Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-22
TRAMWAYS IN BRITAIN
Review of Systems in Reports
to Civic Federation.
IN RE PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
Based Upon Technical Probes by Ex-
pert Engineers.
BOTH SIDES OF THE PROPOSITION
Admirable and Concise Comparisons
Made Between Municipal and
Private Control.
BOTH SIDES OF THE PROPOSITION

NEW YORK. July 22.-The operation Of
British street railways by municipalities
and privately owned corporations, respective
\ ly, Is considered in great detail in two re-
views OF expert reports on the subject made
| to the national civic federation commission
on public ownership. The reviews were pre-
pared by members of the commission after
| an exhaustive investigation Of the systems
treated, and were made public today They
| are based upon technical reports complied
| by expert engineers who, with the review
ers, spent several months in the British
cities where the several lines are operated.
The reviews are by William ]. Clark of
| new YORK, as an opponent OF municipaiza-
tlon' and Prof. Frank Parsons of Boston,
as an advocate of public ownership and
| operation Mr.. Clark Is general manager of
| the foreign department of the General Elec-
trio Company. Prof Parsons has been a.
student of municipal ownership for years,
and Is the author of several works on that
| subject among them, The Railways. the
trusts and the People"
In his review Mr.. Clark compares the
tramWays of Great Britain with the priya te
enterprises of the United States. much to
the advantage of the latter. He declares
that the American traction systems under
private ownership are far more progressive
than those of England. Scotland and Ire
land; that they give far better suburban
service; that cars are less crowded and
that lines are being extended with far
greater rapidity. This he attributes to the
absence Of restrictions in the United States
as compared with Great Britain, where he
says private traction enterprises are given
franchises only on almost prohibitive terms
Inc difference Of rate Of fare in the two
countries, Mr. Clark says, is more than Off
set by the greater number of free transfers
given by the American systems. He says
that while on the face of reports it would
appear that municipal operation of lines in
some Of the cities of Great Britain had
been a success; that as a matter Of fact
just the opposite Is true. He says the pri-
vate companies In the United Kingdom give
a superior service compared with the
municipality operated lines.
Successful From Every Point of View.
Prof. Parsons. on the other hand, ex-
presses the opinion that municipal owner
ship Of British tramway systems has been
successful from every point OF view. He
sets forth that the municipalities were the
first to show a progressive spirit in chang
Ing from horse to electric systems;
that their lines have been well managed
and the service improved. and that fares
have been lowered in spite of the fact that
the hours of labor of employees were short
ened, While In many Instances wages were
increased. The comparisons he makes are
between British publicly owned and pri
Vately-owned companies, and in this con-
nection he declares that the British plants
must be measured by British and not by
American standards. The conditions and
habits Of the people are different he says,
and these differences must be taken into
account in the Judgment Of the manage
ment of tramways. Prof. Parsons also notes
that in England the payment of a fare
means that the passenger has a seat and
not merely the right to transit.
Mr.. Clark enters into a statistical state
ment Of the facilities enjoyed by the urban
Inhabitants Of Great Britain as compared
with the and Citv of fho
United States. In 1902 the town and city
population to each mile of tramway track
was IL. 476. while in the United States there
was mile Of track to each 1915 of town
and city population. In Great Britain there
was one car for each $3.50 of population,
while in the United States there was one
car to 574 city residents. Thus. the urban
resident Of the United States had compare
lively more than six and one-haIf times the
number Of cars available for his use than
were available to the British inhabitant.
The British systems carried 1884. 452. 1888
passengers and the American 1921 sos. 521,
and Of these 1,O62. 4O3. 1902, or practically 90
per cent Of the British total were trans
ported free on transfers.
Overcrowded Cars.
Mr.. Clark takes UP the charge that the
traction cars in the United States are over
crowded and declares that the figures given
above show that on the basis Of passengers
carried per car per year the American car
averages only 93.5S5 passengers per year.
as against 1872, 1853 per year carried by the
the Briton paid az average Of 2.26 CENTS
against an averoSe OF 3.78 cents in the
United States. the writer points out that
the formers facilities for travel were from
IL to Is per cent OF those enjoyed by the
American passenger. In 1907 there were
two British cities of more than 10000 pop
ulation. seven with populations Of from
80, 900 to 100000, and thirty nine with from
m In Qh inf vIyfth or
railways. but in the United States there
was no city Of moro than 5000 people
without traction service.
From 1890 to 1902 the length Of tramway
line (not track) in the United Kingdom in
creased 636 miles. or from 94S to 1,4S4
miles. while in the United States in the
same period there was an increase of 10, 1855
miles, or from 5,7S3 to 1883 miles, This
great extension Of service in the United
States resulted in an actual decrease In the
number OF passengers carried per mile Of
line. On this point Mr.. Clark says:
These features clearly demonstrate that
the British policy has been to electrify and
not greatly extend existing tramways ex-
cept through densely populated districts,
which means obtaining the greatest pos:
sible revenue without affording adequate
transportation facilities, whereas in the
United States private enterprise has con-
structed lines which afford public facilities,
but which in many instances do not bring
an adequate return.
ut is well to note in this Connection that
the policy pursued in the United Kingdom
must necessarily result in low rates of
fares If. in such cities as New York,
Philadelphia, Chicago and st. Louis We
were to cut down the miles Of track to cor
respond to the conditions prevailing In such
cities as London. Glasgow, Manchester and
Liverpool We would find that there would
be only about 21 per cent of the present
track. and furthermore, that this COMPARE
lively small and inadequate trackage would
be. for the most part. confined to densely
populated districts. If American street
railway systems We're cut down as 1ndicat-
ed. the fares could be very materially re-
duced. The permissible length of ride would
be materially reduced and the comnany
would be operating the most profitable lines
only, while those whicn are at present rI1n
with little profit. and in some cases even at
loss. would not be embarrassing and han
dlcapplng the company as they are today
point of great advantage in American
street railways, according to Mr. Clark IA
that they are operated on the averare
eighteen hours per day. with aIInieht
service In the larger cities. while in Great
Britain the average is fifteen hours and
there is no all-night service ''A
Mr.. Clark estimates that the British mn
inequalities and local governments enioy n
total Of possible financial benefits from
tramway operations Of about $3.50 l76 hut
that American traction enterprises and
their stockholders pay a total Of S43
433. constituting a government revenue
more than $34 900 900 per wear preater tho,