The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-08-10
BETTER CAR SERVICE.
Valuable Suggestions Made by
a Times Correspondent.

mlt me 20 call attention through YOUR
columns to the account in the curren.
"Review OF Reviews" OF the solution of
the street car traffic POLLEN in the city
OF Toron to, Canada.
At the recent expiration Of the thirty.
year franchise tho municipality exer-
cised the usual alternative privilege
and purchased tho plant. the price fixed
oY arbitration, and amounting to nearly
81, 500. 600
The CITY council Immediately offered
the property for sale. In April, 1891,
the purchase Dy thencity was made. In
May the terms upon which the franchise
would be resold were published In
June the sale was practically made and
In September was fully consummated
This rapidity in tho settlement Of so
important municipal matter is note
worthy when we consider the financial
depression already. beginning to make
itself felt, and the terms OF sale.
The purchasers assumed the city's
place in compromising the retiring
street railway company; they agreed to
pay $500 per annum per mile of single
track, or $1,000 per mile of double track,
TO the municipal treasury; they further
agreed to pay percentages of their
gross receipts from all sources what
soever," reaching from per cent. on all
gross receipts up to $1,000 per
annum, to 20 per cent on all over So
OOO, 900 per annum, to be paid monthly,
The entire supervision of the system
from every point of view was reserved
to the city's engineer acting under d.
rection OF council (slx wards, four alder.
men from EACH speed, service, and ex.
tension included
while single cash fares should be
"a lob oh L.
twenty-five for dollar or six for
twenty five cents. and tickets for use on
morning and evening cars, intended es
pecially for people going to and from
work, should be sold at the rate of eight
Tor twenty-five cents, and should be
valid for use between $40 and o'clock
in tho morning, and between and 6:3O
o'clock p. M Furthermore, it was
stipulated that school children's tickets,
good for use between S o'clock in the
morning and in the evening, should be
sold at tho low price of ten for TWENTY
five cents. All fares were to be good
for ride from any point on the street
railway system to ony other point, thus
requiring comprehensive System of
| transfers."
The purchasers also bound them selves
further, if the city should at any time
| release them from tho requirement. OF
issuing eight tickets for twenty five
cents for use at certain hours OF the
morning and evening, to pay Q per cent.
OF the gross receipts in addition to the
percentages above named.
And all this under prohibition of
Sunday traffic.
And who purchased such franchisep
Foreigners who could not be posted
upon the conditions of travel in Amer.
lea? A syndicate of European investors
trusting to commission agent? Re-
momber, these numerous conditions
were not imposed upon any existing
com pany, but were made integral parts
OF an exclusive franchise put up for
sale to the bidder, who should besides
| agreeing to the absolute requirements
set forth in the citys specifications,
otfer the highest per centage of gross
| receipts
Tho syndicate of purchasers was
made up of capitalists from both sides
OF the boundary line, some of them be-
ing officials OF stree. railway companies
| in the United States and thoroughly ex
| perienced. They knew what they could
afford to give and made the purchase as
a profitable investment. The operation
OF street railways in Toronto Is not
whit more profitable than large num-
Der OF cities, great and small, in the
United States. any one Of which Is en-
titled to terms quite as favorable as
those that the business like mayor and
council Of Toronto have secured for
| their municipality"
a very cursory examination OF tn @ or.
finances concerning street railways in
| Roanoke, so far as published at least,
seems to show they have franchise re-
yokable at the will of the City Council.
This OF course csnnot be true But their
charter time limit, whatever that NAV
be. is not indicated among tho published
ordinances of Council. And within that
time Council cannot exercise any further
| Jurisdic ton, except to require an eight
cent fare for continuous trip on two OF
| it's lines.
| To foster all homo enterprises ia the
only true way to exhibit public spirit.
Your correspondent believes that eyen
under present conditions the conces-
sions OF transfer tick ct without charge,
| and OF two-and one. half cent school
ticket would rebound to the benefit of
the Street Railway Company; and it GER
tainly would be great accommod alton
to the citizens OF Roanoke and its sub
| urbs.
In the meantime may 1t be hoped that
the Toronto method of treating an ex :
piring franchise may not BIO forgotten.
Roanoke, Augusta o. VELEc.
Urtk.