The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-08-06
Manager Paine Speaks Of Affairs
Of the Present System.
A CHAT ON THE CRITICISM
Transfers Not Liked-Why Improve
Comment On New Concern.

Included in the last dispatches from the
Coast was one TO the effect that a big
street transit company of Paris had plac-
| ed with a Cincinnati house the largest
| order for electric car equipment ever re
ceived in the United States from abroad
| AS it is well known that the same com
| pany owning the Hawaiian Tram here
| has large interests of the same nature in
| Paris, Manager w. II. Paine, of the local
| concern, was sought out and asked if he
| knew anything of the Cincinnati order.
| He had no information of it. Mr.. Paine
| says that his company in Paris used
| horses, trolleys, 'busses and TO a limited
extent, compressed air. Its lines, which
are very extensive, are in the South of
the great French city. The same corpora
ton has Tram interests in London The
main corporation is one of unlimited cap
itaI. 1t has money enough, Mr. Paine in
timated, to meet any Honolulu competi-
ton or contingency. In this connection
MIR. Paine limited that the ''so-called home
company had as one of it's hackers Mr..
Huntington, of Pacific Railway and Mar
ket street cable line fame.
OF the Tram matter that is soon to be
argued before the Supreme Court here,
Mr.. Paine declared he would say nothing
been equipped as an electric line long
since had the Government seen fit to
grant slight concessions" requested. (Ex-
tension right of way, time Of franchise
Etc) The contract for material for con-
version OF the Honolulu Tram to an cleo
trio line, has been made Mr.. Paine says.
Whatever the outOme of the present ne
gotiatiOns, the electric plans Will be car
ried out There will be more Iegisla-
lures here" remarked Mr.. Paine with a
smile
The Tram manager spoke in a chatty
way when criticism of the conduct of his
line was mentioned. He said that on ac-
count of the dust it was impossible to
keep the cars clean. Mr.. Paine thinks
Honolulu an exceptional place for dust.
He is incorrect on that point for San
Francisco is worse and the cars are clean
up there. on the head of better service,
the manager said a trial made in 1896 for
more cars on two main lines had resulted
in a loss of money. AS matter Of record
10000 special or extra or addional trips
had returned only III 600 more fares. The
likelihood Of competition here, Mr.. Paine
says, does not annoy or worry his COM
pany in any way The directors of the
company in London read all that is print
ed here about the concern and know how
the community treats their business. The
shareholders rightly expect Mr. Paine
management methods and movements are
to that end. Mr. Paine says, with the
express stipulation of no diSpaTagement to
any section Of the community, that the |
white patronage Of the Tram amounts
to next to nothing. The very large bulk |
Of the fares come from Chinese, Japanese !
and natives
Mr. Paine was asked about the various !
suits going against the Tram ON the claim |
that it endeaVored to charge double fares. |
The company has lost three cases in re |
fuSal to permit transfers. The manager |
saws that transfers are the bdne OF Tram |
companies and officials everywhere and |
are in use only in the United States. IT |
is well known that the Tram Company |
here still tenaclously reslsts or ehdeaVCfS
to disregard single rare or transfer |
claims. From what Mr.. Paine says IT is |
rather the principle than the practice that |
it combated. According to his obserVa- |
ride from the head Of Nuuanu street 70 |
Punahou for a single trip is very small. |
1t is evident that Mr.. Paine questions the
profit prospects Of the Rapid transit
COmpany. which is to have transfers,
clean cars and quick service ana Wnlch |
will bar hog shipment on aH llleS. MI
Paine says his fares now HguIe ouL d
trife more than five cents per passenger. |
with the consideration OF ten cent
charges. on his basis the per capita IdL e.
of the new company. five and Two anu d
half cents viii average quite smaA lHdeEu'
This is on Tram basis.
Mr.. Paine speaks confidently OF the Stat-
rs of his company and in reNeFthS an
one time to the double fare IaWSulIS
declared his 0Dfnion that in another COun-
try the decisions would nave '@si 'IlISI
cnr. "a
If the Tram conversion takes Plac,e, It It
is expected that power viii be pfoEldeo
10y the Hawaiian Electric company. ills
means that the present electric plant
must be greatly enlarged.