Waterbury Democrat., 1903-02-09
Editol of Eyening Democrat:


 and state that the board of public works will have meeting on Tuesday evening next to consider the matter.
 Ii you could spare the space i'll to- nights issue to publish this article IL would no doubt be opportune to the board, to say nothing about 1t being generally interesting to the pubic at large in connection ith the difficulties at present existing with the ConnectI cut Railway and Lighting Co.
 Municipal ownership of street cars would be tremendous advantage to the community, resulting ill cheaper fares, better service, better wages for the employees and a dininution of po- litical corruption.
 Prof Frank Parsons of the Boston university, in statement regarding municipal ownership, proves beyond all question of doubt that a 2-cent fare in our large cities is sufficient to pay all expenses of trolley transportation, including insurance, taxes, deprecia- ton and interest on the actual invest ment.
 In the case of European cities where the street railways are still in tho hands of private corporations. the city to a large extent controls the opera tion. and shares in the profits earned. And it is safe to say that there is not one city in Great Britain or on the continent of Europe but what looks forward to public ownership when the present franhcises expire.
 At the present time there are about forty cities in Great Britain owning their street railways, Hndderstield, struggling borough with popuia- ton of 134 GOO. being one of the first to make this move. The street railway was built and equipped by the city at cost of S433O00 the city borrowing the money at 3h per cent. The em- ployes work only eight hours per day. or forty eight hours in week, and are uniformed at the expense of the city. The fare is 2 cents. The system has paid a net profit as high as $21, $50 in one year.
 About four years ago the writer of this was conducted around Glasgow by Councillor Stewart of the Glasgow city council. This city is famous for the number of municipal ventures under, taken. Tn July. 1894, the lease of the private company which had operated the street railway expired, and the city voted to assume the operation of it's
 
 at a cost of S1, 1,750OOO. The New York Tribune states that the first eleven months, July 1, 1894, to June 1, 1895, 57, ,O46, $40 passengers were carried at an average fare of cents, and yet the | city made a profit if S111,00o. The second year net profit of $4O0, ,OO0 was made. Fares have since been reduced so that nearly 60 per cent ride for 9 cent fare and over 33 per cent ride for a 1-cent fare.
 Berlin, in Germany, is said to be the best governed city in the world. By owning and controlling its public utili- ties Berlin derives an annual profit of over 5,OOO,O00 marks. The surface roads are in the hands of private cor poration. It's franchise will expire in l9ll, when 1t becomes the property of the city. At present the city has an in come from the company of $250,OO0 a year, and besides this the company has to pay about 90 per cent of the street paving and repairs, and when new tracks are put in or relaid all expenses relating ito water mains, gas pipes, , sewers, etc, must be paid for by the company. In addition to all this the company has |, pay taxes like any other property. The Great Berlin l Rapid Transit system is owned and operated by the government and is the | finest and most complete city railway 1 in the world. This track is built upon magnificent viaduct mostly of solid masonry. This road cost over S16.- 100000. More than 800 trains a day run over this street railway, and con. meet with all the great trunk lines of steam roads that run to all parts of the empire. The regular fare for distance of five miles is 27s cents. Season tick. cts cost much less. A yearly ticket costs only $4.50, and one can travel a distance of five miles as many times a day as he chooses for 365 days. Tn Waterbury round trip every day for q year would cost $365O. And if the Workingman wishes to eat his dinner I at home and make two round trips a day his yearly tax Is $73, while the 1 working man in Germany gets the same for $4.50. A slight reduction on the S73 would be made by using the tickets.
 The city of Toronto, Canada, is a most notable example of city owner ship and control of a street railway In 1851 the city decided to take posses sion of the Toronto street railway, pay AAAso PA'oOo,OoV TOT LHe planT. The city conducted the business for three months with $75,0O0 net profit. At this time a corporation was successful in obtaining a thirty year franchise by paying an annual rental of $500 a mile of track. or $1,600 for a mile of dou hle track, together with per cent ot I the gross receipts up to $1, ,OOO GOO: be tween that and $1 500, ,00O, 10 per cent up to $3,000,000, 15 per cent; and or all gross receipts over $3, ,O0o, GOO 20 De, cent. The regular fare is : cents Tickets good up to 8 a. m., and betweer and 6 D. m., are sold at the rate o eight for D cents. There are also othe1 reductions. In addition to all this th, company is obliged to remove the snow and keep the streets in repair. Tn, company can work its employees onl, ten hours day, and only sixty hour, per week.
 The Review of Reviews says: "Stree railways are not private business. bu n public service.' 1t further adds ''Tshe whole principle of granting pri
 vate corporations the use of publi
 streets for their private profit is wrong IF in fTJrninos nvo5s f1,a h JX,,;1