The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-07-13


Star reference is made to the Toronto
street railway system, and particular
stress is laid upon the fact that the
city derives a rental and percentage
Of the gross receipts from the railway
company. The Star might easily
have gone further and given all the
facts. The city OF Toronto has a pop
ulation of over 20O,OO0 from which the
railway company draws its revenue,
and the Toronto street railway COM
pany has got monopoly.
The city of Honolulu has a popula-
ton of about 1000, one-tenth that Of
TOrOnto-its principal streets being
already occupied by street railway.
The cost of construction and equip
ment will be greater in Honolulu than
in Toronto, where nearly all the ma
terial can be procured without the ex-
pensive cost of land and sea freight.
The cost of operation is less, per mile,
in Toronto than it will be in Homo
lulu. Anthracite coal can be obtained
in Toronto for 81 so per long ton OF
2240 pounds. The rate of wages in
Tore ntO, according to the Star is 81 so
per day of 10 hours, or $39 per month
of % working days. Can efficient
labor be obtained in Honolulu for any
such price?
Given the same conditions as to
population, cost of maintenance and
cost of operation, an electric railway
in Honolulu, having an absolutely
exclusive franchise to the whole city,
could afford to be as generous as the
Toronto Street Railway Company.
The Stars knowledge of electric
railway operation would seem to be
very limited. 1t evidently does not
know that the larger the concern thes
smaller the percentage of the cost
of management, both per mile
and per car, and consequent
greater ability to pay rentals or divi-
dends. A concern of the magnitude
OF the Toronto Street Railway eau be
operated under conditions which cam
not under any possibility pertain to
Honolulu. The City Council of the
City of Toronto obtained possession of
the franchise Of the old horse car upon
the expiration of the latter franchise.
It did not attempt To obtain possession
before that time, as, to have done so,
would have been = breach Of faith on
the part of the council. II the Gov
eminent OF the Hawaiian Islands,
JIG laws Vi VI
breach of contract, were to attempt to
obtain possession of the franchise of
the Hawaiian Trsmway Company,
without giving full consideration for
every dollar of bonds and stock out
standing, aggregating SAG, 900, they
would be equally guilty OF a breach of
faith, and would undoubtedly imperil
their credit on the London market.
Can they afford to take that risk?
h.. Pill
Company 9 L possession of an undis-
puted right of way over the entire
length of its lines The proposed
Honolulu Electric Railway Company
eau obtain only a portion of its right
of way rom the Legislature rest
they must obtain by purchase. The
Hotel street line to Puuahou cannot
be built until the right of way has
been secured through the block
bounded by Beretania, King, Punch
bowl aud Alapai streets. The line to
Waikiki cannot be built until the
right of way has been obtained
through the Ward estate and adjOin-
ing prOperties-and so with the Nuu-
anu street line, il cannot be con-
structed until the right of way is OBJ
tanned through the block bounded by
PuucbbowI aud Nuuanu streets.
The experience of those who have
ever had anything To do with obtain
ing a right of way for q railway COM
pany through private property, Will
bear me out, when / say, that 1t Is
rarely that the purchase price can be
agreed upon without recourse TO aTbi-
tratioD, after which, invariably fol-
lows an appeal to- a higher court, and
then in all probability. arbitration
again. The Honolulu Electric Rail-
way Company If granted franchise,
Will not begin construction until the
right OF way has been obtaiued-and
as IL Is impossible to state when that
will be, a. the company cannot con-
troll litigation, il would be the height
of business folly to enter into
any obligation to begin the construc-
ticn of the road on or before a fixed
date. They undertake to complete
fifteen miles OF the road within two
years from the granting of the charter,
provided that they are not prevented
by circumstances which they cannot
control
The Star refers to the rates of fare
charged on the Toronto street railway
a. having been fixed 10y the Toronto
city council. The following section
appears in the charter now before the
Legislature
'Sectiun 20 The company may
make reasonable and just regulations,
with the consent Of the Executive
Council, regarding the hours during
which the cars shall run OH the said
streets and roads, aud the fares TO be
charged and collected by the said
company for the carriage OF passengers
over the cumpauy's lines"
THIS meals that the coIupany's time
table aud tariff table must he sue
mitted TO the Executive Council
for approval, and il, III the first
instance, not satisfactory TO the
Executive, it must be- changed
go as TO meet with their approval.
This is more desirable clause than
that contained in the Toronto charter,
as tie latter is part of the contract
and cannot 0e altered without the