The morning call., 1893-07-02

81 believe that an employees ticket good
for round trip every day and signed by
employees would answer the purpose for
working people.
THAT might be done without the road
sustaining any loss. because 1t would IN
duce many persons who walk now to ride.
Five cen is day, or 81 so a month. would
be a minimum and cheap enough for all
classes. At present the roads give transfers,
out of which each one gets only Pa cents,
where it was cents before, or 10 cents for
a ride over both roads.
There is profit in this or the companies
would not keep it up. With the transfer
system We are blessed with excellent facil-
tiles for travelling about San Francisco.
With a reduced fare for workmen over one
road only. without an opportunity to
transfer, think the plan perfectly feas-
ible."
"Ha, ha! the roads won't do that" ex-
claimed veteran conductor of the Cali
fOrnia-street road when asked for his
opinion. "They want all they can get"
Then he laughed again at the bare sug-
gestion of street-raiway company doing
anything so philanthroplc as reducing
fares below the nickel standard.
There are sixteen cars on the Hyde
street line" he continued, land ABOUT the
same number on the California street.
The receipts on Hyde street average about
SD or S23 car day and on California
street something more than that, probably
from S23 to SIG. That is for regular
car from A. NJ. TO P. NJ. Then there is
the night run also. I heard it stated by
man In authority on the road that it costs
about SIG day to run a car. including
labor, power, wear and tear, etc. That
would leave net profit of from Sc to $40
day on each car.
Communication tickets? They have them
on the cars in England for working peo-
pie from 3 to 5 in the morning and to S
in the evening. These tickets are sold at
reduced rates and have become very pop.
lar Oh account Of their cheapness and are
very generally used"
"What is the system employed in using
them?"
well, just like the Communication tickets
on the ferries Eere. A date and number
are punched out every day. | know that
great many people travel on them who
would not think of paying regular rates.
The companies here may come down to
Communication tickets. but | don't really
think they will ever let 60 Of nickel fares
generally.
Poor people once assured of cheap
fares would 60 into the outskirts where
rents are cheap, or where they could afford
to build little homes"
The effect of cheaper fares On real
estate, and particularly on land in out
lying districts. still sparsely settled and
-. >; g.
ways, is not difficult to understand. ANY
means tending TO relieve the crowded CEN
ters of population and distribute families
in the suburbs would give an impetus to
real estate markets. Then better tone
would follow in business and financial
circles. Instead of congested tenement
districts there would be prosperous sub
urbs.
Men OF small means would be tempted to
settle down in homes commensurate with
their limited capital. Some prosperity
could reasonably be looked for then, and
with populous outlying districts the street
railways would be assured of steady in
comes.
Here is what an enterprising real-estate
man has to say upon the subject:
81 think it would have very beneficial
effect on all property. notably outside
lands" said G. H. Umbsen. working
men would derive great benefits from it,
but well-to-do people could pay the full
fare.
1T seems to be very popular Idea
among people to get located near their
places of business. and in my opinion this
is the result of expense which riding
would entail as much as being for con.
venience. But there are no desirable
homes near the factories or workshops, or
wholesale houses.
$50 many people must be satisfied to
live within twenty minutes ride of where
they work. Quite often they walk to save
carfares. A reduction would be great
object to them.
Cheap fares would build up the
suburbs materially. People would like to
live out where rents are cheap, and for
that reason reduced fares would enter
into their calculations when search
ing for a house to live in. They
would simply go far out, provided fares
were reduced. and settle down there in
stead of remaining in the city. Cheap fares
would move the people. and then the COM
panies would be carrying crowds who are
now living downtown and patrOnlZe cars
only on Sundays or rare occasions.
THE feeling among mechanics and ON
ployes of offices and business houses is to
own their own homes. We have ample
knowledge of that fact.
"And as they cannot pay high prices for
real estate they go out farther where laud
is cheap. In buying his lot car fare enters
into the consideration Of the workingman.
for it is big item to tag on-big. you
know, for family in the course of years.
For these people reduced fares would be
godsend. And for the reasons have stated
real estate would be benefited"
In my opinion it will increase receipts
instead Of decreasing them. because the
travel now at five cents is ever so much
better than long ago at 10 cents In COMPARE
son to the population"
mat was he view taken by street rail-
road man OF many years. experience who
Is stu prominently identified with the
| business.
"a great many people who seldom take
/ the cars would ride all the time at reduced
rates. That ] am Sare of. Look at what
| The newly introduced ,ransfer svstem has