Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-12-08
CHILL FOR FlVE.CENT FARE
General Manager Smith Informs COMMITTEES
Such q Rate is Impossible,
CUTS TOO HEAVILY INTO THE PROFITS
Company, He says, Contemplate
Erecting New span TO Present
Bridge Some Time During
the Coming Year.
CUTS TOO HEAVILY INTO THE PROFITS

Inc directors OF the OInhna a COunGlA
Blufs Street Railway company may deem
it advisable TO grant straight scent fare
between Council Bluns and Omaha but
the prospects are not of the brightest
The committee from this city which
waited upon General Manager W. A Smith
yesterday did not receive any encourage
ment from that official, but on the con-
trary Mr.. Smith told the committee in
plain, hard, cold words that the reduction
OF the fare between the two cities was al
utter impossibility." At the same time
Mr.. Smith was very candid in his ayowal
that he would not recommend to the d.
Iectors the reduced fare asked for.
The committee. despite the cold water
thrown on its mission by General Man
ager Smith, decided to present the matter
to the directors Of the company and left
for presentation to them the following pc
tition:
To the Directors Of the Omaha & Coun-
Gil Bluds Railway and Bridge Company
and the Omaha & Council BLUFFS Street
Railway Company; The West End I'm,
the city council of the city of Council
Bluffs by their committees duly ap-
pointed, and the city of Council Bluffs Al
large by committee appointed BY the
mayor, under a resolution passed at
mass meeting Of the citizens thereon,
hereby request that an unlimited scent
fare be made over the lines of your street
railway company between any point in the
city of Council BLUFFS and any point in the
city of Omaha, as is now in force between
the city Of Omaha and the city Of South
Omaha Believing that such an action on
your part would be for the mutual benefit
of the cities interested and OF your COM
pany in increase of revenue and removal
| OF a present discrimination against the
city Of Council Blufts, we respectfully ask
the careful fair and favorable consldera-
tlon OF this request
/ s Pleasant, but Not Receptive.
The committee was most courteously re-
ceived by General Manager Smith. and he
listened to the arguments presented by 1t
I with evident interest, but he was perfectly
! candid In his statement that he did not for
one moment anticipate that the directors at
their meeting next Monday would favorably
consider the proposition Of the scent fare
| between the two cities. -.-.
Postmaster A S. Hazelton and former
Mayor NJ F. Rohrer presented the matter
to MIR. Smith on behalf of the committee.
Mr.. Hazelton, in his argument, took the DO
sition that Council Bluffs, Omaha and South
Omaha ought to be considered by the street
railway company as one city. The citizens
Of Council Bluffs, he said, considered they
were being Disseminated against in the
matter Of street car fares and felt that they
I ought to be accorded at least the same IA
vors granted the citizens Of South Omaha
Mr.. Rohrer urged a reduction Of the
bridge tolls both for pedestrians and vehi-
Giles and took advantage of the opportunity
to call attention to the need of better serv-
Ice during the evening hours when residents
OF Council Bluffs are returning from their
4 employment in Omaha The service. he
commended, was inadequate during these
hours and the cars were in consequence UNI
comfortably crowded
General Manager Smith, in support of his
position that scent fare between the two
lcities was not to be considered. stated that
the cost OF maintaining the bridge over the
Missouri river and the line between Coun-
ell Bluffs and Omaha was enormous"
scent fare, he argued, would mean the cut
ting in two OF the revenues Of the company
on this line, and he gave It as his opinion
I that the possible increase in travel over the
line would not materially make up the loss
Mr. Smith further told the committee thai
the company was at present planning re.
pairs on the bridge and the construction OF
! a new span at the east end which would
cost in the neighborhoOd Of $4,000 to 800
900, and with this expenditure in sight 1
was not likely, In his opinion. that the d.
rectors would see their way TO cutting tn,
I fare between the two cities in half Con
SluulnB' Mr.. smith sad: Il am contiden
that the directors win not for a momen
consider the proposition and win regard 4
as do. an utter impossibility."
Appeal 20 Commerce Commission.
The committee. IL is understood, viii
await the meeting OF the directors OF tn
street railway company. when, II the re
quest for the reduced fare is turned down
1t will appeal to the Interstate Commerce
commission, as directed by the resolution
: which prevailed at the mass meeting in tn
city hall last week. While the Interstat
! Commerce commission win be appealed to
the opinion is that this body lacks jurisdc
ton over street railways and that II viii b
powerless to interfere in the matter II thi
proves to be the case, there is talk OF al
/ lacking the right Of the street railwa
> company TO operate in Council Bluffs, II be
J ing alleged that It HAS no franchise in thi
city.