The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-19
MANILA STREET RAILWAY
It Is to Receive Franchise of Fifty
Years-First Class Fare
Is IL Cents.
From The Journal Bureau, Room IS, Post Build
ing Washington.

From The Journal Bureau, Room IS, Post Build
ing, Washington.
Washington, Dec. 19.-The chief of the
bureau Of insular affairs of the war de-
partment has just received by the last
mail from Manila the full text of the en-
actment of the Philippine commission
providing for the granting of a franchise
to construct an electric street railway on
the streets of Manila and a franchise to
construct an electric light, heat, and pow
er system in Manila after competitive bid
ding. .
The present street car system in Manila
is entirely inadequate; the cars are small
and drawn by the native Filipino ponies,
the service is infrequent and then only
along a very few of the more important
thoroughfares. 1t is at present the prac-
tice of all classes to hire publics cabs,
called carronatas, or qui1ezes, in going
from one point to another in the city.
The charge for the use Of these cabs is
from Is to 20 cents for the course. The
demand for these public vehicles is such,
however, that despite the fact that
licenses have; been issued to upwards Of
1000. the number is entirely inadequate,
and it is practically impossible to secure
public transport during certain hours of
the day. This forces many, in fact all,
who can afford it,, to purchase and main
tain private vehicles for use in going to
and the number of such vehicles is be-
lieved to be almost as great as the num-
Der Of public licensed vehicles. -
Recently an effort was made by some
private parties to introduce the jinricksha,
into Manila, which has been found such a
ton in the japanese and Chinese coast
cities. The sricksha is a light two
wheeled vehicle capable of accommod ting
one passenger and drawn by a coolie. But
with the climatic conditions and the dis
tances in Manila against it, it is not be-
lieved that it will afford any relief to the
present congested transportation facili-
ties. r. - :, & :, Z !,
With an American and Eoropean popu-
lation Of more than 10000, and native
and Chinese population of upwards of
$780, 000, living in a city covering an area
of twenty square miles, 1t will be appar-
entEthat there is broad field for, the in
stallation of suitable and adequate
street railway system. The climatic
conditions during the greater part of the
year are such as to render walking diff
+ cult and unpleasant, and it is believed
that the percentage of the population that
will have recourse to a properly conducted
greater than in, the average American
city. Manila is in a country where coo1-
les ride. An analogous condition formerly
existed in the City Of Mexico, and the in-
stallation of an electric tramWay& system
some three or four years ago, it is un-
derstood. has been eminently successful
to the investors.
The route Of the proposed system as
fixed by the Philippine commission is
thirty five miles long, and is so arranged
as to furnish a satisfactory system of
transportation from any part of the city
to any other part and, without passing
through any territory which would not
regularly contribute its, quota of pas
sengers, takes in two race courses and the
baseball park. ss I. gss us
The interest Of the population, both
American, European and native, in horse
racing, due to the fact that many forms
of recreation resorted to by residents OF
the United States Is impracticable, is
| such that meets are held during one or
two days Of each week practically all the
year round except during short period
at the. height Of the rainy season. This
traffic In Itself, it Is believed. would con-
tribute much to the revenues of the street
railway system.
| The points of competition for bidding
are the duration of the franchise. not to
Iexceed hfty ears, the rate OF fare on