Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1920-04-23
CAR SERVICE IS
RESUMED until
FURTHER STEPS
Experts Will Be Called Into
Consultation Immediately
by City and Company

The differences between the city
and the street railway company were
temporarily adjusted Wednesday
evening and, shortly after $50
o'clock in the evening the first street
car in three days was run. Since then
the service has been uninterrupted.
The ringing of the street car bell
brought merchants and customers to
the doors as the first car passed down
Elizabeth street, and when it reach
ed the West Brownsville end it was
greeted with shouts of welcome by
the residents. Captain Wright's ran
ger company, who are camped just
beyond the West Brownsville ter
minal and who have been greatly in
convenienced by the lack of service
were the chief celebrants, according
to the motorman in charge of the
car.
Service was resumed when, after
an exchange of letters between May
or A. B. Cole and Manager ID. A.
O'Bricn. of the street railway com
pany, an agreement was reached per
mitting the company to operate up to
fifteen days until test of power
consumption can be made by experts
for both the city and the street rail
way company.
At the suggestion of committee
from the Retail Merchants Associa-
tion, Mr.. O'Brien wrote a letter to
Mayor Cole yesterday morning agree
ing to operate if the city would fur
nish power on the basis and rate here
tofore made until test could be
made. In reply to this Mayor Cole
wrote: ti
Dear Sir: | acknowledge receipt
of yours of this date in reference to
the temporary operation of your
street car system pending your inves-
LEGATIONS of the amount of current
required to operate same.
"As suggested in your letter, the
city will furnish all current necessary
to operate the street car during per
iod of fifteen days, pending such in
vestigation, but it shall charge you
for this current at the rate Of four
cents per kilowatt as prescribed by
ordinance.
"This arrangement shall not affect
any Indebtedness your company may
now be owing the city, nor any rights
the city has under franchises under
which your company has been oper-
ating.
Il ask that you advise me at least
three days in advance of the time
you desire to have your investigation.
as the city wishes to have an expert
present at the investigation.
II assure you the city has at all
times been and is yet willing and
anxious TO do anything within reason
to assist you in a solution of the
question at issue"
Mr.. O'Brien's letter announcing
that the company was ready to re-
sumo service reads:
"Dear Sir: In reply to your letter.
even date. stating that the city would
furnish all current necessary to OPP
crate the street car during "A period
of fifteen days, pending this com
pany's investigation. and that the city
would charge for this current at the
rate Of four cents per kilowatt, i
wish to state that during the period
mentioned we will pay the city for
current at the rate prescribed, but
only for the quantity Of current ac-
<tually used as shown by investigation
'and the tests we propose TO apply.
upon recent of advice from you
that the current is available we will
Immediately resume operation.
I'VE will arrange for tests as soon
as possible and give you sufficient
advance notice so that you can have
an expert present while these tests
are in progress.
Immediately upon receipt of this
letter from Mr.. 0'Brien, Mayor Cole
got in communication with the city
managers office, and within a few
minutes power was made available,
and service was started Immediately.
Arrangements TO bring the entire
matter to a permanent close will be
started Immediately by the street car
company. which expected today re-
mort from the Westinghouse company
TO confirm that company's original
estimates. and on which report the
street car company will base its fur
ther investigations, according to Mr..
O'Brien.