The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-01-19


Toxic tram companies concluded to
combine. They applied for permits
sion to do so, saying that they could
save money in operation thereby.
They further applied for permission to
ask half a cent more fare, for WHICH
they proposed in return to give trans
fers between the lines.
The public officials consented to
this, but the travelling public objected
to the increased fare, small though it
was, and the company insisting, riot
occurred.
The mayor of Toxic announced
himself strongly in favor of municip-
alizing the street railroads of Toxic
This declaration met with quick re-
spouse from the public, but it also met
with as quick opposition from the con-
solidated railroad companies. The ia
miliar cries of robbery" "confisca-
tom" and high talk of honor" and
honesty" were at once heard from
the larger stockholders.
The Toxic Railway company re-
ceived its char,ers subject to the con-
ditions, that the local or imperial gov
eminent have the right to buy or
make special use of the whole or a
part of the system at any time such
a course should appear to be neces-
sary for the public interest, the COM
pany, however, being entitled to reas-
finn h,1f hninu
PEELED to abide by the decision Of
the home minister, should appeal be
taken from the action of the other au-
thorities.
A Reasonable Compensation"
And as to what constitutes "rea-
sonable compensation in case of pur-
chase, the law requires that the av-
erage yearly income during the next
preceding five years shall be consid-
| cred seven per cent OF the amount
| which is to be paid.
1t is Mayor Ozaki's judgment that
| the city government cannot only give
a better service than the present pri-
vate management is giving but that
| this can be done on a reduced fare,
since public credit being better than
private, the government can buy the
system at a lower rate of interest than
the private companies have to pay.
And he thinks, furthermore, that a
considerable revenue can be turned
into the city treasury, more especially
Union 10 industrial
position is to take place in Toxic.
OF course, Mayor Ozaki may be
mistaken as to the possibilities of a
street railway system operated on a
basis of less than two-cent fare, but
the wrathful opposition of the rail-
way company to his proposal indicates
that he cannot be far wrong.
Nearly third of the steam rail-
the imperial government, and under
recent act of the diet the major portion
of the privately constructed and Ope-
rated roads is to be bought and Ope-
rated by the government. This mat
ter of purchase was made a condition
of their charters, and only one pri-
vateroad received a 50-year term, all
the other grants being for not more
than 25 years.
These lines embrace II companies
The purchase price will be, it is esti-
mated, approximately $4,000 900,
which will be paid for in bonds, which,
according to the official cOmputa
ton, will be redeemed out of the
earnings of the roads themselves
within 80 years. The earnings of
these roads. after they shall have paid
for their purchase, is figured out at
something like $25,O0O,0OO a year-a
very handsome income to the imperial
government.
One of the great benefits promised
to the public by the transfer of these
private companies from private ito
public hands is a longer continuous
and cheap haul, with no discrimina-
| ton. This has made the government
ownership project very popular in
Japan.