New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-08
STREET RAILWAY PROFITS.
,ropK OF THE LEGISLATIVE INvESTI-
eating COMMITTEE
u-,,r A CITIZEN SAYS AS TO THE ACTUAL COST
OF SURFACE LINES-A MOVEMENT FOR
CHEAPER FARES.

OF SURFACE LINES-A MOVEMENT FOR
CHEAPER FARES.
vell-known New-Yorker who has had much
.x,erienoe In connection with municipal improve
lent in discussing with Tribune reporter the
,bsr day the work of the Legislative Committee
80 investigating the question OF city transit, said;
or the members OF the Legislative Committee now
IN session in this city for the purpose Of nquiring
,r,o matters connected with the surface railroad
ys,em will go 10 the bottom OF this matter and
hase its report the facts they will thus be able
% obtain they will confer boon not only upon
the city of New-York. but upon every city in the
sts,e There is subject upon which the search
uch, should be thrown OF more Importance than
,his The growth of municipalities is the great
ta,re Of our present civilization. and by reason OF
his wonderful growth. horde of spectators in
municipal privileges have reaped, and reaping
an abundant harvest at the expense Of the owners
q, property and the peop.e at large
WHAT MUST BE BORNE IN MIND.
10 understand this matter thoroughly it is neccs-
cary TO bear in mind just what constitutes street
galway In the first place II must fulfil in its con-
s,ruction the conditions as any other railway
There must be right OF way: there must be road
Md there must be the ties sleepers and rails there
must be the rolling stock. In the construction of
,he $50 coo miles OF steam engine railways now exist
inc on this Continent. every square foot of the
the companies owning the charters. Every yard Of
earth excavated used in filing every bridge
,-acted for crossing a stream. whether broad
narrow has been paid for in dollars and cents by
the railway company. Now. how is II with regard
10 surface railways in cities? All the excavation
and filing. all the regulating and grading. all the
paving OF all the OF these surface railways
have been done at the expense of the property
owners along the line. All the right Of way has
hnc- 81 hN he ~ ehaYr III
property -owners have been assessed for every
square foot of it, The OF this right Of way and
the cost Of this regulating and grading when added
together constitute than three Sourths Of the
cost OF the railway. and that extent the PROPERTY
owners should be the actual proprietors OF the
railway
INTEREST OF THE CITY.
They are actually co-partners in the railway
company. and should be the owners OF three
fourths OF the stock in equity. The grand total Of
this interest throughout the city actually belongs
10 the people. Let the people then participate
in the profits. IL not directly. then indirectly Let
an auditing bureau be established by act OF the
legislature. whose duty II shall be strictly to su-
pervise the accounts OF these surface railways and
10 decide how much OF the enormous profits realized
shall be assigned 10 the people in the way of re-
duced fares To show more clearly by actual fig
U-es let US take the official reports Of these rail-
ways. as furnished TO the Railway Commission
ers OF the State Herewith have the astounding
statement submitted by these gigantic monopolies
which shows at glance how the great wealth Of
certain class Of people has been acquired through
public privileges and how the people are not only
deprived OF the rights in their property. but
compelled 10 pay exorbitant rates when travelling
in the conveyances that should be their property
The railways pay a license and so do push-cart
venders but that Is not paying for right OF way or
for the cost OF grading their roadbeds. Look at
this statement: