The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-28
TRACTION letter is
BROUGHT TO LIGHT


continued from First Page) T.
ono of The Indirect benefits to the city.
BENEFITS no CITY
i:3t there has been other Commissioned
ones-receiyed by the city. The follow
ing figures will clearly demonstrate those
figures:
Isonofits 10 the city of Richmond from
Richmond Traction Company, June u,
1890. 10 September 50, 1899:
800 Junc-tSept.
Taxes ...,.... ............S1,SG5 co
Labor tickets. 10,7i1 at
IL cents 1857 7712
al .. oents.... Il o23a- 27e so-s21a5 80
1sa6-,g7-sept-oct
J., Dor tickets, 5S.526 at
cents ....S 1863 10
25S59 at glEc, go 2sl44- 2,1as a75-ss.167 500
1yg7-'9S-s ept-oct.
Taxes ....- ..........-.$ 1891 81
Labor tickets. 1908
at .....$4, 7115 S25
School tickets,
l89s-'9s -sept-oct
Taxes ............. $500 OF
Labor tickets. 1895 AT
PIC $50. .....,,S6,9SS ID
o1l at 2lac..... 1861 So S,o4o oo-1S.26o Of
29,l43 IL
From the above figures it will be seen
that there has been paid, or will be PAD,
into the city treasury in money the sum
of S2SC5l.96. Not for the exclusive right
10 use her streets. but 10 run over with
al other vehicles, seven miles oil her
streets. Calculating upon the amount to
he paid for the last fiscal year 1t shows
rental for said seven miles oil street
of nearly $1,000 per mile. or for single
uack of fourteen miles. OF nearly $500 per
mile.
The State Board of Public Works has
fixed and assessed the property of the
Traction Company in the city at S2as,SSV.
Taxed in the ordinary way the tax bill OF
The CITY would amount To $3.62I.l2. But
for The said year OF 1883 we will pay
to the city $S,220.ol. or Si,562S9 more than
The sum which would be collected by
ordinary taxation.
Hence by the present system, the city
collects more than double the amount
sh, would collect by ordinary taxation.
NVe admit that she ought 10 collect more
taan ordinary taxes, for we occupy her
streets But she ought not to collect
more than the enterprise can fairly bear;
who have pat their money into the en-
u.lpriSc
lsut The figures above given show that
This is not the only benefit which the
civ has derived. They show that from
Jane 1896 to 1899 we have furnished Tor
The mechanics Of this city 559, Ee6 rides at
2ia cents. or at half prices. There mas,
therefore been n saving 10 ihem-men
who should above. all Others have cheap
t,ansportation--of SlS,49i 80. During the
same period we carried at the same cheap
figure lO7.47i school children. BY that.
there was another saving 10 the city oil
s2GS6S5 While the city did not receive
that amount into her treasury-neither
did this Ccmpany-for it remained III the
pockets of the worknGmen and parents
al school children. Surely tins TACT
ought 10 be considered in determining
what burden of taxation should DC I'M
posed.
Take the year 1889; the company re-
ceived about 3.o00.000 fares. OF them the
fares for laboring men and school chill
drcn amounted to about S2a@O. or about
one-tenth of the entire number Hence
on one-tenth of the fares We are required
10 surrender ono-half, or SO per cent. OF
their value: and upon them. as well IS
upon the rest Of all the fares, to pay 10
the city per cent OF the amount re-
ceiyed. The above figures show mat IN
JEgS-'99 the amount saved upon these hail-
less than the amount which Will so TO
the city for taxes Or. in other words
flat the burden which this company bore
during that year. and which The city get
the benefit Of, amounted not TO . per
cent, but TO nearly 10 per cent. Of the
gross earnings of the company from pas
sp;,gcr travel.
BENEFITS TO CITY.
Surely. if the city is receiving such a
largo proportion of the earnings it is
hut fair that the stockholders should re-
ceive something before the city demands
any more. 1t should he remembered that
No are not asking that what the city
shall receive IN the future shall be fixed
~ the sum of $S,22oo1 for taxes. nor that
the amount received for one-half fares
shall be fixed at $500 Ne expect and
are most willing that the city should de-
rive its proportonate benefit from any
Increase in gross earnings. or that any
additional number Of one-haf fares
should be furnished TO any desiring 10
purchase them. An examination of the
above figures viii show that the amounts
hay, been far from stationary. but have
been growing RAPIDLY each year. To see
NloLETS! Vl0LETs!!