The Lamar register., 1898-02-12
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP pAYs
Report. OF the rrontabi. Operation Of
British rr.mwavS-

ways In Glasgow is proving to be
successful and remunerat4ve policy
says London correspondent OF tnt
New York Tribune. IL WIS adopt
three years ago In consequence OF the
failure OF negotiations with the tram
way companies for a renewal OF their
leases on terms which would have
yielded large income to the city
The corporation had never surrendered
the streets to the companies. but had
iaid the tracks and consequently own
ed them. When IL was decided to op-
crate the tramNays as a branch OF the
municipal service IL offered to pnr-
chase the cars. stables and horses at
reasonable price. provided the com.
psny would agree not to compete wlsa
" oy organizing omnibus lines. This
guaranty was refused and the corpora
ton was compelled to provide a new
equipment of horses. cars and build
lhss and to organize a working force
The service is now managed so en-
eiently and economically that the net
pront during the last year has bsca
sl6.asS. after all interest charges on
the Investment Ia tracks and plant
have beea met This Is a handsome
sum TO turn into the municipal treas
ury for the beneht Of the taxpayer,
But economy Is not the only adyRn-
tsSe OF the new system OF municipal
operation. The fares have been re-
deeed: vorkmen's haIf-penny hours
have been ordered; the cars have been
greatly Improved. the operatives
bours have been shortened and their
wages raised. and the network Of con
Meeting tramSays has been expAndei
In every direction. Although II Is
municipal monopoly. the tramwAy ser
vice has no, been conducted for the
sole purpose OF returning a good mar
gin Of profit to the town treasury. ~
eilities for transit have been increased
and eheapened. public comfort and
convenience have been promoted. and
the grievances OF operatives have been
removed The sane policy OF muniol-
pal operation OF trRmwaya Is snecced-
lag in other towns. although the imam
eiai returns arc proportionatsly small
er, In consequence of numerical infer
iority Of population. In Leeds the an
nuAi prost Is now s5s.i70. Municipal
management wAA undertaken In that
city mainly for the sake OF redresxing
the grievances OF conductors. engineers
and drivers, who were undsrpaid BY
the tramvay companies and compelled !
to work fourteen hours day. The
property Of the company vas pur-
chased for $500 and the business
has been managed for several years BY
the corporation with the same general
results as In Glasgow. Hud1srxrsld
has kept down proatS by Improbable
extensions Of the service and By the
reduction Of fares. but 1t has balance
OF s3i-tss on the right side as the re
suit OF a year Of municipal operation.
shefneld hNs completed It's frSt year
OF municipal tramSay service, with q
margin of profit amounting to SO sos.
Biaekpool, with population OF only
1900. Is operating an electric railway
with an annual profit OF u4a2o. Ply
mouth With population four times
as large, IA also carrying out the same
policy with marked success In Eng
iish and Scotch cities where the expert
ment OF municipal operation has no,
been attempted complete control has
ordinarily been retained over the road
ways by the construction of iramxays
AZ the expense OF the local government
Cities like Liverpool and Manchester
are able to pay Interest on the original
Investment and TO keep their tracks In
repair for something like per cent.
and at the same time to lease to tram