The record-union., 1895-10-05


Ownership implies responsibility to the
public. No English or Scotch town has
taken up the street railway business with
view TO making money out of 1t. The
maintenance of unrestricted control over
The streets was considered a public ne
cessity. The regulation of street-car
traffic was accepted as a public obliga-
ton. The municipality has dictated
terms TO the corporations. 1t has re-
quired them to provide adequate accom-
modatlon Tor passengers; IL has secured
low rates OF fare. with reductions during
the hours when working people go to and
from their labor; it has carefully regu-
lated the speed, and it has obtained ordi
narlly, in addition 10 a regular rental,
annual payments of interest charges and
contributions 10 the sinking fund which
would liauidate the original cost of con-
strucion. An oveT-crowded street car is
never seen in Dundee, Edinburgh or
Glasgow. If every seat is occupied, the
conductor is not allowed TO receive an
other passenger. Ii a policeman sees
passenger standing i'll car, IL is his duty
TO arrest the conductor, who has connived
at the violation of the municipal regula-
tions. Ii Il car be running at higher
speed than the lease permits, the driver
and the conductor are equally liable to
arrest. Street cars in Scotland may not
move as rapidly as the American Jrolleys,
but the fares are lower, and the passen-
gers always have seats. The graduated
system OF paying by the mile, instead of
a uniform 1are without regard for dis
tance, also tends to promote economy.
THE COMPANIES FIND IT PROFITABLE.
The companies, while paying rentals,
interest charges and sinking fund levies
which enable the city to keep the street
pavement in repair and 10 secure COM
plete reimbursement for the first cost of
construction, are doing remunerative
business, at least in large cities. During
the half year ending i'll June, the Edin
burgh Street Uramways Company de-
clared dividend OF per cent, although
the weather had been exceptionally Sc
we're from January to the end of March.
AT the same time 1ares had been reduced
on the Leith line 10 a haltpenny for the
benefit Of working people. In Dundee
for the year ending on May 3lst there was
large surplus alter all the obligations to
the munich pality had been met, and
dividend OF per cent. was declared,
against per cent. for the previous year
These corporations are prosperous, and
there is no public feeling against them.
The municipalities do not exact hard
conditions, but they require the COM
panies to provide adequate service aud
accOmn odation at low rates. Passengers
are not JOstled and trampled upon in
cars. but invariably ride in comfort to
their destinations. There is no popular
prejudice against corporations which pay
1Or their privileges and treat their patrons
fairly. " hen good dividends are de-
clared everyone is pleased. The same
conditions prevail in English cities like
Birmingham, where the tranways are
leased TO corporations operating them
either by horsepower, steam or electric
ity. Fares are low, there IS seat Tor
every passenger, speed Is regulated and
business is sufficiently good 10 yield a
reasonable dividend after all municipal
charges have been paid.
In Glasgow municipal ownership of
tramways has led to municipal operation
OF them. The leases, which were made
in 1872, expired last year. The terms had
been more rigorous than the conditions
of ordinary leases. The companies had
been required to pay yearly rental OF
500 a mile, interest charges and sinking
fund deposits large enough TO cover the
entire cost OF construction. ana an addi-
tional sum for repairs equivalent TO per
cent. of the original investment. At tho
same time fares were limited to penny
per mile, and 10 d half-penny during the
hours when working people were most
lik ely 10 use the lines. a local syndicate
had purchased the lease at handsome
premium, and then had attempted 10
assume all the liabilities 10 The muni-
and to pay dividends on the
stock. 1t succeeded after an arduous
in carrying tue burden OF the
heavy premium and in declaring divi-
dends of 10 per cent. When the COM
panies undertook TO obtain a renewal of
the leases the municipal authorities de-
manded terms which would have brought
into the treasury of the town a handsome
revenue; but the syndicate which had
a
luctant TO accede to the new conditions.
The Town Council, after endeavoring to
purchase the plant at a fair valuation,
turned the syndicate adrlft and organized
a municipal service for the operation of
the lines.
\ SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT.
The experiment has been remarkably
successful. During the first eleven
months OF the operation of the Glasgow
tram ways as branch OF the municipal
service the gross revenues were 4226, ,4I4
and the expenditures, including interest
and the maintenance and repair of road
ways, buildings. machinery. rolling
stock and plant, were 9202, 200. There
was credit balance of G2f, ,205, of which
*, 800 was reserved in lieu OF the average
sum contributed by the tramway compa-
MES under the lease. Although new
equipment of cars and horses had to be
business mastered by inexperienced ofli-
cials, the results of municipal operation
of the lines were mighty satisfactory. 1he
retiring companies driven from the
tracks bad endeavored to utilize their
horses and TO compete vigorously with
the municipal service by means OF omni-
buses. The public preferred TO patron
ize the cars aud the Onnibuses have con-
tlnued TO do light business.
"a fra 10 lor in
crease of business. The service had been
greatly improved: larger and better cars
had been provided; the display of ad-
vertisements had been prohibited; fares
had been reduced; and numerous hand
some stations had been built in various
portions OF the city. The tramways of
Glasgow are to-day operated entirely TO
the satisfaction of the public. The ex-
pertinent OF the complete municipaliZa-
ton Of the street-car business so far as 1t
has been tried has been mark edly sue
cesslul in Glasgow. other towns have
entered boldly the same neid. Black
pool, on the west coast, owns and operates
All electric railway. Huddersfield has
steam tramways conducted by municipal
servants. Experience of the results of
operation is perhaps too brief
to justify general conclusions; but Glas-
gov apparently has demonstrated the
practicaDllity OF a municipal strest-car
service. Either electricity, steam or
cable viii speedily be substituted for
horses in the city lines.
have no space in reserve for describ-
ing the wonderful systems OF improve
ments by which the plague spots OF Glas-
gov and Dundee have been converted
into fine business sections aud wholesome
districts Tor tenenent-dwellers. The
have not only bought and
sold large areas, but daring experiments
nave been tried in the construction OF
IN Oae toueInents, which are let 10 work
ing people Municipalizationha has been car
ried long way in the direction of State
socialism hen the town has become a