The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-12-24
HUTCH|Ms -HINTsAT
CLEVELAND PLAN
FOR DETROIT
Says Some Such Scheme, Combined
With Much of Christmas Spirit
Might Settle Traction Problem
In Detroit.
Declares Three-Cent Fares Impracti-
cal and Says Rate Was Made Five
Cents at Pingree's Suggestion.

Let there be exercised a great deal
OF common sense. a great deal OF the
Christmas spirit. and something per.
haps OF the Chicago and Cleveland
plans OF settlement"
In the last clause OF the last sen.
tence OF his address In the popular
lecture course In Detroit college
Thursday night Jere c. Hutchlns,
president Of the Detroit United Rail.
way, gave a strong indication OF the
position OF the interests he represents
with regard 10 street railway set.
Element
Although Mr. Hutchins delivered a
long, carefully-prepared and an inter.
esting lecture, he kept away very
largely from the subject which FIR NJ.
|. Strftch. In introducing him had said
he would discuss, "the relation OF the
street railway system 10 the upbuIld.
Ing OF Detroit" and the other topic
which most OF his hearers hoped to be
enlightened on the stand Of the d. IT,
X. with regard TO a settlement OF the
pending franchise squabble.
True. the president Of the d. U. r.
made It very plain that he does not
regard three-cent fare as practical.
but his attitude was not one of attac X
ON those who advocate such a fare;
rather OF tolerance as for men who
dream OF things which cannot be. And
he did not make any statement as TO
what proper rate OF fare should be.
Pinsree Advocated Five-cent Fare.
The lecture was. for the most part,
history OF the street railway sys.
tenn or Detroit and a view OF the way
In which the organization and opera.
ton OF street railway system ap.
pcals 10 the man who bears the re.
sponsibility for il all. One startling
statement was that Gov. Hazen s. Pin
gree advised the abolition OF the six.
for-a-quarter tickets and the increase
Of fare to five cents straight after the
collapse Of the holding company plan
in 1899 This advice was given at a
conference in the Hotel Cadillac, Mr.
Hutchns stated. at which Tom l..
Johnson. ]. J. Speed. Charles l.. JOS
Ign. Alex. Mcleod and others were
present
He may have been offended be.
cause the plan he has sought TO carry
failed. but in the meantime he had
gained wisdom" was the comment on
Pingree's change OF attitude.
The lecture hall In Detroit college
was only about half filled when Prest
dent Hutchins began his talk. Three
rows OF seats in front which had been
reserved for city officials and mem
bers OF the committee OF fifty were al
most empty Aid. John HARPER was
tho only alderman to be seen from
the front. w w. Hannah the only
member OF the committee OF fifty and
Fred T. Moran. fire commissioner. and
\ Jeremiah Dryer, House OF Correction
inspector, the only her city officials
in sight.
Engineer Bancroft. who conducted
the committee OF Atty appraisal. was
an interested listener. George w.
Moore, John McVicar and F. +. In
gram, OF the municipal ownership
committee. had front seats but moved
back. at the request OF an usher. to
give room for the notables who did not
come.
Introduced BY Fr. striteh.
In introducing President Hutchins.
Fr. Stritch stated that the date for the
lecture had been made last summer
when there was no idea that the pres
ent time would be one OF crisis in
street railway affairs, while there
might be many sides TO the street
railway question, the principal ones
were the inside and the outside.
CHANGING to the slim figure or me
traction company head, FIR. Stritch re.
marked: Our speaker OF the evening
doesn't look much like the 'bloated
representative of corporate power
Truly. | think If | were to change
clothes with President Hutchins he
would look like a meek, jealous and
well-disciplined clergyman"
To begin, President Hutchins told
OF the division OF te army OF 5000
persons engaged in the operation OF
the Detroit United Railway lines: the
desire OF the company to best serve
the needs OF the great host oil street
car patrons and the many troubles In.
cident to slight differences He told.
from an inside viewpoint, Of the labor
troubles OF past years. the arbitration
wrangles, and. finally. the realization
OF the men that he desired their good
for the good OF the company and his
selection as arbiter of disputes.
Then he took up the history OF
street railways from the time OF the
strap-rail, horse-car lines in 1862.
These lines became the best in the
country OF their kind. he said. The
development OF the electric power
system and the demand for its intro
duction in Detroit were not discussed.
In the extravagant hopes OF pro-
moters OF that time, nearly 20 years
ago, for cheap and rapid transporta-
ton, he traced the inception OF the
movement for three-cent fares. Capt.
talists were led TO believe that the
street railway business was to he n
coiner OF millions and the public TO
think that they would he transported
almost without cost. The prospectnses
OF promoters did not go TO capitalists
alone but found general circulation,
forming the basis OF continual 'politi-
cal agitation since.
Early Investors Lost Money.
Early investors in Detroit street
railways lost their money, the speaker
said, and later ones expended their
earnings I'm extensions of lines. II all
the materials and rolling stock used
and cast aside had been retained. ne
asserted. there would not be enough
vacant land in Detroit TO hold II all.
This "scrapping" OF obsolete types
was the price of improvement.
In 1894, Mr.. Hutchins related he
was called to Detroit TO assume direc-
ton Of the lines here. The capitalists
who had bought most OF the lines were
trDuhled hecauap of tho three-cont fare