Evening journal., 1908-05-05
new RAILWAY
MAKES PROTEST
Vest Chester and Wilmington
Co. Objects to Paving
From Curb TO Curb

The Street and Sewer Directors this
morning struck 'snag' In the resolu-
ton already given its second reading,
giving the West Chester and Whining
ton Electric Railway Company the
right to lay its tracks over streets Of
the city leading from the Boulevard
extended to connect with the Peoples
railway at Twenty-ifth and Washing
ton streets.
This snag was a section providing
that the company shall pave between
its tracks and three feet on each side.
The board has a regulation making It
necessary for street car companies to
pave fro mcurb to curb on the streets
on which their tracks are now laid as
soon as a half block has been built
upon or improved. This, regulation was
applied TO the recent extension Of the
Peoples Company.
]. Frank Ball. attorney for the COM
lpany vigorously protested against
what he termed such a Hardship" as
lserting that such a provision would
soon attrac the attention OF enterprise
ing contractors, who would at once
build along the line in order to get the
benefit Of a street paved by the rail-
way company. a
He did not view the prospect Of such
building operations as Of sufficient
profit to enable the company to pave
the streets fro mcurb TO curb. Accord
ing to a traffic agreement with the
Peoples Railway, the new railway is
obliged to share its fares within five
miles Of the city with the Peoples
Railway.
NJ uou .o,,4.,.a.a a.. A. ..
railway shoul dnot be placed under
lthe same conditions as the older rail-
way companies. as It entered such a
short distance into the city and faced
widely different conditions.
why didn't you get the Peoples
Railway to extend its tracks 70 the
city limits and meet your" asked Di-
lrector Gray.
"Thev wouldn't do IT," replied Presl-
dent Connell. of the company.
He further explained that his COM
panv will have to accept also transfers
from the Peoples Railway free to the
city limits.
in other words the Peoples Railway
has got everything out Of you art
now you want the city to give you you
franchise?" commented Mr.. Gray.
Mr.. O'Connell said that the financia
. plan of the railway company did no
include paving of the streets from curl
to curb.
"Gentlemen. we cannot do It." n
said. "The franchise is not worth II
II would pay us better to stop at tn
city line. sut that would not do, for w
got to start somewhere and go some
where. and we can't do that unless W,
connect with one If the city lines. Al
though we might not have to pave from
curb to curb for five OF ten years, W.
= don't Intend to make any promise a
this time that wen have TO get ou
of in the end. II we could have founi
a street that would have placed on
passengers at the p. y. and w. Rail
road station or at tidewater we woull
have been willing to pave from curb L
a curb. But view can't afford TO paw
from curb to curb on the line we ar
e going to run and have others prof
from our loss"
n The directors agreed that the com
8 panv was not to be placed under tn
restrictions of the older railwawys. an,
I after occupying the greater part of tn
meeting in consideration of the resolu
tion. and being unable to put it int
shape for passage, they decided 10 hol'
a special meeting this evening at 7.3
O'Clock.
A petition from residents Of Secon'
street between Washington and Jeffer
son. requesting that the street be i'm
proved. was taken under consideration
by the directors this morning.
A party on Nineteenth street request
, ed that Nineteenth street between tn
Boulvard and Wooddale street b
graded. Lack of funds was pleaded b.
the direc sors. The grading had prev
iously been promised and the work vii
= be undertaken whon the directors re
6 ceive their next appropriation.