectations of the people at that
time.
The Journal predicted at the time
of the transfer that the latter was
going to prove one of the biggest
events for the progress of the city
that had transpired in years and there
is no doubt that The Journals pre-
,diction is fast being fulfilled.
From the company's standpoint,
the result of the first year has been
equally satisfactory In talking with
a Journal representative at the com!
pany's handsome new quarters in the
BlOunt building yesterday, Manager
]. w. Leadley, of the Stone & Webster
company, said:
The Company Gratified.
The company is greatly pleased
with the results of its first years bust
ness in Pensacola, and is particularly
gratified at the spirit of cooperation
with which the citizens seem to meet
the company's efforts at improve
ment
Speaking for myself continued
Mr. Leadley, Il have never found a
more congenial field in which to work
and can truthfully say that we have
had all the assistance from the people
that could be desired. This was par
ticularly true following the storm
when, as you know, our system suf-
fered great damage and we worked
under the most trying difficulties"
In reply to question, Manager
Leadley stated that they were doing
25 per cent. more business now than
when they assumed control and the
ularly bright.
improvements Made.
The improvements IN the street car
and lighting service have been marked
during the past year. Prominent
among these improvements may be
mentioned the following:
Barrancas line has been electrified
and three new big interurban cars
have been added to this line.
All of the city cars have been re-
modelled and overhauled. Six new
cars-four open and two closed-have
been ordered and will soon be neres
and another new car, for the Barran-
cas- line is also under construction.
The entire track system has been
gone over and put in, first class con-
dition and most of it has been equip
ped with new ties.
In the matter of schedules the inn
provement has been very gratifying
to the entire public. Where the Bar
rancas line schedule, with a dirty
dummy train, was formerly three
hours, the public now has an hourly
service, with the most modern of cleo
trio cars, and the round trip fare has
been reduced from As cents to %
cents, The fare from Bayou Grande
to the city has also been reduced from
10 cents to cents.
The East Hill schedule has been
reduced from 10 to eight minutes,
the North Hill from II IL to eight
minutes, and the Park line schedule
from 80 TO Is minutes.
A regular style of uniforms has
been adopted and the conductors and
motormen are now neatly uniformed
and while each man pays for his uni
form the payments are arranged on