Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-11

franchise. too much stress cannot be laid
upon the fact that these numerous condi-
lions were not imposed upon any existing
company, but that they were made an in
tegral part Of an exclusive franchise thai
was Put up for sale to the bidder who
should. besides agreeing to the absolute re-
Quirements set forth in the city's specifca-
tons, offer the highest percentage of gross
receipts. The syndicate OF purchasers was
made up Of capitalists from both sides OF
the boundary line, some Of them being
officials of street railway companies In
the United States and thoroughly ex-
perier ced. They knew what they could az
ford to give and n ade the purchase as a
profitable Investment The operation OF
street railways in Toronto is not whit
more profitable than in a large number Of
cities great and small in the United States.
any one OF which Is entitled TO terms quite
as favorable as those that the business-like
mayor and council of Toronto have secured
for their municipality.
No Sunday Cars.
The Toronto railway company. indeed. is
In one respect at serious disadvantage
No Sunday cars are permitted TO run. and
thus there is a fetal stoppage OF business
for ffty-two days in every year. The use
of a local transit plant for only 3l3 days
irstead of 365 days means a very serious
difference in the annual volume Of business
and in the amount Of net profits. The Tor
onto company, however. made its bid upon
the basis of six days operation, and a strict
enforcement Of the laws against Sunday
cars. Permission TO operate the street rail-
WAY system on Sunday would require a ma
iority vote of the citizens Of Toronto. At
present there is no question whatever as TO
the overwhelming sentiment against this in
novaticn.
How Toronto Meets Telephone Mo-
ncpoIy.-
Less important than the Toronto street
railway franchise, but hardly less slgnifi-
cant for tie principles involved, is the fran
chise under which the municipal authorities
permit the Bell Telephone Company TO do
business. The existing agreement was made
in September, 1891, for period Of five years.
The Bell Telephone Company was permitted
to operate in Toronto en- condition that citi-
Gems should pay no higher price Than SIS
n year for telephone In dwelling house,
$40 being the maximum price for an instru-
ment in business house Strict require
ments as to underground wires in the GEN.
trail parts OF The city were made, and in a
variety of ways that need not be specined
the city retained authority and control over
the situation. Finally, the Bell Telephone
Company agreed TO pay TO the city treasury
5 per cent OF its gross receipts, promising
also TO maintain the most efficient possible
service with the latest and best instruments
and methods. In the city Of New York the
rate is Saio per year for a telephone in q
business office, and $50 for a private house
every precaution being used 10 compel the
casual user of telephone TO patronize a
pay station at the rate OF fifteen cents for
five minutes. New York is an extremely
compact city, and the average telephone
wire is short There Is one reason, and one
reason only, why telephone service in an
American city like New York costs several
times much as the same service, render
ed by the same American Bell Telephone
Company, costs I'm Toronto. That reason is
that the citizens Of Toronto have been pro-
tected by brsiness-like city government
II other cities possessed even the rudiraents
of an efficient end decent city government
1t would be easy er ough within a reasonable
period of years TO reduce the local transit
systems, the telephone system, the lighting
system, and the public services In general
has secured.