The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-04-27
LOCAL MATTERS.

City Passsneer Rail,ea ys.-We have shown
in previous articles that these railways in
Richmond are not likely to prove profitable
for a long time to come, aud we believe that II
will require careful management 70 make them
good six per cent. stock II the restrictions pre-
scribetl by the late city ordinance are removed.
OF the importance Of the early establishment
Of such roads In the city there exists no doubt.
All classes express An anxious desire That they
should at once be constructed. II IL men-
sure Of public importance which comes direct
Iy home to the convenience OF every man,
woman and child and as such it is the duty
Of the City Council to secure to the public
this means Of communication, by fostering
and advancing it in every possible way, In
stead Of retarding the enterprise by uaneces-
sary restrictions. Instead OF binding the
owners of roads down to fare at which we
have shown the enterprise cannot be main
tained the Council should remove all restric-
ttons. leaving public opinion to regulate u, as
1t certainly willard instead Of exactiDg four
per cent. OF the gross receipts Of the road, whe-
ther it pays expenses or not, the improvement
should be exempted from all taxation for ten
years, and then be made to pay per cent. on
the net profits. We think We can show the
correctness Of this view.
First, as to leaving the fare unrestricted
There are many objections TO tying the parties
down 10 Il very small fare, such as is prescrib-
ed by the late ordinance. If it is found that
the road cannot be maintained at that rate,
then either the en- terpI ise must be abandoned,
or application made to the Council for leave
either to ask or practice. If it Is found possi-
BILE to run at that rate, and not less. the COM
pany is deprived of the power, which is es-
sential to the welfare of all companies, Of
selling tickets in packages at q reduced rate,
and so receiving IN uch of their incom at their
Offices Instead Of through their conductors
Ii the fare is Unrestricted, city railway COM
panies will do what all railway companies,
everywhere, dc-begin to run At the low
est rates Mt which, upon due examination,
they can AFFORD to transport passengers-and
whenever they find that they can rednce the
fare, they will do so. This Is the history of
public cOnveyances everywhere, and for the
following among many reasons: In the first
place the lower the rate at which transporta-
tion can be made, the greater the travel,
and the greater the travel the smaller the
amount of profit on each passenger which the
road can afford to carry them for. The object
of passenger railways is to carry the greatest
number of persons possible, and as a means of
| increasing that number, they hold out the in
ducemeLt of the smallest fare which they can
afford to charge.
If the public know that a fare of six or
eight cents is necessary to maintain a road
and pay fair dividends on the stock, they will
not hesitate to- pay even the highest prize, for
| in our community there is a spirit Of justice
| and liberaIity which makes all feel willing TO
| pay living prices for whatever services are
| rendered them. On the other band, when the
| roads are put in operation. and the public find
| that the stock is paying exorbitant dividends
| at the prices charged, they would 1T once re-
| fuse to use the cars until the fare was re.
duced. As the best exemplification Of the
truth of these views, let Us refer to the fac
men toned few days since, that no railroad
| in the State charge AS much fare as by Law
| they are authorized 10 do.
Passenger Railways in Richmond is but an
| experiment as yet. 1t is impossible to tell
| whether the roads can maintain themselves
| here at any prescribed rate, until they have
| ben tried, and the Cnly true course, therefore
| to pursue, is to leave the rate untrammelied
| and let the company and the public regulate
| it.
Now as to exempting the road from taxa
tion, ms lead of charging it bonus of four pei
| cent. of its gross proceeds:
| The road is Il question OF public benefit and
| public convenience, reaching every tax payer
| in the community and AS such, no small Que3
| tion of revenue to tho city should be allowed
| to interfere with its establishment. How
| small that question OF revenue is, will sur
| prise those who have not examined it. IT the
road carries the large number OF 4OO,OdO pas
| sengers a year, at six cents head, 1t would
| only pay gross income OF $2l,OU-and TN
| revenue the city would derive from 1t wouiC
be less than $1,000 year. The bonus, there
fore, is a matter of no importance to the city
while ON the other hand it restricts the com
| pany that much in the reduction of fare, ant
comes out Of the pockets Of The people gene
rally. If ON the other hand, the company AT,
| exempt from taxation, they will be relieved .
a burlhen, if the road finds it hard TO main tail
| itself, and enables them to reduce the rat
| more easily. Ii the road is taxed at all,
should only be per ceEtage the net profits
| BY pursuing that policy the city would be I'D
| mitled 10 the benefits of a stockhOlder If tn
road paid, while if it did not pay, the stock
| holders would not he taxed for the priviieg'
| of furnishing conveniehceS Of travel to 81
| classes of citizens.
Were the privilege of building these hors
railways sought by strangers rs a matter Q
speculation, IL might be we'll enough for tn
. Council to drive a bad bargain with then
but such is not the case. The petitioners Al
our own citizens-many of them large tax pay
| ers and all OF them interested in whatever
to benefit Richmond. They propose to invi,
their friends and neighbors to join them in th
scheme and far as we can learn, no one o
| them regards it as matter which can be YER
| profitable, or desires to take Il larger amount
stock than will ensure the success of the IN
! dertaking. 1t is therefore our own peopl
asking the liberty of expending their mean
| for the public good and it is to be hoped this
; the "City Fathers" will meet them in liber'
spirit