The Detroit times., 1909-12-04
NICHOLS STRONG
FOR 3-CENT FARES
Says Settlement He and Gilman
Propose Is Temporary Measure,
Pending Final Agreement.

Since the hearing OF Thursday
morning before the council franchise
committee, City Clerk Nichols has
heard such varied comments on the
Glinnan-Nichols plan, then discussed.
that he believes the people of the
city generally do not understand the
proposition. In an interview given out
Saturday he says in part:
Il desire at this time TO announce
that my personal opinion Is that the
people will never accept franchise
which does not call upon the ID. u. K.
to give three-cent fares on all its lines,
good at any time of the day or night,
with universal transfers, and the COM
pany to pave between the tracks l
am equivically for three-cent fares,
and the sooner the ID. Y. X. concludes
to give the people this rate OF fare,
the better for that corporation. IL Ii
continues TO resort to the tactics now
employed OF giving out figures that
are absolutely contradictory and II IT
persists in its efforts to befuddle the
minds of the people and prevent u
settlement on the three-cent basis,
there can be only one result, and that
is municipal ownership.
"A striking example of the methods
employed by the ID. u. r. in giving out
figures pertaining to the cost OF oper'
alton and earnings of the company, Is
the statement filed by the ID. u. X
with the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, in which IL declares that III
1905 there was an increase in gross
e0rnings, over the gross earnings OF
1907, Of 4l,515. while in the figures
given TO Mr.. Gridley, the company
claim that in 1908 it carried nearly
800 600 fewer passengers than In 1907
Il is such remarkable conduct on the
part of the ID. u. r. that has created
distrust OF that corporation In the
minds OF the people. But while | am
emphatically, at present and always
shall be for three-cent fares, | insist
that it is apparent that the perman'
ent adjustment of the street car mat
ter is long way of. and that In the
meantime the people OF Detroit who
live anywhere on the 66 miles of
track where the ID. u. X. Is now oper'
ating without a franchise. are entitled
To have at least the same rate of fare
as Is now given on the old Pingree
lines. namely, eight tickets for quar-
ter and six tickets for q quarter after
1880 o'clock at night.
"It has been pointed out by some OF
the opponents of this scheme that II
the ID. u. II. wanted to retaliate II
could charge rate OF fare on Wood
ward-ayes OF eleven septs because
CT thezlact that there are strips OF
track on Woodward where the fran
chises have not expired. In answer
| want to say that the same condition
prevails all over the city and II the
people of Detroit do not desire to fight
the ID. u. r.. then quite possibly II
would not be a good thing TO adopt
this resolution. but the fact remains
that one year from now or when any
permanent adjustment Is suggested
the ID. IT, r. will still be in the posi-
ton OF being able to charge several
fares on certain lines of track, SO that
the only question Is whether the peo
plc OF Detroit want to fight the ID y
r. today and show them that they
mean business or whether they lie
sire to continue paying a straight
five-cent fare on the 6S miles OF track
where the franchises have expired fOr
orc year. two years or any length oi
lime that may elapse before the per
manant settlement"