Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-05-25
.cLAscoW's TRAmWAYs.
James Dalrymple Tells How
 Scotch City Runs Its Cars.
TEST OF MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP

TEST OF MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP General Manager of Glasgow's Tram
 way system Says Everybody Ad-
 1nits Ten Year Trial Has Been .
 success-Claims Fares Have Been
 Lowered, Wages Increased and
 Profits Used For Public Good.
 James Dalrymple, manager of the municipal tramway system in Glas- gow, Scotland, who will advise Mayor Dunne of Chicago on the municipal ownership ofs&treet railroads, was in- terviewed by William T. Stead for the New York American just before he sailed for the United States. When asked to say word or two about his Chicago visit Mr. Dalrymple replied:
 About Chicago? What word can say? I know nothing about the city. have never even seen it. I have ney- CT crossed the Atlantic. This will be my first visit to America. But about the Glasgow tramways can say any thing you like.'
 "What is Glasgow's opinion now of the municipally operated trans after ten years experience?" asked Mir. Stead. Has it been entirely satisfac- tory or has this practical test brought many defects to light:'
 You will find no two opinions about Glasgow" he declared. Our expe- riences have conclusively proved the superiority of municipal trans over those worked by the old company. We have lowered fares, extended the dis tances for the fares charged, have i'm proved the condition of the employees and electrified the whole system and still earn handsome profit, which is devoted to making the system more efficient and of greater service to the public."
 I Docs Glasgow's example throw any light on how other cities can obtain possession of their tram lines?"
 Glasgow in that respect was more favorably placed than many other cities" said Mir. Dalrymple. "The tramways always have been the city's property. They were built with the city's money, but in 1871 were leased to private company for twenty-three years, with a clause, under an act of parliament, which empowered the city to work its system if 1t failed to come to terms with the company. We'll. the company, like all private institutions, was more concerned as to dividends than as to the service given to the pub lic Consequently there was much dis satisfaction, ending in a popular move ment in favor of municipal ownership.
 ''The company's lease expired in Ju- ly, 1894, and in 1892. after an election fought on this issue. the city council decided not to renew the grant, but to provide its own plant and equipment and run it's own trans. not paying a penny of compensation to the company. This involved the city in an immense al4iertaktnE dn one year it was oblig- ed to construct the entire plant of thir- ty-one miles of double track. including depots, the stablng of 1000 horses and building of store and granary build ings.
 By the list of July everything was completed and the cars were running without a hitch. The result was that much better cars were put on and the fares were reduced 25 per cent. though the old fares had been low. A one cent fare was introduced and the distances were greatly increased. For cent one can now ride half a mile and for 2 cents almost two and half miles. For cents any inhabitant can reach the suburbs. and for he is able to reach the country in all directions "Have the tramways become more popular?"
 "Indeed. yes. During the last year
 of the company's operation it carried 54.OO0. 900 persons. We now carry 200. 100000 passengers yearly. over GO peI
 cent of them for two cent fares. Con sequently the storekeepers and tho middle classes of people can afford tt live on the outskirts of the city. and this is greatly benefiting the whol' city's health. We soon must extend
 the city's boundaries to embrace tn, overflow population"
 .'Has the reduction of fares affected
 the revenue Of the lines?"
 sf"Yes." said Mir. Dalrymple. it hai |, increased. Our experiences have beel that whenever we lowered fares thu
 receipts went up. The one cent far and the long distances covered by th, , two cent fare together made the tram immensely popular. It increased thu
 number of passengers. which has nor than compensated for lowered fares" , What about the employees?" Mir . Stead suggested. Has their condition | improvedT
 "we have been able to increas , wages and in many ways to bette
 their lot. For instance. we present L , each man his uniform. This alon
 costs the city 5000 or f6.0Oo yearly.
 "The electric system was substitute Q for horsepower four years ago. W . adopted the overhead trolley system Q with very satisfactory results. I thin | may say we have not had a singl Q person injured by wires breaking. W Q have the most efficient system of ir fl spection. Every night fhe whole sy, ii tem is.carefully examined. and all d,