New-York tribune., 1899-08-14
THE GLASGOW TRANS.
MANAGEMENT 49, COMPLETE SUCCESS
OF A DARING EXPERIMENT.
Glasgow, August 2


! United Kingdom to undertake the management,
of the streetcar service on a large scale. The
experiment has been successful, and Manches
ter and other cities are following the Scotch
example The Glasgow Corporation was i'm
PEELED by public sympathy with the m paid
ov.i worked tramway operatives 70 introduce n
municipal service. II has been managing the
t-amway business for five years without having
the slightest disagreement with the working
force Wages have been increased hours have
been shortened and many old time grievances
rcdreased The drivers, con iuctors. stablemen
and other tramway workers in Glasgow as
contented a body Of men can be found any,
where in the world. They have not found Il
ne ,essary to organize trades union FOR mutual
protection and defence Their relations with the
municipal authorities are unclouded With dis
content and resentment. AT this moment the
Tramways Committee Of the Town Council 10
privately considering a pew schedule of wages
which will average an increase OF shilling
week for each operative and this advance VIII
he ordered without solicitation or agitation from
the working force.
The Glasgow Corporation. like other English
and Scotch municipal bodies, began with owner
ship OF the tramways without management OF
the tramcars The rails were laid at the ex-
pense OF the city and a private company OBJ
tained a twentv-three years lease OF the prtvi-
lege OF operating the lines The contract was
good one for the town. as the rentals were large.
and the private company after few years was
able 70 pay dividends ranging from 70 u
per cent This lease would have been renewed
In 1894 II the company had been willing 70 re-
duce the working hours OF the operatives and
to increase their wages. The men were working
at the average rate OF IL shiIhnss week
for fourteen hours service a day, and they were
fined for trivial offences, overcharged Tor poor
uniforms. and required 10 deposit II as guar
antee against dishonesty. They held secret ana
public meetings passed resolution in favor Of
a strike and appealed TO the Town Corporation
70 help them. Public opinion was behind the
men and when the private company declined 10
make any concessions the Corporation ordered
its own supply OF tramcars and horses. and or
ganized a municipal service. on the day after
the expiration OF the lease municipal tramcars
were on all the lines. The private company
en6eavored TO compete with the new service by
running omnibuses, but the public refused to
patronzo them, and the municipality was let
in complete possession Of the business.
one Of the first results OF municipal MANAGE
ment was the removal Of the grievances of the
working force At the outset the average wages
maid were raised from 10 shngs 20 ~ shillings
n week with the prospect Of second increase
70 % shillings within two years. This promise
has been redeemed, and there will soon be an
other increase OF a shilling. The men were also
suppled with uniforms. instead OF being forced
70 purchase them and the system ~ fines ana
discipline was rendered less veXatious. The
hours ot work were also reduced from fourteen
10 ten with full holiday one day IN seven
friendly relief society was organized, MEMBER
ship being optional and the department con-
tributing a sum equal 10 one-nalf OF the SUD-
scriptions Men who have been In the service
FOR twelve months are allowed Ave extra hoh-
DAYS with full pay The treatment OF the WORK.
Ing force has been so equitable and cohslde'as
that good feeling prevails. and streeicar s'riNe
is about the last thing that is likely 20 happen
in Glasgow.
During the FIVE years OF municipal manage
ment the number OF passengers carried has been
doubled and the fares have been reduced nearly
one-half The rates are hafpenny Tor nan
mile and a penny for two miles WIN propo'-
tionately cheaper fares for longer d's''"0'''
There is a special service OF workmehs oa''
morning and evening, with twopence as the ia'e
for over Ave miles. These low rates nave eha-
b,ed the poorer class OF working people TO MI
- from
10 the suburbs About one-third Of the agsre-
gate number OF passengers are carried
halfpenny. The service has also been QUICK
ened by the adoption OF through routes Inc
cars are run under two or three minutes nea'-
WAY on all the principal routes, and are never
overcrowded There has been marked I'M
nrovement in horses and cars; the conduc'o's
and drivers are dressed in a neat Corporauoh
uniform OF green with red piping and the ser
vice is efficient and popular. MunicipahzauoH
OF the tramcars has minstered 10 puolc COM
fort and convenience. The passengers IKE Wv
operatives have no grievances
Numerous extensions Of the tramway sNste"
have already been made for the purpose "i pro-
noting the symmetrical growth OF the cE anu
connecting Renfrow, Clydebank and other suO-
urbs with 1t. An agreement has also uee" e"
tered into with the municipal authorlNe' y.
Paisley by which the corporation mas putVpase'
anf will operate for thir;y-three years Wv
tramways Of that city and introduce eeCUS
traction After an exhaustive investigation ot
every known method of mechanical traction 'he
Town Council decided that the overhead ele0uN
system was applicable - every section OF 'hs
city power station was established. ana '"'
routes. with a combined mileage OF three ana
quarter are operated by elec'r'o''.
with single and double decked cars n "
line from Glasgow Cross. will speedily oe con-
verted into an electric roao. Within six or eish'
years horses will be entirely displaced ana 'ho
tramHay system. now having a total mileage oi
forty-one Will be operated by overhead wires
Scotch caution and prudence have character
lied the corp, ration's management Of the tram
wavs from the outset. 1t did not try any expert
ments with electric or cable traction until II hao
S-st danonstrate ted that n was capable Of man
aging the tramway system economically anu
efficiently with horse power, 1t then introduceo
trolleys on a small scale. and proved that eec-
trio traction was 2ia pence cheaper per car mis
and would involve great saving in WORKING
abang