The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-09-22
City Council Follows in Wake
'. of Good Bishop, and Asks
for Conference With Man.
agement of Duluth Street
=: Railway Company to Dis
cuss Question.

. Bishop McGolrick touched the; heart
string of l1eas common + fofissso thfs
city last week when he said that it
was due to the street car company
to give half fare to school children.
The Evening Herald took the subject
up in news way and secured sew
eral interviews from prominent public
officials, and finally two members Of
the City Council, simultan eously, so to
speak, introduced resolutions in the
council bearing on the subject, and
calling for a conference of Street Rail-
way officials to talk the matter over.
Alderman Lyle was the father Of
the original resolution, but as it pro-
vided only for school children, Alder
man Staples insisted that it should
cover workingmen from 6 a. m. to 8
a. M, and from p. m. to p. m. This
was agreed to, and the combined reso-
lutlon was adopted.
OF course the council can do little
in the matter by law. The liberal
franchise enjoyed by the street rail-
way company states that the fare shalt
be five cents, and heretofore 1t has been
held that little, If any regulation can
be made by the council. All the Alder-
men can do is use moral suasion with
the officers, coupled occasionally with
threat Of some nature.
Street Car Company Finances.
An analysis of the financial state-
ment OF the Duluth Street Railway
filed with the City Comptroller at the
beginning of the year indicates that
the company can give two and one
half cent fare to workingmen and
school children without any serious
loss. In fact it is believed that the
reduction will make little difference in
the receipts Of the local system.
More people will ride on the cars,
and little extra expense will be re-
quired. But the Street Railway off,
cials are not in the habit of catering
to the wants an desires Of the public
unless they are compelled to. That is
the difference between public and
private ownership. If Duluth owned
her own street railway system it's first
desire would be to please the public.
The private companies only think Of
profits. and the gran ting of certain
limited conveniences to the public, just
enough to keep them from becoming g
indignant, and not sufficient to have
them too we'll pleased.
Can the Street Railway company af-
ford to grant half fare to school
children and workin gmen during GER.
tain hours Of the day? We believe that
cial loss We do not believe there is
a desire on the part of any advocate
of the half fare to do the street rail-
way people an injustice. But when
they ask the people of Duluth to pay
an excessive fare at al! hours Of the
day to help them pay interest on an
| exceedingly high bonded Indebtedness
they are asking too much.
Company is Making Money.
We maintain that the Duluth Street
Railway is making money when the
earnings are figured against the actual
cost of the system. According to the
statement on file in the office of the
City Comptroller, the Street Railway
company swears that the actual cost
of the plant is $3,O95,4s1.42.. It has a
bonded Indebtedness apportioned to the
Duluth system of $1,666, ,66667, and it
| owes the Duluth-Superior Traction
| company $1,o0o,ooo, money advanced. It
should be said in passing that the Du-
luth-Superior Traction company holds
2991 Of the 5000 chares Of stock issued
by the company. The value of this
stock amounts to 100000.
The total receipts of the local COM
pany amounted last year to $481,979.21.
The: expenditures were as follows :
Operating expenses, Including taxes.
1856. 362.S2; damage claims, $24,468.so;
legal expenses, $s,25o.00; Interest on
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