Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-05-18
TRAFFIC MANDATE OF
POLICE IN CONFLICT
WITH UTILITY ORDER
Traction Co. Directed by Safety
Department to Change Some
Fixed Car Stops.
COURT MAY SAY WHO'S BOSS

The pepartment of Public Satety,
through the Bureau OF Police. today Is
sued an order. directed to the Iraetioh
Co. requiring it. starting today 10 STOP
cars after rounding Fourth ana Iehtn
and Market streets. and not TO stop cars
running into these crosstown s,leeea
until they have rounded the corners.
IN. nolice re charged with regulating
street traffic.
several weeks ago the Board OF Pub
lits Utility Commissioners directed the
Traction Co. TO stop these same cars
before rounding the corners. Al the
last meeting OF the board, because Oh
police protest, on the ground OF saiets'
a move was made 90 Iescind this order
and il was supported by President isaac
and Mr.. Brinton. but the other members
said "nay" and the original order STANDS.
The Public Utility Board is charged
with the duty of regulating the opera
tion Of trolley cars, as well as other
public utilities.
The police order which was delivered
u the Traction Co. today places the
company i'm an awkward position, one
lily department directing il not to do
what another department has ordered
il 10 do when Thomas w. Wilson.
tire-president and general manager OF
ne conpany was spoken to about the
natter. after the order had been de-
lVered ne made the following state
nent:
I'VE have received the order OF the
Rureau of Police and referred IT, together
Nith the order Of the Public Utillty
commission. 20 our attorneys, ward
md Gray and have requested tneT al
.ice."
when Herbert II. Ward Of the law
a 4i,s.flN a
statement TO issue in regard TO the mat
cr he said they had no statement at
his time,
To Learn who's Street Boss.
The move on the part of the police is
likely 10 result in litigation, with one
nv department on each side of the
question az issue. the result Of which
would be TO determine who is actually
supreme IN the matter of regulating
street traffic and in making and enforc-
ing orders incidental thereto.
Tho step taken today was decided
1pon last night. at a conference be-
tween the directors of the Department
- Public Safety and City Solicitor Hulk
ley.
When George Black. superintendent
of police was spoken to on the subject
today. he said the order was made not
Ia 4 spirit OF hostility toward the Trac-
ton Co, but merely in the line of what
ls considered the right matter. He be-
hcves his department has supreme
authority in regulating street traffic.
hat did not question the possibility of
the other department challenging this
claim in court, IL necessary. This would
settle the matter definitely. Superin-
tcndent Black said no move would be
made to enforce the order until the
Traction Co. had an opportunity to
thoroughly consider the conflicting or
ders. So no attempt was made TO en-
force IL today.
As the law ting the Street and
Sewer Department gives that depart
menf Jurisdiction over the streets from
building line to- building line. there
would be opportunity, If the depart
inent was so disposed-which il is not
10 place a finger in the pie also. This
l. merely an illustration of the gov
ernmental mess Wilmington is in and
j. likely TO stay in as a result OF con-
nicis under the present form Of muni-
ciual government, which an unsuccess-
ful efforts was made TO change at the
last session of the Legislature.
Utility Board Divided.
What the Public Utility Commission
will do in the matter is not known.
President Isaac and Mr.. Brinton, as
stated above. at the last meeting of the
board voted in favor resembling the
original order. which would have ac-
cornplished what the police want. Mr..
Isaac said today that personally he
thought the boards stand was wrong
and that of the police right. His board
has not vet al least planned TO take
any action in the matter. II has no
official knowledge OF the police order,
anyhow. The next regular meeting Of
the board will be held June 3.
James A. LeFevres one OF the COM
mssioners who voted in favor Of the
srder the police want revoked, said
today that ne thought the board was
right that IL had acted in the interest
of public safety. He doubted whether
the police had more authority in the