The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-02-18
STREET RAILWAY CHIEF
FOR PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
w. D. Mahon, Head of Street
Railway Workers, Tells Some
thing About Cities.
Experience with Private Corpo-
rations and the Poor Re-
suits Obtained.

W. D. Mahon is president of the
Amaleamated Association of Street and
Electric Railway Employees of Amerl-
ca. He has had vast experience Win
the managers of street railway corpo-
rations in the United States and Can
ada. Alone and with the assistance OF
his co-workers in the Amalgamateo
and the American Federation OF LABOR
he has raised the wages and bettered
the conditions of tens of thousands.
But in all this experience Mr.. Mahon
has never met with municipality owned
or controlled street railways.
However, this great trade union Lead
err. is deeply interested in the munich
pal ownership Of public utilities, ana
especially as to street railways. The
Chicago idea Of immediate municipal
ownership appeals to him. and While III
this city recently Mr.. Mahon said:
II believe that the municipal owner
ship Of street railways is the only So
luton of the traction problem, so
called. and that it is entirely practical
in this country as well as across the
water"
Mr.. Mahon was asked if he could tell
municipalities controlled the street rail-
way lines and operated the cars lana
he replied:
System Works in Canada.
"No-not in the United States, but
in Canada-yes. Over at Fort William
and Port Arthur, two bustling little
cities in the center of the grain coun-
try of the northwest Dominion, OF
10000 and $1,000 each, located about four
miles apart, the electric light plant, the
water works. the telephone system and
the street railway system are owned
and operated by the people. They are
q great success, according to the re-
ports 1 received when I was in Can
ada, and, although the employees of the
street railway are unorganized, be-
cause the places are so small, they are
we'll paid and cared for and the rela-
tions between the municipality and the
employees are harmonious.
when the city wanted a street rail-
way company to establish a system
there the magnates all turned up their
naves and refused to become interested.
They pooh poohed the idea. The citi-
Gems held meetings and decided to
build their own railway. They also de-
cided to erect lighting plant at the
same time, land utilize the electric
plant for both light and motor power.
The water works had already proved
a success. That was in Port Arthur,
where every one was striving with
good-hearted rivalry to surpass Fort
William.
City Controls Telephones.
"Over at Fort William the conditions
regarding the corporations were just the
reverse. The city had permitted tel
ephone corporation to establish itself,
and now, after a few years, the people
claimed they were being openly robbed
for the service. What did they do?
They ousted the corporation, took over
the properties, and now have one of the
best telephone systems III the Domin-
ion at about one-third ..os average op-
Grating cost and at about one-half the
price for service that competitive cor
porations charge,
How about the attitude Of the cor
porations? Why, the very millionaires
who ridiculed the idea of building: a.
street railway system few years ago
for Port Arthur are now striving with
property now owned and operated by
the city. They can't get it, however.
1.-THE people are satisfied. The sys-
tenn more than pays for itself, the SER
vice is good and cheap, and the en-
ployes are content. What more is re-
quired of system? The equipment is
up todate, and the power good enough
to carry all the cars that are needed in
the service. Delays are unknown, and
the flatboats that rattle over the streets
of some big American cities would be
conf1scated if they appeared within a
few miles of those Canadian cities.
In years past Brooklyn bridge was
practically controlled by the munich
pality, when commission held it in
charge. Then the employees were Well
paid, and their condition far above
those Of the average New Yark work.
er. and the eight-hour day prevailed.
But a corporation got control of that
too, and the workers now are no better
OF than the vast majority of the fac
tory employees of the metropolis
How Germany Runs State Railways.
The State Department has received
from United States Consul Britain Of
Kehl, Germany, an account of the gov
eminent owned and government-op-
ertaed railways In Baden. In part, this
report says:
The government Of the Grand Duchy
OF Baden has, within the past year,
provided further for the comfort of the
employees Of its railways. The govern
ment now owns 1886 apartment houses
where officials and other employees re-
side. The train crews have been fur
nished with sleeping accommodations
when their runs require them to be
absent from home over night, and
small cooking stoves, Of which there