The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-13
THE MINNEAPOLIS JOURNAL
IS AGAINST
CITY OWNERSHIP
Dalrymple, Who Passed on Ameri.
can Conditions, Deems IN.
o.. a Menace.

Chicago, March .13.--The report Of
James Dalrymple, the manager of the I
streetcar companies Of Glasgow, Scot
land, which are operated under the di-
rection of the municipality, upon the
local transportation system Of Chicago
has at last been made public.
Mr.. Dalrymple visited Chicago i'm
mediately after the election Of Mayor
Dunno upon municipal ownership
platform last spring, to examine into
the condition Of the street railways. Of
this city and report, upon the advisa-
bility and best method Of operating
them under municipal ownership. His
report was sent to Mayor Dunno imme-
diately after his return to Glasgow, but
it out for publication. He has been
asked for it by the press and the city
council many times, but has always re-
fused to allow it to be seen by anybody.
He claims that Mr.. Dalrymple came to
Chicago as his personal guest, and that
the report was, therefore, his especial
property.
| copy of the report from Alexander
| Walker, deputy town clerk Of Glasgow.
| Report Unfavorable.
The report, in effect, is against the
municipal operation Of streetcar COM
! panies in Chicago, unless it has become
impossible to reach an agreement with
| the companies now operating lines in
the city streets.
conditions in the city, the report says:
'sI had not been many hours in your
city before I fully realized why the
| citizens of Chicago should be 50 anxious
that change be made at once in the
80 or
and It did not surprise me that you
should have been elected mayor by
such large majority when you had
intimated to your people that If elect
: ed that YOU would take Immediate steps
to have the street railways owned and
operated BY the municipality. con
slider that your citizens are fully war.
rantel in demanding an immediate
change 50 that they may have the
travelling facilities that are now en-
joyed by the citizens of every Other
; The Litigation.
The report then alludes to the liti
cation in progress between the city ant
9 the sstreetcar companies, which was g set Sc
= tied Yesterday by decision OF thu
% United States supreme court, and says
s "Presuming that you are able at
satisfactory figure to purchase the pres
70 ent franchises, there would undoubtedl,
- be very grave danger in your city al
y tempting to operate what would be tn
. largest Street railway understanding i
70 the world without making very radi
. cal change in the methods usually, EN-
" ploved in carrying on municipal work b.
70 the citiesAof the United States. ,Alth
% the time may not have yet arrive
% when your>city could take over the re
sponsibility should it be the desire o
your citizens to do so, yet think an al
vs. in view
re The writer then suggests that a
&c effort be made to come to terms wit
the company now operating streetca
&c lines in the city. and suggests that
IT, that is not possible. there is only on
he thing to do, which is start a. new lin
e as soon as the franchises under whic
.. the companies are now operating, e.
. pire.
~ To the Scrap Heap.
- : The report then declares that tx
present equipment Of the compani,
should be re1egated to the scrap hea
as the lines should be placed in perfe,
or condition. The limit Of this period, !
It fixes as twenty years, with the cit
having the right to take possession !;
the end Of fve-year periods. The r
port concludes as follows:
IS, g I should be very sorry indeed
ed you were forced to take such step
starting new lines when the frauchis
Of the present companies expire b
cause, speaking. generally, I should sa
from my knowledge and experience /,
!. what it means to operate a municip
g street railway system, that the munic
~ palities Of the United States are not y
quite ready. to successfully undertal
this work -
~, ~ Mr.. Dalrymple strongly recommen,
~ ~ the overhead trolley for motive powe
n nh saying that ITO install the undergrou1
81 trolley in any extent would for variol
al reasons, be a scandalous waste q
e9 money!
IN:
or Git-La Grippe cures the worst cold