The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-07

Two Tong reports. opposed to each other
ia their conclusions, a brief and reso-
luton were brought into the Common
Council last night by the joint special
committee on transfers, and 1t took
President Kendrick one hour and twenty
minutes to read the documents which
altogether furnished about as much tech
nical and general information on the
subject OF transfers as the city has ever
officially received.
The majority report was signed ny
Councilmen Rathbone Gardner and Kava-
naugh and Aldermen Mccarthy and Bur-
bank; the minority report was from
Councilman West ard Councilman Tan
ner explained that there was so much in
each report which met with both his ap-
provaI and disapproval that lie had not
signed either.
The resolution, which was passed unan-
imously, and with the endorsement OF
Chairman West, although he Is skep;ica
as to the results, provides for a joint
special committee 10 go TO the General
Assembly at this session and with the
advice of the ity Solicitor to ask that
the charter of the Union Railroad Com
pany be so amended that the city may be
granted transfers. The terms OF the reso-
luton are restrictive and by its provi-
sions the committee is denied the privi-
lege of accepting any form of legislation
not actually asked for by the Council or
of negotiating in any way before the As
scmbly with the representatives OF the
railro d.
The text OF the resolution is:
Resolved, That the city solicitor. together
with Messrs. West, baihtonc Gardner. Kavau-
nurh ard Tanner OF the Common Council.
s1.. A.xfA
point. be, and they are hereby instructed to
make application to the General Assembly nt
its present session for such Legislation by
smendment of tho charter OF the Union Kali
road Company as will require said company
to issue to every person who pays n cash fare
ON any OF the street faiiway lines OF said
com pany, or upon the lines OF tho Providence
Cable Tramway Company operated by ssid
UNION Railroad Company, within the city
limits, transfer ticket which VIII entitle
such person 20 continue his journey on any
intersecting line TO any other point within
the city limits. not in the same general direc-
tion from which he came, and ssid committee
4. instructed 10 enter into no negotiations
with the Union Railroad Company bsfore the
legislature and 10 consent to no compromise
legislation.
After its passage President Kendrick
appointed Oh the second committee the
members OF the special transfer commit
tee appointed Feb. 20.
The reports and brief were ordered
printed.
The Majority Report.
After reviewing the proceedings in the
committee and setting forth the claims OF
the Union Railroad Company the report
OF the majority goes on as follows:
With reference to these several claims,
representations and demands of the COM
pany we have TO say:
I. That in our opinion II Is impos-
sible to practically connect all sections OF
the city with ench other in accordance
with what the company announces TO be
it's intention without system OF trans
fers. 1t is perfectly evident that cars COM
ing over one route, say, TO Market square,
can not be run over all routes going frcm
Market square in an opposite direction,
unless either the number OF cars are
grestly Increased, or the cars to different
points are run at very infrequent inter
walls. For instance. If cars coming down
College iii are to be run to Pawtucket
avenue, Branch avenue, Gladstone ave-
nue., Mount pleasant, Broadway. Olney-
vile, Cranston street, Elmwood avenue.
Broad street, Prairie avenue and Eddy
steret, there must be great increase in
the number OF cars ON College street, or
else the cars from College street to each
OF these points must be run at very in
frequent Intervals, so that passenger
from the East Side TO Olneyville, who
could formerly ride once in five minutes,
would not expect to find car oftener
certainly than once In half an hour, or
once in an hour, and at the same tipe
there Is no reason WHY for the same fare
a passenger should not be carried from
the top CT College Hill over any of these
routes This can be accomplished and the
difficulties overcome only by transfers,
and all efforts to accomplish il in accord
ance with the past policy OF the company
must be futile. This has been shown on
College Hill, where the attempt TO only
partially carry out this policy has resu ted
in congestion, which makes II impos-
sible to ride even half a mile without vex-
atious delays.
I'd. We believe that the company vastly
overestimated the loss which would ac-
crue to IL by the use of transfer tickets,
aud that any diminutiou In its receipts
due to the fact that passenger who now
pays two fares could ride to bis destina-
tion for one, would be largely, IL not en-
tirely, Offset by the greater number OF
persons who would ride IL they could go
TO their desired stopping place for one
fare. IL, indeed, tue company insists
that II must erect an expensive building
as an element OF it's transfer scheme and
provide for Its care at large annual
cost. this expense must be borne, but this
expense IL due solely TO the compauy's
insistence that II ca,not adopt the sys-
tenn which is universally in operation
slsew here and must have this new cum
bersome and expensive method for Provi-
dencc. The element Of fraud is one
which a corporation dealing with vast
number OF people and emplol ing n great
force Of cervants necessarily has 10 con-
tend with, put the company has failed to
convince us tba. the danger OF loss from
this source is materially increased by the
adoption OF n system Of transfer tickets.
Legislation making II penal offence for