The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-04-11

ION, all right. but Il In too carly 10
te whether Il will lead Co immed
late ownership or prolonged htiga-
ton.
should the city get possession Of
the Tines and operate theNa. the out
come would be awaited with intors
est throughout the world. II would
BE a tremendous thlug financially.
involving aA expenditure varlously
estimated y, frum so. 900 900 20
500 600 goo and would be the first
important test OF an American
eity's ability 10 operate street rail-
ways.
EUROPE LED THE WAY.
huropean cities demonstrated
their ability In this direction long
ag0 None Of them. however. Is as
large a. Chicago Conditions aerosa
the water are not like those Ia the
states aud this fact would give Chi
eago ownership additional interest.
II has been claimed BY opponents OF
city ownership that It has been a
failure Ia Tits country They aver
that municipal government In Eng
land ia better administered than Ia
this country. that in the British cit
les the ahicst citiHons accept seats
In municipal councils
The Inspiration OF the democratic
campaign came from the success
that has attended municipal owner
ship IN England aud Scotland Last
January Judge nunne sent 10 the
managers II tramways in these
cities a letter asking Tor a detailed
statement 81 their experience with
private and municipal ownership
Replies came from 10 cities. Every
single one u them reported that
under municipal ownership there
were lower fares. better service
higher wages and better labor con.
ditious than under private owner
ship.
Thsreupon the Dunno campaign
DOOMED. what the British had done
Chicago could DO. Dunno aKgrra.
sively pressed the fight on that Is.
sue aad vas elected.
LIYERPOoL'S EXPERIENCE
Liverpool. population see 600. was
the largest 0g the ~ cities from
which reports were sent to Judge
Dunno. The experience Of Liver.
pool IL like that % other English
municipalities In 1887 the city
huuKht ont the trnmway company
for s.. s0a o0a In three years ths
s. miles Of traction were extandet
20 los and changed from horas
power TO electricity. The averag,
fare vas reduced from 4 cents "a
cents New cars were provided ans
the schedules ga the prinalpa
routes reduced. To meet this enn
petition the railways have eatab
Ished a cheap suburban service
Wages of the Liverpool tramWRJ
employees have been Increased 70 u
Is cents per dag. hours reduces
I from 10 to 10. weeks work reduces
I from 7 DAYS 70 s days. uniforms ar'
7 furnished free and a plan FOR grant
Ing pensions IL under consideration
with all these benefit TO passen
gers and employees the tramvayi
management. during The past toui
years. has paid $50 600 into ms
public treasury and has placed s..
-. IFS IN a sinking fund
Z In Leeds. population ss0.lta. fare,
have been reduced &C per cent
! wagra raised 20 u cents per hour
working hours greatly reduced. on'
week holiday per rear.
Hun. population $4,000. reduced
fares 50 per cent. Increased wages
IS to 50 per cent. working hour,
greatly reduced. one day of pei
week
Glasgow. population 80 900. has
a record Of fares reduced over ~
per cent. wages increased g pr
cent hours reduced from ~ 90
per day aud n weeks work To zix
days
Sheffield. population ie5. 900. re-
duced fares 50 per cent. Increased
wages % "a cents an hour. redue-
ed hours q per cent
Cardiff. population $4,000. re-
duced fares 50 per cent. same wages
paid for a 5f-hour week a. formerly
paid for 6g-hour week.