Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-16
FIVE CENTS FOR A CAR RIDE
Pingree- johnson Plan of Municipal
Ownership Fails to Mature.
MAYORS VETO WILL NOT BE ovERRlDDEN
Aldermen Are Timid of Venturing in
street Car Business. Fearing
Enterprise Would Prove
Failure.

DETROIT, Mich, July 15-It was con-
ceded on all sides this afternoon that the
Pingree-Johnson plan for the purchase of
the street railways is defeated. There is
now no possibility of mastering enough votes
of aldermen to pass the ordinances over the
mayors veto.
Several Of the aldermen who voted for
the security franchise have now decided
that the risk of failure to pay for the roads
out of 3-cent fare is too great to incur
with reasonable safety. Another attempt
in the same direction will doubtless be made
at some future time. Three-cent fares we're
still in vogue today. Tom Johnson left for
New York this afternoon.
Before leaving the city Tom Johnson
handed the following letter to Governor
P!nsree:
Hon. II. s. Pingree, President Detroit
Municipal Railway: Dear Sir-We are sat
sfied that IL is not feasible TO consummate
under existing conditions, the plan of trans
ferring the street railway properties to your
company. We face squarely the proposition
which the opponents Of the plan put for
ward. that our franchises are running out,
and that when they do expire we shall have
an expensive plant on our hands. which the
opponents Of the plan say they can compel
US TO sell at enormous sacrifice unless We
are willing TO accept a new franchise on
their terms.
We must so manage the RAILWAYS in the
meantime as, if possible, to prevent the
losses threatened. Low fares and short
franchises are incompatible If railways are
TO be run for profit as a private enterprise
as truly so as low rents and a short term
lease would be II a great building were nut
up by a tenant on leased land
In bringing our negotiations 10 an end
we thank you heartily for the courtesy and
FAIRNESS which you have shown TO us
METROPOLITAN STREET RAILWAY
BY BERNARD CLARK. President.
The Metropolitan Railway company is the
corporation under which the street railway
companies consolidated for the purpose of
the proposed sale. Mr.. Clark is the New
York attorney who acted as counsellor TO
the companies.
Three-Cent Fare Given In.
At the governors office it was commonly
accepted that the foregoing letter presages
return 20 scent fare
The ordinances OF the older cognpapies
permit straight 5-cent fares without trans
fers, but the companies have been selling
six tickets for a quarter with transfer
privilege The new Detroit railways thirty
year franchise requires it TO sell eight
tickets for quarter with transfers
The Pingree people have as yet formua
lated no plans for future attempt to Sc
cure municipal ownership, Governor PIN
gree, when asked tonight by an Associated
Press reporter for his views as to the situa-
tion. said:
we hayetnothlng 10 give out at pres
ent, but you can say TO the people OF the
country that Detroit Is enjoying accent
fares, thing which no other city in the
country has ever had before"
The Evening News say: Acting on GER
tain information the police commissioners
have instructed Captain Mcdowell chief
OF the detective department, 20
Investigate the transactions OF some
Of the aldermen for the last few DAYS.
What the evidence is can only be coujectured.
II is known, however. that as far as the
police are concerned. the finger OF suspicion