The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-12-15
CHiCAGo's STREET RAILWAY CRISIS

A great tempest ia raging in Chicago
over the attempted enactment BY the
council of 50.year street railway fran
chise. The opposition is not party
matter, although Mayor Harrison is a
Democrat and leads the battle. The pa
pers generally ere on the side OF the
people.
The 5O.year franchise is rendered pos
sibe under the Allen law passed by the
last Legislature OF Illinois, and signed
by the present governor, Tanner, through
the manipulation of Mr.. Yerkes, the
principal owner of the lines, but now a
resident of New York. Chicago people
are greatly aroused over the attempted
iniqui y, and violence is threatened, and
feared. Mayor Harrison, however, says
they cannot pass it over his veto.
One argument made against long
franchise is that scarcely day passes
without some new invention which re
duces the cost of constructing and oper-
ating street railways. As an official OF
the General Electric Company in an ad.
dress last year said:
"Streetrailway earnings have inCreas-
ed and operating expenses have decreas-
ed and many other advantages have
come to the street.rallway companies
through the Introduction of electricity.
In the early days of electric traction
giTder rails cost more than do1ble their
present figure; electrician equipments
cost from $50 to 400 per cent. more; car
bodies from 25 to 35 per cent. more;
power station equipment from 100 to
800 per cent. more" (See Street. Rail
way Journal for October, 1917
And Mr.. Yerkes in an address in Jan
uary, 1896, at the annual meeting of the
North Chicago stock kholders stated:
"There has been great reduction in
the cost of applying electricity. Foo
merly a Set Of electric motors cost g., 500
while the present cost is $500 Steam
power can now be converted into cleo
trio power so as to utilize 80 to 95 per
cent OF the energy, whereas CD per cent.
WAS the best that could be done three
years ago" (See Chicago Economist,
Jan, 12, 1880
Copper wire has been greatly reduced
in price, and this is great saving as
vast quantities ara used in electrical ar.
rangements. Much less space is used
than formerly, owing to improvements
in power plants by which more fluid is
stored il far less space, Writers in the
Chicago papers are giving the facts 60
ing to show that it is to build street
railways and equip them. Besides
all this, the rapid increase in population
increases business, and this is seen in
the yearly reduction of the percentage
cost in the running expense. One line
in 1894, it cost go per cent. Of the gross
receipts to operate, and in 1897 494 The
operating expenses decrease, and the
gross receipts constantly increase, thus
working both ways, going and coming.
OF course these men want a long
franchise. And this 5O'year franchise
would not begin until 1908. The grow
ing power is electricity, and street cars
are a necessity. All this shows the pro.
prlety Of a city owning the lines therein.
There are a few cities that do, and Glas-
gov for one. la such cities the fare is
low ana the profits go into the city
treasury, and thus benefits the public,
extend the lines, etc. II 10 well to give
attention 70 this matter.