The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-07-13
Sire Railways.

OuI Council is having = good deal Of
talk jast row over street railway mat
tiers Minneapolis AMI st. Paul are in
like predicament. IN conversation
with one Of our leading citizens a few
days ago, we took tie ground-and we
still hold TO it that when these rail
way charters Or grants are given away
or disposed Of, some PROVISION should
be made to regulate fares and give to
the city q fixed revenue. This, we
think should he a tax an the gross
earnings of the lines operated, pay
ment Of a revenue to begin on some
e.tlblished II nciple OF time or in
come. We are glad to see that The
Pioneer Press III discussing this ques-
ton as it relates to St Paul took Up
this same theory, and we want to
quote what it says right here, and we
also want to cali the attention OF our
Councilmen to it, and we hope they
VIII not surrender all the rights Of the
people and city without some such
plan being adopted. The Press says:
Let it lie understood, once for all,
that Mr.. Lowry and has associates
have no monopoly OF the street rail
way business in st Paul or in Aiinnga-
polls. In st. Paul they have the right
to build and operate horse traction
railways on any street, with one OK
ception, they may choose; but horse
traction is rapidly become obsolete,
and must soon be displaced by the far
more economical ana effective cable or
electric motor Bat fer The privilege
of using these Superior means Of tTac-
ton on any new line 2-r. Lowry must
make application to the municipal
authority for q new franchise. In this
respect his companies at st. Paul and
Minneapolis stand on precisely the
same legal footing IS any independent
candidate for the same privilege. lie
has certain advantages Of physical
position which may render it more de
sirable to grant him these privileges
than to accord them to INDEPENDENT
companies. But it should never be
forgotten that these concessions are
extrem1J yaluable-if not for any
present 7 fit they may yield to the
owners, at least for the large profits
which are certain to inure 10 them
with the rapid growth Of the popula-
ton of the city 1t should never be
forgotten either that these extremely
valuable concessions when once made
are practically made for all time They
should not be made, therefore, except
upon such conditions as VIII afford
fair return to the public and the city
for the privileges granted.
First-As one essential condition of
such concessions, the company should
berequired after some designated term
of years to pay into !he city treasury
certain percentage Of it's gross earn
ings. 1t is alleged that the street
railway system OF St. Paul has not as
yet earned any profit whatever upon
the capital actually expended in con
struction and repairs, and that several
lines are operated at considerable
loss. The city is entitled to know just
what the earnings and expenses Of
each line are-tO the end that the tax
on gross earnings may be applied
whenever the net earnings are large
enough to justify this contribution to
the city treasury.
Second-An0thar condition Of such
concessions should be the requirement
that one fare should pay for transporta-
ton over all connecting lines.
Finally, such concessions should not
be granted except upon the further
condition that the company shall eX-
tend and operate such lines, as the city
council may direct, upon any street
where there is certain number Of
houses within a designated distance
from the track, with car service ade-
quate to the public needs.
Upon these conditions MIR. Lowry'5
company or any other would be wei
come to monopoly Of the street
railway business Of st. Paul. The
streets of st. Paul do not belong to
Mr. Lowry. They belong TO the pablo,
If their use is surrendered to him for a
profitable traffic he should be required
to pay a reasonable return for priv
lege SO enormous, and to submit to
conditions which viii secure the public
compcn5ating advantages and fun
protection from any abuse Of such
priYilcgts.