The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-09

the Scranton Railway company, when
seen yesterday by Tribune man and
asked to what extent the order with
reference to transfers would apply,
said 1t Is not true as was quite gem
orally reported yesterday, that the troll
ley company intends to make all it's
lines terminate at Lackawanna ave-
nue. and thereby increase its opportu-
mites Of securing soluble fares.
The schedules will remain practically
as they are at present, Mr.. Silliman
states. IL possible, the number Of
through lines will be increased. but
this thing, he thinks. is hardly possi-
BILE, as the company has already ar
ranged as many through runs as con-
ditions would permit.
One fare will, as at present carry a
passenger from the city line on South
Main avenue to the end of Drinker
street, or from Keyser Valley on the
Washburn or Luzerne street lines to
Petersburg, or vice versa. To go from
Providence or Green Ridge to Dun
more, West Scranton or the South Side
or in the opposite direction, an extra
fare will have to be paid. A passenger
can ride the whole length Of any run
for one fare. To change from one run
to any other run, however, will call
for an extra fare.
NOT RETALIATION.
Continuing, Mr.. Silliman said: This
action of the company outlined in to-
days notice to the public is not an
act of retaliation for the sympathy the
public extended the striking car men or
anything of that kind. 1t is simply a
plain, business proposition. made nee
essary by the company's financial con-
ditions and prospects.
II might say. however, that we do
| expect the public will be practical
enough in Its sympathy for the em-
ployes' movement for higher wages, to
contribute something to make 1t possi-
BILE for the company to meet the extra
expense entailed by these increased
| wages.
when the miners won their strike
the operators met the increased expen-
| diture which that victory entailed by
| raising the price of coal. You heard
| no great public clamor against that.
Yet the coal operators not only raised
prices sufficiently to meet the increased
wages, but while they were at it they
| put on enough to insure a very liberal
| increase in their margin of profits. Our
| company Is attempting to only partly
meet the increased expenditure, yet
it is subjected to no end of harshest
| criticism.
I'VE cannot increase the price OF oui
commodity-if you can call our service
such-except in the way we contem
plate. 1t is not an extra charge. 1t IL
simply the abolition of all free trans
portation. Everyone who rides here
after will pay in cash for each ant
| every ride. 1t means, in a word, tina
by decreasing the free rides, we In
crease the receipts per passenger.
Every manufacturer of supplies
furnishing us material now pays mor'
wages than formerly, and as conse
quence our company pays more TO
the material. This is the all-prevailinl
custom of the business world. W.
are only doing what business condi
tions demand. We cannot increase tn
rate of fare beyond the rate OF
nickel, made practically imperative b.
custom. Our only other course is t
economize. The only way to economic
is to exact cash from the passenger
who now ride on paper.
NOT A LEAP IN THE DARK.
"As to our right TO do what we con
template all / can say Is that we hav
not made leap in the dark. If. how
ever, we are wrong in our legal posi-
ton we will, of course, have to rectif
our error.
"I know the company Will be sub
jected to unsparing criticism, but wha
can't be cured must be endured. w
are in a position where we have t
do this thing. 1t Is extremely distaste
full, to me personally, but i have we
to begin to dodge any duty, no mat
ter how unpleasant it may be-"
Throughout the city and surroundin
, towns yesterday nothing but the harsh
est kind of criticism of the railwa
company's action was heard. Her
are some of the expressions recorde
by Tribune reporters:
L. L. Robathan, of the county com
missioners' office, who was in commo
council when the Valley Passenge
railway franchise was granted, say
? that one of the strongest argument
, used by the promoters of the franchis
was that it guaranteed transfer
which would insure single fare fo
! transportation on any of it's lines with
in the city. On the strength of thi
/ Mr.. Robathan Is of the opinion that tn
, Valley company's successor must giy
transfers from between lines built III
r der the Valley franchise, and he
| also of the opinion that inasmuch 6
l the Valley company has not built a
} the lines 1t agreed to build when
secured the franchise that the tive
5 year forfeiture clause can be enforce