Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-06-29
HORSE GAR LINE HAS
MILLION A NILE
CAP|L|zAT|ON
Another Million a Mile for Equip
ment Causes Archaic Trans
portation Concern to Stagger
Painfully.
lspecIal correspondence TO Morning Journal


holds the unenviable record OF pos
sessing the most expensive street rail-
road in the world which affords the
blue ribbon example of the methods
Of financial jugglery that brought
about the wreeking OF the greater
part OF the local traction system.
Even New Workers. accustomed as
they are to the ms and outs of the
eity's transportation lines have had
their eyes opened by the report on
his unique property which has just
been made to the public service com
mission. The line in question which
runs across the city rom river u
river Is of the horsc-car variety. II
is a trifle oven three miles In length
Is equipped with a single track with
%turnouts and owns and operates roll
ng stock to the extent Of three horse
sars. 1T Is IN d word about the most
A%ntiquated example Of d surface
transportation line in the city. ana
vet tho figures on file with the pub
he service commission show that the
men IN charge OF the company claim
ii 70 have spent $1,063. 244 a mile
or equipment, a sum, IL Is asserted,
which would replace the present out
II with tracks of silver ana gold GOV.
red cars. The franchise for this re-
m%arkable line was issued In 1856. and
zen years later the road went mo
he hands Of a receiver. This was AT
he beginning Of the reoeivership cpl
lemic which resulted in most Of the
mrface lines In Manhattan coming
f. a.. ..~..1..t4. a. TIM MattaFal.
tan clique. Upon the requirement OF
he little road by these interests,
tocks ana bonds were Issued To the
mount OF SO, 1000, 900. At present
he line is being operated by IA re-
civer at a loss Of $50 per cent, ana
tltogether It affords a most striking
example not only of the traction stu
ttion here, but Of methods Of high
nance as well.
1t Is likely to be some time before
Gather Knic%kerbocker can be eN-
lected again to manifest much inter-
'st in the luxury of two mayors, or
ather two near mayors since expert |
nee has shown such an indulgence to
10 entirely too expensive. 1t is only
Utter three and a half years that thr
Ivy = ulilN tNIlfi ltl'lA III - my 49, |
ieen closed, and the comedy, which
It times promised To become tragedy,
of two municipal Dromios closed
The final word in this exciting drama
was only written this week and ii
took the form Of Il signature on a
check which leaves the city With $S3,- |
676 less than II has before. AL
though it was nearly our years ago
that Hearst and Mcclellan ran such
an astonishingly close race for the
job Of being mayor of Greater New
York that each claimed to have been
It was only last year, after
the famous recount Of the ballots ana
subsequent to the introduction or
testimony dealing with all
sorts Of political scandal. that Mr.
Mcclellan was finally declared to b.
the winner. More than 81 600, 600 ii
Il Estimated, has been spent by the
CITY in strengthening out this tanele,
OF which the check for S~S3,5l6 was
n final to Mayor Mcclellan
by the city for his expenses in the
recount fight. To be forced to put
up a million dollars for the privilege
of seeing two candidates fight ovef
the chief office in his city govern
n,cnt. is an opportunity which hardly
appeals to Father Knickerbocker. ana
II Is likely that II a recurrence OF
the situation ever takes place there
VIII be marked apathy on the part
of tho city for the role Of referee.
The police department, whose NOM
bers are Variously known as the I'm
est" or "dc cops" according to the
part of the city IN which one lives, 81
appnrcntlv IN for a hard summer.
a day passes now. but some irate
citizen adduces all sorts of alleged
of police corruption. The
affair started by the arraien-
ment of Police Commissioner Bling
ham by Justice Gaynor for the al
toucd arbitrary methods of the police
which has acted as an opening
fur all sorts OF attacks on IN"
department. many of when
are evidently the result Of spite While
others are simply ludicrous. Per
the strangest of these was re-
made by a ~pickpoclSet named
smith who admitted that he had fol
the profession for twelve
against an officer who was
to Detroit to bring him back ar
.ar his arrest there. According 10
smith. the officer proposed a game
cards. but as neither had any
with which to gamble, the
was turned loose to go
the train with the result
hat he quickly gathered in ~forty-siN
dividing equally With the po-
iceman as. he asserts, is the regular
New York custom. 1t was not until
he officer had won some SlO6 from
smith. who supposedly had only SIS,
hat the minion OF the law became
uspicious and accused smith of hold
ont more than his share. Accord
to the nickpockets story, how
yer. he had merely been picking the
Ulcers pocket right along and al
owing him to win the same money
,ver and over again. The police
distrust 50 keenlv hurt Smiths
ceilings. the latter alleges. that he
20 reveal the whole affair
as Il is. however. even the keen