The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-15
FARES MUST BE LOWER
This Is the UItfmatum Reached by
City's Committee ON street-Car
Matters-Compnny's Offer.

After the conference yesterday morning
at which a proposition was submitted TO
the city officials by the attorneys OF the
Citizens Street-railroad Company another
meeting was held. at which the city Off
Gals composing the conference committee
discussed the situation and formulated the
outlines for proposition which, il made
by the company, will be considered by the
city. This later meeting was held in May
or Denny's Office. There were present the
Mayor. the members OF the Board of
Works, Councilmen Rauh. Cooper, Allen
and Costello. City Attorney Scott and
Councilman Young. The proposition that
vas submitted earlier in the day by the
company was mentioned, but the commit
tee did not take the time to formally re-
ject 1t. for IL was too obvious that it could
not be accepted. After a great deal of dis
cussion the doors were opened and City
Attorney Scott gave the waiting reporters
information. The committee had decided
upon the general outline for a proposition
from the company. This outline will be
presented 70 Messrs. Miller. Winter &
Elan by Mr.. Scott to-day, with the infor-
nation that the city officials will consider
proposition il made on the lines laid
down. The general provisions are in many
respects those that were given in yester-
days Journal as the demands that would
be made by the Board of Works when the
matter reached il. In some particulars it
is different. 1t is as follows:
Single cash fares to be > cents; six
tickets for % cents, with the privilege of
transfers.. eight tickets for % cents. with
out transfer
The city to lay all pavements between
the tracks, to be paid for by assessments
against the property owners the same as
down the company is to keep them in re-
pair and relay them at any time 1t may
become necessary at its own expense. Sat
Isfactory arrangements to be made where
by the company will clean and sprinkle it's
portion OF the streets. All repairs to be
made on the order OF the Board Of Works.
some satisfactory provision to be made
for suburban companies to use the Citizens
company's tracks to reach the center of
the city Nothing definite was outlined on
any Of several propositions on this matter.
During the period OF the life of the fran
chise the company is to pay into the city
treasury per cent. OF its annual receipts,
10 be paid quarterly.
There are many other things that the
city Will demand when the time comes.
not to be considered in the nature of a
proposition to the company. but merely an
outline to give some idea of the main feat
ures that a proposition must contain.
portance that will be demanded when the
time comes for the consideration OF the
smaller details. Among these will be
days Journal which are not included or
modified in this outline. Among them will
be the provision to compel the use of the
best rails and the underground conduit
system. These points are such as will not
defeat agreement in case the more i'm
portant features can be agreed upon.
THE CITY'S OUTLINE.
The members of the committee were
unanimous in adopting this outline, and
were especially emphatic when the reduc-
ton OF fares was considered. With the
present sentiment in the committee it is
safe to assume that the company will not
get franchise with other terms for tick
cts than above stated. This has been the
contention of the Board of Works all the
time, and now it has won over the others
of the committee. 1t is argued that the
street-car tracks do not decrease the val
ue OF the property ON the streets on which
they are laid. and for that reason it is
the company pay for part Of the pavement,
which otherwise would be paid for by the
property owners, and is so paid on streets
ON which there are no tracks. IL is not
intended to leave the inference that the
company should not be compelled TO pay
for its occupancy OF the street, but that
sole benefit, as they would if the charge
should be made III the payment for a part
of the Improvement. With this view of
make the principal demand in the shape of
a reelection OF fares, which would benefit
every patron of the company. and not sim
ply those who own property on the lines
OF track. In other words, the one would
be taxing the company for the benefit of a
few individuals. while the other way 1t
would accrue to the benefit of all. On ac-
count OF the damage done to the pave
ments by the presence of the tracks ii was
thought to be just to require the company
to repair and replace the pavements be-
tween its tracks.
SAVING TO THE PEOPLE
With this in view the idea of the MEM
bers of the Board of Works on the ques-
ton of fares was adopted, and it will be
the main feature Of the demands of the
city. The benefits to the people will be
greater than under the proposition submit
ted by the company. Taking for the aver
age1receipts for the next thirty years 81, 500
600 annually. which is looked upon as fully
500. 900 short OF what the actual receipts
will be, and figuring that as much as one
third of the people pay cash fares, one
third use the four-cent tickets and one
third the three-cent tickets, the net saw
ing TO the people would be $270,S34 year,
or total in the term of the franchise OF
$,l25.020. In the first place, the total re-
ceipts are considered too low in this esti-
mate, and IL is believed that not over one
sixth of the fares would be cash while
three-sixths would be the four-cent tick
cts This would increase the saving to the
people. While this would be the saving Ia
the public viewed from the cold figures
IL would not all go into, the pockets of the
patrons or the company, for IL is well
known that any reduction i'm prices in
creases the patronage to large extent
Just how much cannot be estimated, but
IL is thought that the gross receipts of the
company would be about 80 per cent. O.
what they would be under the five-cent
fare, or six tickets for % cents, without
transfer, which would leave the net gain
TO the peoi,ie of about 10 per cent.
Estimates on the basis OF the same re-
ceipts under the companys proposition
would be as follows: Receipts at 81. 900 900 a
year Tor ten years. on which per cent. is
paid; S5O0,O0e year for the second ter
years at per cent. and 10000 for the
third ten years, at per cent. This would
be an average of $l,50,000 year for the
entire time, and would make the entire
payment 10 the city S2.350.000 or an aver
age of $4,000 year. So far the appa r
ent benefits 10 the people are concerned
not estimating the amount they would pay
for additional rides with lower fares. the
company would have to pay into the treas
ury 10 per cent, ID per cent. and % pei
cent. for the three periods of ten years
each, To make their payments equal the
saving to the people under the other SEIZED
ule.. Payments at this rate would amount
TO $4,000 in the thirty years At pei