The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-15
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP IN err
CAGO.

was mandatory In It's nature, II demanded
the termination Of all negotiations for an
extension OF existing franchises or for the
granting OF new franchises II demanded
that the city government proceed At once
70 negotiate with the street railway com
panies for the purchase OF their tangible
property and their unexpired lawful fran
omses.' II declared that In the event OF
the failure Of such negotiations 'tho city
government shall proceed without delay
10 acquire the property Of the street rail-
ways, OF in lieu thereof, or In
connection herewith, to establish new
street car lines In place Of those now In
operation
The people Of Chicago backed this dem
mite announcement OF their desires, this
expression Of their will, by a liberal ma
Jor1ty at the polls. But the will Of a munich
| pal majority, like the will OF an individual,
sometimes encounters a little bunch Of
cold facts which impedes, II II does not
prohibit, the contamination Of It's purposes.
Chicago might vote unanimously that the
sun shine twenty-four hours a day, or that
no labor union within its city limits should
go on a strike. It does not follow that
her gloomy thoroughfares would be radiant
az midnight, or that her wage earners would
settle down TO a peaceful and contented
acceptance Of their wages and hours. Nor
does It follow that the people Of Chicago
will at some early day ride swiftly through
their streets in up to date street cans owned
by the city, simply because at the present
time they think they wish TO do 50.
In her wretched street car system Chicago
Is reaping the inevitable harvest Of her past
/ folly. Whether she will find the desired
relief through the empirical remedy pro-
| posed remains to be seen. There are many
| who do not think that she can and there
are many who do not believe that she will.
/ The whole affair is extremely complicated,
1 and II il doubtful il Mr.. Dunno is the man
/ who will cut the Gordian knot. IL - also
( most doubtful whether the cutting Of the
/ knot with the sword Of municipal owner
/ ship would materially help the situation.
Disguised with the service which they
have had for several years, and swayed by
| the political influences which have been
dragged into the question, the people OF
I Chicago appear TO have lost sight for the
| time Of the kernel Of the matter-efficient
| service. The service has been atrocious
/ for a number Of years. Little or nothing
has been done for its improvement. There
| fore, they argue. nothing ever will be done
! by the present owners, and unless they take
I the matter into their own control they will
| be jerked through the streets in ramshackle
cars until the crack Of doom. The argu-
ment is neither sound nor logical, nor is II
at all certain that municipal ownership is
either the best OF the only way by which the
service can be made what il should be.
The leading factors in the situation are
the Union Traction Company and the Chi
cago City Railway Company. the latter
dividend Garner and the former in the
hands Of receivers. Both are now owned by
a group Of Eastern capitalists. With any
assurance that they could invest their
money, with reasonable safety the pro-
prietors would make their lines equal in
equipment and efficiency to any in the
United States Selfish interest would i'm
pei them to do So The cost Of operating
the present system, known as the Union
Traction, with its noisy cable and it's fire.
quent interruptions makes profit almost i'm
possible. But Chicago has deafened herself
with her own olamor for municipal owner
ship, and the proposals Of the company
have passed unheard and UNDECIDED.
What Chicago really wants IL good ser
vice. How she gets ii il a matter Of less i'm
portance in fact, though at present it has
submerged the major question. It may
we'll be that ere long her people will regain
their equilibrium and get back to the real
issue. She is now so interested in a par
ticular kind Of medicine that she has for
gotten the disease for which she proposes
to take II.
Just what the rights Of the present COM
panles are, or just what life remains In
their tangled franchises, no man can say.
Undeniably, they have rights, and IL is
doubtful II the courts can decide upon them
very much before every car in operation
has fallen to pieces from old age. Conhsca-
ton Is out Of the question. Condemnation
proceedings are possible, and Chicago
Judge has said that they could be instituted
and terminated in about eighteen months.
It is probable that they could be, but it Is
doubtful II they would be. Assuming a
mutually satisfactory price TO have been
agreed upon, the city cannot buy the roads.
She has not the lawful power to issue bonds
10 cover the amount involved either by an
agreement or by condemnation proceed
inks.
The so-called Mueller bill, passedby the
State Legislature in 1907, opens a possible
door for purchase. This bill declared that
'every city In Illinois Is empowered TO own,
construct, acquire, maintain and operate
street railways within the corporate limits
II provided for the issuance Of municipal
bonds for the specific purpose Of street
railway construction after submission Of
the question to the people, two thirds Of
the voters voting thereon having given
their approval. IL also provided for the
issuance Of street railway certificates which
shall be a charge upon the railways and not
upon the city, and may be secured by a
mortgage or deed Of trust The scertif-
cate route il the channel Of transfer now
under consideration.
Before use can be made OF this method
several steps remain 10 be taken. The
courts must decide that such certificates
can be lawfully issued. A price must be
agreed upon between the city and the pres
ent owners. II the owners decline 70 trans
fer their property at a price acceptable 70
the authorities, condemnation proceedings
must be instituted. II is doubtful II the
matter could be cleared up inside Of two
years, during which the system would con-
tinue 70 deteriorate and the citizens be
put to ever increasing Inconvenience and