The morning call., 1892-12-13
IN DENVER.
Population 100000.


one-third the poDula ton of San Francisco.
1t is less than one-quarter as old. Its geo.
graphical area is very much larger In pro-
portion, yet that same area is vastly more
developed than that OF San Francisco.
Why?
CALL correspondent called upon G. h.
Durbin, superintendent of the Denver
Tramway Company, day and propounded
the above query.
"The development and settlement of the
suburbs" said Mr.. Durbin. sis due almost
entirely to the efforts of the Denver Tram
way Company.
'Of course every enc knows that we run
cars for revenue only. We don't claim to
be any more philosophical than our neigh
bors. We saw that the only way 10 gain
public patronage was 10 cater to the neces-
stiles OF the public.
I'VE saw that il was to the interest of the
tramway company TO work TO induce people
to live in the suburbs. Then the laboring
classes would be compelled to patronize
streetcars or walk great distances.
The high rents charged in the tenement
house districts adjacent to the large fac
tories were becoming oppressive. The
laboring classes were compelled to move &c
the outskirts.
Then the tramway company came to
the rescue.
'All-night cars were started here three
years ago to run at half-hour intervals.
'"The effect exceeded the dreams of the
most sanguine.
The laboriDg people emancipated from
the manaeles of the grasping tenement
house barons, foeked to- the suburbs and
either built for themselves homes or rented
them at a vastly reduced rate.
This move had decidedly salutary
effect upon the business of the city at large.
the laboring classes were nabIed to
spend the money which they had paid for
rent for the education of their children and
the many other luxUries and comforts Of life,
besides saving up a nest egg In a stocking
against rainy day.
"And all this time the Tramway COM
pany made money out of the enterprise.
I'VE found out that success depends up
on pleasing the public. and we followed
it up.
Three years ago we put on all-night cars
to accommodate the public, and found that
they paid.
Companies that depend upon the spirit In
which they fulfill the conditions of their
franchise for q renewal of such franchises
soon learn that tie most honest course is
the wisest
well. we started three all-night, or owl,
car lines. We found them to be a great con-
venieRce to railroad and factory people.
Many newspaper men and society folks
were accommodated by the enterprise, and
our patronage amply justified its continu-
ance.
I'VE ran electric cars exclusively, and
many OF them over exceedingly heavy
grades.
we tried running these three lines 10
cover the popular demand.
"Our LawTence-street line Is seven miles
long and extends TO a district which it has
developed and which Is Inhabited by fam
lies whose homes are examples Of prosper
ity. Snug cottages surrounded with
flower and vegetable gardens, ample pasiur-
age for cows. and the greatest blessing of
all. chance 10 own ones own home.
"All this most Aiaddln-like change fro
the squalor of the tenement-house district
is due 10 the oHl-car system.
"a short time ago we had occasion 10
withdraw tie cars from an al-night line
established about a year ago, when such
storm of indignation was raised about our
ears by an army of suburban folks who had
by the establishment of our owl system that
we were compelled Immediately TO put
more ears Oh parallel line block away to
satisfy them.
"Some OF our all-night lines are but two
miles long; still they pay.
"You can run electric cars after midnight
at an expense Of 81 each per hour, and yet
realize profit.
All our after midnight cars are electric
cars. We have no occasion to run cable
cars, as none of them run to the residential
district / have mentioned or we should
operate them without the slightest hesita-
ton. as we believe that the future of the
companies depends entirely upon the settle
ment OF the OUTLYING districts.
1--WE have made our owl system pay u.s.
The public is satisfied, and the newspapers
have shut up
81 have read with interest what Inspector
Byrnes OF New ork says in regard 10 owl
systems OF cars as crime-suppressing agents
and most cordially agree with him.
II have noticed that sentiment enters In to
even so dry and prosaic a business as run
ming streetcars For instance. where there
are rival lines the one that tries 10 accom-
modate the public will be advertised and
patronzed In preference to It's less wise
competitor. So even If a road were to run
owl cars at small loss it would be wise to
run them. as the public would, through a
grateful appreciation Of their efforts. patron
ize them rather than the cars of their rivals.
/. for one, believe the lublic is appreela-
ff,ra