New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-26
COST OF SUNDAY COACHES.
TROUBLES OF THE FIFTH AVENUE LINE.
BONE NEW METHOD TO BE DEVISED OF INcREAs-
ING THE PROFITS


ING THE PROFITS
The last report of the fifth Avenue Transportation
r,ompanv better known as the Fifth Avenue Stage
Comnany has a number of interesting features. II
has been rumorct that the line Is about 10 DC piaccu
In the hands of receiver, but according 10 the state
ment of the principal stockholders there Is no ioun
dalton for such report
The company was organized October IS, 1852 the
,rcornorators being f. Els Goddard Thomas j. Brown,
Albert II Heller Bradish Johnson and Charles &
Dclmonico Who also appointed commissioners
20 receive subscriptions to the capi'al s'och '"'0
the organization most Of the inctfpOrsiVrs nave r"
dered a continuous service to the company III some
official capacity or other Mr. Brown has served as
manager and Mr. Dclmonco as director and secretary
Immediately following the election Of the FIRST board
n, directors negotiations were entered into win
Jacob Sharpe the purchase of the FRANCHISE OF inc
old FYfth-ave. stage line The Franchise was pro
curcd for $4,000 In fixing the caplta OF inc coin-
many at $500 600, II believed that this sum OF
money would be sufficient 10 place immedla'eiy
on n. route one hundred stages for daily operation
However during the last three years an average OF
tortv-one or fortytwo stages has been run Accord
tnc TO an expert accountant who has gone over 'he
hacks OF tho company, the capital has been impaired
10 the extent of 100000, as follows:
First year. c5 stages operated no pavement green
horses loss. $4,000 . ,o,,o,
pn six DAYS OF the week. strike and labor troubles
loss, $4,000 ,,s q, tho
time seven days Of the week loss SloVoo -''
e103 000
President Goddard argues that In oruer " pa
the line on a paying basis IT Will be necessary " -o
ont the original plan that of putting one hunuieu
coaches on tho line The running EXPENSES i''
rentals of stables salaries of assistants accountants
orc wo,d not be increased proportonately, and the
difference I'm receipts would probably reach Soo l"
$3.50 a day. Mr. Goddard, in his report says
year ago your president predicted that the income OF
the mast fiscal year would fully cover all items oil en-
penditure on operating account Ihis PROMISE was
b.scd ON the expectation OF the management that the
number Of be operated would be greater 'nah
q has boon possible under TIE circumstances 10 run
Hut Notwithstanding this disappointment there Is evidence
for the belief hal it been for the extraordinary
amount OF rainy other unavorable weather the pre-
diction would have been fully verified statement
prepared by accountant furnishes some interesting
data concerning the bad weather upon the income
account
The report OF the expert accountant shows loss
last year of So week per stage, and this loss Is
attributed by the management principally to the
small number # stages run and also TO the iac' that
the stages were run on Sunday One of the directors
speaking the subject, SAID
have always argued against the stages running on
Sunday. H. been said that opposed this entirely
for moral reasons This is true and the moral reasons
have asserted themselves. l have found from an eN
animation that the loss day in the seven re-
suits in of horses and rccessness OF drivers
than any one suppose and the fact Is that nave
found that as source of certain decentralization OF both
the human and animal forces necessary for such line
Sunday work stands unequalcd. i cont know why Il
should unless It is deserved punishment meted out by
Providence but the facts there,
On October 81 the date Of the last report there
ooc
LIABILITIES :. lo'Sos II
p.,,,.o . s17G666 40
Capital paid in 10000 90
,u,.,,non, SOB 1893 60
As against the effect of running stages on sunday
the expert accountant, Seden II. HOPKINS VINO mas
been reviewing the cOmpanys books, says
NV attention has been directed the Sunday service
on the Fh.ave line. On suggestion that some special
Information hearing upon this subject would be appre
ciated BY YOU prepared statement showing the
receipts Of this service which began February last
and thus covering period Of nine months. or in all
thirty nine Sundays
The total receipts as shown Ella 53s S. making
q daily average OF 1872 rs
The number operated during those thirty nine
SUNDAYS ranged upon daily average from fortyone in
July to ffty-one May the general average for the
whole period being forty-sx.
or operating expenses 70 be charged against the
Sunday service are those only which
service withdrawn and includes the pay of drivers
bankemen and few other laborers together
with the stages and the loss of
The statement shows that for these the
per day for running forty-sX 1921 76. De
Quoting this from the earnings per
day. have net income Of 1851 o. Estimating for
the the basis nine months receipts,
income would be about 500 900.