The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-23
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.
And the Working of Street Railways
A Reply TO Mr.. Porter.
(Repubnshed bS

(Repubnshed by RequesU.
Editor OF The Times:
SHIN your issue Of the 22d March.
under the caption Municipal Ownership
Summary OF the Experiences or EnShsh
cities in Operating Street Railways" you
publish an article from the New YORK
SIN, signed ~ Robert p. Porter, which
purports TO give the results reached In
England I'm the only cities n that coun-
try in which the street railroads are
operated BY the municipal authorities ana
the conclusion drawn by the writer Is
that "a study OF the tables published is
not calculated to attract the business man
anxious for practical transportation TO-
ward municipal operation as means OF
developing rapid transit" / ask your per-
mission to reply to this conclusion in so
far as II refers TO the town of Hudders-
held which IS one OF the six places mem
toned I'm the table as operating Its own
street railways. Huddersfeld, as you VIII
no doubt remember. Is the town upon
whose municipal government l wrote you
a series OF articles last year and with
which | compared the municipal man
agement OF this city, greatly 10 the dis
credit OF our city authorities. | nave
shown that Hudersfield so managed us
water works, gas works, electric hght
works and other public undertakings as
VI
payers, after providing for interest and
sinking fund on the debt incurred for
their creation and incidentally | stated
that the street railways were also then
producing a profit. i propose now 10
show that Mr. Porter I'm the article you
quote. does Huddersheld serious injustice
mo doubt Internationally and that in'
stead Of its affording an argument
against the municipal working or street
railways il is in reality a strong OBJECT
lesson in favor OF the adoption of this
system where municipal AFFAIRS are con-
Quoted on business principles and munlc-
tpal officers are not elected and displaced
for political and personal reasons. FIX
perience has convinced me that In TINS
country and under the system OF election
OF municipal authorities and ofiicers mere
in force no city should, be permitted TO
operate any public works or any KIND
Indeed, It Is doubtful whether they should
even be permitted 10 own any, nut De
strictly confined 10 the duty of preserving
order and street cleanliness. IL Is lament
able that this should be the conclusion
forced upon me- but with the miserable
results shown in this city and In almost
every other city in the country In the
MANAGEMENT, or rather acknowledgements
of water works and gas works. | fail 10
see how any one can come 10 any other
conclusion Under proper system OF
municipal government, where those VINO
nav the taxes elect the Council and the
Council elects the officers, not Tor one
or two years. but for so long as they sat
isfactorflv discharge their duties like any
and every business man elects his own
employes. there can be. in my mind. no
doubt but that all undertakings OK a
ouasi-monopolistic character such as
water works, gas works. electric light
works and street railroads ought 10 De
owned and operated by tho municipal
authorities. In no other way can such
control he maintained over the streets
as shall ensure them being kept always
in good condition and the charges Tor
services rendered he so controlled as 10
give the hest service at the least cost.
Turning now TO the charge made by
Mr.. Porter in the article that Hudders-
field has failed to manage its street rail-
way system successfully. let me give the
facts | rely for the data upon the aud
tied accounts of the Huddersfield corpo-
ration and the report OF the manager on
the road. / premise by saying that
Huddersheld was the first town In Eng
land to which Parliament granted power
TO own and operate a street railway. The
reasons which led TO this grant were that
from the difficult natural formation Of the
any private company 10 undertake the
making and working OF street railroads
I'm the city. Huddersheld lies I'm deep,
narrow valley with lofty hills rising ON
every side. The business portion OF the
town lies along the bottom Of the valley;
the residential portions on the hill sides.
The gradients OF these hills are so steep
that no one would undertake to work "A
road over them. The hills rise 10 a height
OF 500 or COO feet above the level OF the
valley in a distance OF two or three miles.
In lS0 the corporation applied to Parlia-
ment for leave 10 construct system
OF street railroads and TO lease the same
when constructed to company TO oper-
ate. Parliament granted the application.
When the roads were completed the cor
poration could not secure tenant for
them on any terms yielding any profit TO
the town. The corporation then applied
for power 10 operate the roads them
selves, and Parliament. for the tirst time
In its history. granted such an applica-
ton. II was decided 10 adopt steam as
the motive power. tho electric working