The Detroit times., 1908-06-26
PROBLEM
MAY Be SETTLED
BY NEW PLAN
PROPOSED THAT RiohTs IN
STREETS BE Leased TO o. v.
r.. ON BASIS OF FAIR INTEREST
RATE TO COMPANY.

The visit Of the council TO Clsve-
land. Wednesday. may have much to
do with bringing up propositions for
settlement Of the street railway
question In Detroit this year.
Much interest has been shown In
the Cleveland attempt al q solution
through a holding company plan. AZ.
ter close inspection. the Detroit aid
ermen came away satisfied that Tom
l.. Johnson's plan 10 a failure so far.
A second visit will be made by the
council franchise committee in a short
time, headed by Chairman Watson.
and the outcome Is likely TO be rad
ically new proposition, with some
points taken from the Cleveland plan,
which may be In shape for a vote OF
the people next September
The idea suggested is that of a
lease OF the rights In the streets.
where franchises have expired. to the
ID. u. X. on the basis OF a guaranteed
rate Of interest to the company on
the actual cash investment, with the
stipulation that the service shall be
the best obtainable. The rate OF fare
would be the minimum obtainable
now. with a yearly renewal of terms
that would result In lowering OF
fares as operating costs decreased In
proportion TO income.
This would give the operating COM
pany the advantage Of an assured div
idend on fair return, and the city
the advantages Of the best service
and the lowest fare reasonable. Many
OF the aldermen are OF the opinion
that the average fare in q period OF
years would be lower by this method
than by granting franchise which
would give a definite rate Of fare for
20 years or more. the latter plan hav-
ing the further disadvantage that the
city would have to fight continuously
for good service and paving while, If
the lease were based on definite
return. II would be to the company's
make its plant as good as possible.
| Things are In a chaotic state in
Cleveland" says AID. Watson. There
Is an undercurrent OF popular senti-
ment brewing that threatens the flu
ture Of Johnson and his plan. He is
being forced into the position of hav-
ing the settlement referred to popular
vote. having fought that off about as
long as he can.
THE service is bad. We saw over
crowded cars from the time we ar
rived. The service has been cut of
where It did not pay and fares have
really been increased by reason of
the transfer charges. The people are
not satisfied. might cars have been
taken of and the service Is cut down
on many lines 30 that cars are 10
and 15 minutes apart. We would not
stand for such service here.
Il was told by one of the Cleveland
aldermen that the Cleveland Electric
company is better satisfied with the
Johnson plan than 1t would have
been with its own offer OF a 20-year
franchise at seven tickets for quar-
ter"
Aid HARPER found no Clevelanders
entirely satisfied.
II would never think OF submitting
such proposition here In Detroit"
he says. Our people would nevet
favor such a condition. One Of the
Johnson councilmen told me that II
Tom l.. were to be up for election
now. he would not know he was run
ming. Johnson has told the council
not to get cold feet as he had to go
slowly. but the popular feeling Is
strongly against him."
The Cleveland settlement Is q
farce" declares Aid. ling. only the
people who go directly to work with
out getting transfers are benefited at
all. Others have to pay more Where
We went. out jWoodland-ave.. tie peo-
pie have to pay eight cents to go
down town and a cent more X they
neei transfers. The Cleveland street
railway system Is so laid out that 1t
often takes three transfers TO get
where you want to go.
THE cars are tad and the seats
hard mot as good as ouis. ,herc
are not enough cars. and ] wi:h the
people who took Photographic OF De-
tco:t's crowded cars could SEQ some
In Clevelend. The city has TO pave
between the tracks. which is a pix ex-
pense as we have found here on our
three.cent lines"
Some women would rather find Sc
crets ont thamselvQs than he told