The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-16
LOW FARES AND TRANSFERS.
THE TENDING REQUIREMENT OF
STREET RAILWAYS.

The Question of Transfers in SaVnn-
nah to BE Brought Before the City
CouncfI-A Construction OF the Or
dinance Governing the Operation
of Electric Lines to Be Asked For.
The Traction COmpany's Oppose
ton TO Transfers.
There seems to be a general effort
throughout the country TO secure a more
liberal service by the street railroads.
Atlanta has been waging a hot fight on
the Consolidated Street Railway Company
Of that city to compel it to give transfers
between the several lines Of its system. a
determined effort is being made in Indiana
to enforce a law passed by the recent
legislature, which limits fares to cents
and requires the companies to give trans
fers. Gov. Pingree, when mayor Of Detroit,
succeeded in securing and enforcing legis-
lation which limited street railway fares
in that city to 8 cents, and required the
companies to give transfers.
The fact that transfers are given only
to limited extent by the street railway
companies in Savannah may be brought
to the attention of the city council with
view to such action on the part Of that
body as will secure more liberality on the
part Of the street railway companies as
regards transfers.
Mayor Meldrims attention was called
yesterday to the article in the Morning
News on the subject of railway transfers.
He replied that he had seen the article,
but had not had time to read it carefully
as he desired 10 do before expressing an
opinion. A prominent attorney, however,
who looked up the ordinances of July, 1890
granting the right to the street railway
companies then operating in the city to
use electricity as a motive power on GER
tain expressed conditions, said that he
could not agree with Manager Collins Of
the Traction Company in his view of the
meaning of the word line in Section ) Of
the ordnance where 1t is stated that the
fare 10 be charged by any company tisifi5
electricity as a motive power as provided
by the ordinance should not exceed cents
for each passenger conveyed from any
point on its line Of road to any other point
on its line either by day or by night. The
word Zine" he said, was evidently meant
to include the entire system Of any of the
lines or companies mentioned in the ordi-
nance, and not simply any one line or belt
Of the two or more lines or belts which
might be owned by the same company,
the effect Of which was to require trans
fers where a system included connecting
lines.
AS to whether the section applied to
companies organized since the adoption of
the ordinance, and what the effect would
be where two separate systems had been
combined in one he was not prepared to
say. If, however, it should be deemed ad-
visable to require transfers 20 be given by
the street railway companies, he said, 1t
is a very simple matter to do so.
Section 6 Of the ordinance specifically
provides that the street railways awaiting
themselves of the terms shall be subject
TO such other ordinances regulating the
operation of street railway lines on the
streets of the city of Savannah as may
be adopted by council, and the street rail-
way companies were further required to
give bond to comply with all ordinances
for their government adopted by council.
The evident intention of the ordinance of
July, 1890, he said, was to require the then
existing lines to give transfers and if the
present ordinance does not cover the case
there is nothing to prevent council amend
ing the existing ordinance so as to re-
quire transfers, provided II should be con-
sidered reasonable and proper to do so.