The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-11
Low FARES INDUCE TRAVEL.

Editor Call: Mr.. Dun evidently thinks low
fares induce travel when he complains 10 our
Railroad Commissioners, who do not regulate
fares and freights, that being left 10 Mr.. Good
man and MIR. subbs of The railroad company.
Mr.. Dun thinks 30 cents too much for ride OF
three nliles-pretiy near ID cents mile. Mr..
Stubs thinks nos: because only seven passen-
gers were carried over the three miles In ques-
ton in year Why? Because the tariff Is
prchibtOTy. poor man would sooner walk
and save The 80 cents. Let the railroad COM
pany put the fare at 5 cents-it ought not be
more than 10 ceRtS-aS Mr.. Dun requests, and
the earnings OF that small sec;l0n OF the great
road VIII be i've times what they are now and with
no more expense 10 The railroad company. Peo-
rle would then ride because they could afford 1t,
because II would be cheaper than walking, and
tiny would also ride for pleasure. Let The rail-
ROAD company make the experiment and give
US the results at the end OF twelve months.
Perhaps they think this 100 small business,
but The same rule VIII hold gOOd over the entire
line. This was never better demonstrated Than
bttween the city OF Oakland and the Town of
Berkrl ley, where the Southern Pachc was giving
poor service on a bObail streetcar line on one
ioule and The me anest cars they had on The
steam route. hey were asked TO Improve the
service. bnI sa.d II did not ray TO carry passen-
gers six miles for 10 cents. and The people ought
10 be well satisfied with what they were getting
until the population increased. gentleman
owning property on another route thought OF
way TO increase Tie population and improve the
which gave excellent service al nail Inc fate
charged by The Southern Pacific.
Tie result was that The southern Paclhc lost
about all the passenger traffic il had and the
new road was soon carrying from hYe 10 ten
times the number OF passengers that were ever
carried before. People rode for pleasure and
because It was cheap. New houses were built by
TIE dozen along The new line and population in
creased. What was the result OF competition?
Why the Southern Pacific or Tile Pacific I'm
pioyement Company have expended 100000
or 100000 10 build better electric
road than the other fellows 10 get back the bust
ness they lost hail what they were getting
before ana which hey might have kept by CIV
ing good service at reasonable rates. unGer-
stand, however. they have NOT got back 30 per
cent OF what they lost, even after extending
nearly double the amount Of the competing COM
pany.
This Is only a small example. but it shows
what the Southern Pacific might do by accOmmO-
dating the people and building up The country
and inducing an increase Of population. Instead
OF thls 1t is awaiting competition and II
IS getting IL. An electric road has already
been built TO san Leandro and Haywards 10
compete with steam, and / learn it pays at half
the rate charged by the Southern Pacific, which
has been compelled To reduce rates and give
better service Thousands Of dollars are being
drawn away from them by the Panama route
ana ighi-draught boats VIII soon he carrying
freight and passengers by every stream in CALI
fGrnia that has TWO Ieet Of wafer. In my
opinion they had better let Mr.. Dun have his 15-
cent fare for three miles and make proper
tiOuate reduction over the entire line. and when
they have done this the result VIII be surprising
In a short glmeI even to men who think they
know all about railroad business.
O