San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-21
STREET CAR ORDINANCES.
Street TaIk-W II. Weiss Inter
VIewed-LnckwOOdt the In
EtIQaTOr.

| sttgatOr.
Since the ordinance to the effect that a
! : cent fare should be paid up to II O'Clock
at night, and that cents was TO be the
| fare from one portion of the city TO an
| other, regardless Of the number OF lines TO
| be transferred on, was passed in the city
! council last Monday afternoon, there has
been some lively talk on the street by all
parties interested, the principal "gassers"
being the employees of the San Antonio
Street railway company.
reporter called on Mr.. w. Ii. Weiss,
president of the street car company, this
morning. and questioned him regarding
the matter. asking what the intentions of
their company were. etc. He made the
following reply:
In the published proceedings of the
city council at its meeting last Monday, |
notice that an ordinance regulating the
fares, and also the distance that passen-
gers are to be carried for single fare,
passed under a suspension Of the rules. |
have not given the matter much thought
as do not believe this ordinance was en-
acted for the purpose of affecting the
street railways operating under fran
chiseS granted prior to the passage of this
ordinance. and under this belief we shall
make no change in the rates OF fare now
existing on the lines of our company. 1t
is a fact, however, that the cars running
w. O w uOO az Cdl II
operating expenses, even with the 10 cent
fare, and our company would be cOnsid-
erably ahead were it to run its cars only
up to 10 p. M, instead of, as NE are now
doing, as late as 1880 and p. m.
While it is proper and commemorate for
the council TO regulate the operation of
street railways so as to protect life and
property, have always questioned the
advantage to be gained to the public by
so much unnecessary legislation. IL is TO
the interest of every street railway COM
pany to render the best possible and sat
tSfactory service to its patrons, its only
source of income being It's daily revenue,
and although street railways are usually
owned and operated by corporations,
that should not give license to the coun-
Gil to make regulations that render it
practically impossible to afford the de-
sired service, and, moreover, this class OF
legislation is closely watched by capital
lists and investors throughout this and
foreign countries, and, as we all know,
capital is very sensitive and will not make
investments where il is likely to be hamp-
cred, of which we have daily evidence in
the present state administration"
Captain A. /. Lockwood, the man who
investigated thoroughly the trimmings of
the San Antonio Street Car Company and
who was the inStigator In the ordi-
fore the council, was also seen by re-
porter this morning aud his statement of
the affair was in substance as follows:
Some six weeks ago | had occasion to |
go to Government hill and was Gnavoid- |
ably detained there until after IL O'Clock, |
was assessed ten-cent fare |
on returning to the city. The conductor |
from a number of passengers
this amount, and when we arrived at the |
car sheds. on Tenth street, we were noti- |
fled that the car was ordered to be run in |
the barn. Quite number started to
walk TO the city but | objected
and Mr.. Greer, the superintendent,
happened to be there. noticed me on the
car and ordered it to be taken down town. |
| investigated and found that this was a |
common occurrence and that and many |
other good reasons, caused my action In |
the matter"
as there any truth in the rumor now
that, owing to the way the
franchise reads, the council is not at lib |
erty to control or dictate in these mat |
ters?" asked the reporter.
Indeed not. If they, the street car
wish to fight this action IT will
be perfectly agreeable. but my advice to |
them would be TO not take steps in that |
direction. The franchises of today are
not like those of the days when the San
Antonio Street Car company was granted |
one. At that time the papers did not
mention anything about what the council |
of this city should do and consequently
we have full control over the operating of |
the cars and it is our right to dictate |
when we deem it necessary"