Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-10-10
The Trolley franchise.

cation for which was flied with the
CITY clerk on September 81 last. n
which has since been published in
this paper,
MIR. j. c. Anderson, of Norfolk. Va
Eas before council as the represents
i've OF the capitalists of Wheeling
and New York who, under the name
of Berkeley Traction Co, ask for Q
franchise to build an electric street
railway on certain specified streets
in Martinsburg.
First the application vas read BY
City Clerk Letter and then Mr.. An
derson submitted an ordinance for the
trolley proposition which was read by
City Attorney Martin. A somewhat
lengthy discussion ensued between
members of the council, Mr.. Martin
and Mr.. Anderson as tt the proviss
ions of the ordinance, demands of the
city, concessions. etc.
Mr.. Anderson practically agreed to
everything council asked for. He
seemed very fair, being willing TO
make any reasonable changes in the
ordinance asked for by council. In
answer to a question he said that his
company did not expect to sell any of
the trolley stock here nor float their
bonds in Martinsburg. He said that
at the proper time, that is before the
franchise is granted, he would give
the names of all the capitalists back
of the trolley project. Asked if the
company would furnish a cash bond
of $4,000 for thu completion of the
line within the prescribed time, he
replied they would. Asked If council
so demanded, would his company
agree to not run the line on Queen
street from the B. and o. crossing to
the public square, he said they would.
Mr.. Anderson was also asked that in
case the company would tear up a
street or streets and lay a few
| blocks of tack and then for some
cause or other abandon the project
would he agree to put up a bond of
$4,000 to pay for the expense Of put
ting the streets back in their original
condition or turn the ties and rails
over to the city, he said he would. Mr..
Anderson promised to revise the or
| dinance in accordance with the sug-
gestions made by council and submit
back to the company.
The whole trolley matter was re-
ferred to the street committee to in
vestigate and carefully consider and
then report back to council.
MI. Anderson requested the street
committee, to meet with him after
council adjourned. The whole coun-
| Gil, however, held an informal meeting
then and the provisions Of the trolley
ordinance were talked over again for
a little while.
The ordinance submitted by the
Berkeley Traction Co., through Mr..
Anderson, asks for a franchise for a
period of fifty years for the right and
privilege of constructing, maintaining
and operating an electric street rail-
way, and of constructing, erecting and
maint aiming the necessary wires,
poles, cables, fixtures and appliances
on, over, under and along the streets
named in the application in another
column in this paper. 1t provides that
the work.of construction shall begin
not later than April l, 1909, and be
completed by April /, 1910, or forfeit a
bond of $4,000 deposited with the city
clerk; that girder rails SHAH be used,
and the space between the rails and
| eighteen inches on each side threof
shah be maintained with the paving
material the city uses; that all con-
struction work small be under the SUI
pervision of the city council through
its street and ordinance committees.
TIM ordinance further provides tnat
satisfactory tenders shall be used on
an trolley cars and the speed of the
cars shall not exceed ten miles an
hour; that the tracks shall occupy as
nearly as practicable the center Of
the streets, except at the three
switches to be constructed in the sew
en- miles of track within the city linn
its.
The company shall pay to the city
an annual license tax of one hundred
and fifty dollars, payable jury 1st of
each year, beginning with the year
1910.
No competing lines shall be allowed
on any of the streets that this COM
many shah traverse. but crossings