Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-23
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP
IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES

chatseo When the city first took charge
were by distance, . cents being the lowest
rare FOR three miles. After the city took
charge the wages of the motormen and
conductors were increased
Hui, England is another of the large
cities owning the street car system. That
city took charge of the car lines at a time
WREN the charters of the old companies
wnre about to expire. and the cost OF get
ting possession comparatively small,
the :ctal outlay being $4,000. Hull also
operates the double-decked car so much
IN style throughout England and Ireland.
The fare is remarkably cheap. being
cents or American money for any distance
travelled The last report for twelve
months showed a gross income of $4,000,
and expenditures of s233,000. After de-
Quoting interest on the investment and q
sum for the sinking fund, the net profits
were $4,000. which went to the reduction
of city taxes
In 1903 there were ten miles of double
track in operation in Hull and yet the total
number of passengers carried that year
was 22,O2, I03. The population of the city
Is 10000 which meant an average of IS
rides each year for every man. woman and
child in the town. Hull runs a crematory
and public baths. and has made a profit
out of everything it operates.
The showing made by Leeds.
England, was better than
Profits. that made by Hull. The total
receipts of the street car sys-
tenn there for the twelve months ended March
p, 1904. were 81 363, $50, and the expenditures
SI23.629 For the fiscal year ended Marcn
-, 1908 the total receipts were 81 2SS 1Jo
and the expenditures S105, 292. The gross
profit for the last fiscal year s6a9 boz
From this sum are deducted various
charges for depreciation. income tax and
interest, and the net profit was s416,6l9
After redemption fund charges were taken
from TINS there was surplus of S2S6oI4.
which was turned over to the city treas
urer. That was the largest profit shown by
any system in Great Britain.
The electric lighting system of Leeds
likewise showed net profit in 1904 the
total surplus being $4,000
Leicester, England. has bought and equip
ped the street car system at cost of
s., $3.50, 600. The city put in an electric line
in place of horse-drawn cars. The old
system was nine miles long. The new
system will be AZ miles. The fare from
any point is . cents. The gas works. cleo
trio light works and waterworks yielded
large profits to the city in 1904. The sur
plus used to reduce taxes and to i'm
prove some of the plants.
United States consuls
0oN'uiai abroad report that politics
Reports. has comparatively little to do
with municipal ownership in
Great Britain and that, generally speaking.
the conduct of these enterprises is honest, in
elligent and energetic. Civic employees in the
various clty-owned enterprises are not re-
tanned for political reasons. This is the
testimony of James Boyle, the United States
consul at Liverpool. He is an Ohio man,
and was private secretary to President Nc
kinley when the latter was governor of
Ohio.
The claim is made by the advocates of
municipal ownership that the best-governed
towns in Great Britain are those where
this policy prevails. But this claim Is
strongly controverted, especially as to uti-
mate results. The opponents of municipal
n yt-r1ny h ,ho t.,-S
to extravaganza. jobbery, official indiffer-
ence and lethargy, and the broader charge
that 1t contracts and paralyzes individual
effort. The advocates of the system say
English cities are fifty years In advance
of the cities of the United States. 1t is
pointed out that there are certain enter
prises that inevitably tend to become mo-
nopolieS when the public loses the advantage
of competition, something they can get in
ordinary private enterprise. and that this
is when English municipalities step in and
take charge They declare that gigantic
trusts are being formed with the object of
enriching their founders and shareholders
at the expense of the general public and
that the proper way to meet this is by
city ownership. The advantage of city
ownership of public markets, according to
the English view, is shown in the fact
that DDS English cities and towns own mar
ket places and halls within their bound
aries. nearly all producing net profits.
Liverpoors markets bring in an average
yearly income of 100000. After all ex-
penses are paid there is a net profit of
$4,000. Manchester owns fifteen markets,
which pay well. Derby. Oldham. Warning
ton, Bolton, Wolverhampton. Swansea make
money out of their markets Eight large
English towns-Leeds, Nottingham, Shelf
field, Bolton, Southport. Leicester, Lam
caster, Chester-make money out of their
electric light plants and give, it is claimed
cheaper rates than privately owned enter
prises elsewhere. 1t IS cOntended that street
car rates have invariably been lowered,
that gas and electric light rates are far
below what they were when the plants were
privately owned and that service is much
better.
The hard times of recent years in England
have done much toward stopping the epi-
demic of municipal socialism, as city au-
thorities have had to cut expenses all along
the line and the spirit of economy has
thrown a good many men out OF employ
ment. These are not as ardent for the sys-
as they were before.