The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-02-18
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP.
OF RAILROADS AND MUNICH
PAL UTILITIES.
senator Aliens Statistics of Foreign
Railroads Ks Given to the Scnate-
Brilliant Success Of Public Ownership
Of Street Railways in Glasgow.

Senator Allen of Nebraska il. a
speech delivered in the United States
senate, gave list Of governments who
own, or partly own their railways as
follows:
The Argentine Republic owns G2O
miles of railway. Five-sixths of the
railways of Australia belong to the
various colonial governments.
In Austria-Hungary about 40 per
cent of the mileage is owned and about
70 per cent is operated by the state.
GUM is owned and operated by the
state. The state owns one-fourth of
the total mileage of Brazil and does
one-half of the entire railway mile
age of the country. In Canada one
tenth of the mileage is owned and con-
trolled by the government. One-half
OF the railways of the Cape of Good
Hope, of English South Africa, is own
ed by the government. In Columbia
the railways have been subsidized by
the government with the understand
ing that at certain period they will
become government property. Den
mark owns and controls three-fourths
OF the total mileage of her railways.
Egypt owns and operates its railways.
IN France the railways are ultimately
to become the property of the govern
ment. They have a mixed system of
state and private ownerships. Ninety
per cent Of the railway mileage OF
Germany is owned by the government.
In England, by the act of 1874, it was
provided that the government should
have the right to acquire any railroad
constructed with it's aid. Of purchasing
the same for a sum equal to twenty
five years of annual divisible profits
estimated on the annual profits for
three years preceding the date of pur-
chase. part Of the railways of Greece
are owned by the government. Guata-
mala owns and operates a part Of her
railway system, Holland owns one-half
OF her system. Two-thirds of the rail-
ways of India belong to the govern
ment.
In Mexico the charters granted to
all railways contain a provision by
which all shall revert to the govern
ment in fifty years from the date Of
the charter
The roads Of Nicaragua are owned
by the government. Norway's rail-
ways are owned by the government
and so are Paraguay's. Thirty Eight
per cent of the mileage of Portugal is
owned by the government, and the
laws provide that all railways shall
revert to the government in SO years.
In Russia the government owns and
operates 40 per cent of the mileage
The railway mileage of Turkey belongs
to private companies, but Turkey is
the sick man.
The municipal ownership Of street
railways has proved successful in many
instances. The latest success has been
achieved in Glasgow, 1t was in July.
1894, that the city declared it's indie
pendence of the companies that leased
its lines. Mr.. B. o. Flower says in the
New Time that the inception of the
venture was looked upon with some
doubt. He narrates the circumstances
which led up to it as follows:
"The lease would probably have been
renewed if the company had treated its
servants with greater consideration.
About six winters long hours and low
wages led the men to strike, and be-
fore the struggle was over a strong
body of public opinion was created in
favor of manipulating the tram traffic
at the first opportunity.
"The city extended its lines, reduced
fares, and the returns have fully justi-
fed the course that was taken. From
July, 1894, to June, 1895, the city clear
ed over 100000 above all expenses.
For the succeeding year the amount
earned above expenses was more than
100000. AS it is now the employees are
better treated. the fares are greatly re-
duced, the service has been wonder
fully improved, the lines have been ex-
tended, and the public has been bene-
flied prodigiously by the change. Glas-
gov has certainly accomplished great
things, and her example could be fol-
lowed with profit by other cities"
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