Chicago eagle., 1909-05-01


waited roads have assentcd to through
routing under certain conditions, but
up to the present time nothing has been
done. The ~" roads, apparently, take
the position that through routing under
five cent fares will force them into
bankruptcy. Answer might he made
that a maximum ride Of 22H miles
has already been secured on one Of the
surface through routes, and yet there
are no Indications that the surface
lines are going into the hands OF re-
celvers. However. there is no question
that under unified ownership and ope-
ration. all the through routing desired
could be effected without confscation.
The money In street car operation is
In short haul traffic. This Ia the
profit OF the business and II has long
been a wonder to me that no little ut.
tentlon has been paid to short haul
traffic. particularly in the down town
district. Surface cars nre especially
suited to short haul business. and Gle.
waited lines are designed to take care of
the long ha,lls. Under unified owner
ship ami operation. there would be no
occasion for IL" trains stopping at
such short Intervals as at present, nor
J there any reason why trains origin.
atlng on the South side should not Ike
through-rOutei as far as Chicago ave.
nue. on the north. and North Side
trains through.routed as far as 3Oth
street on the south.
Every citizen Of Chicago should be
enabled for q nickel to take the short.
est route. be It surface. elevated or
subway. or any or all Of these com.
bined, to any part Of the central busl.
ness district.
am fully convinced that system
OF subways should not he considered In
Chicago, or even definitely planned, un.
I'll 1t has been ascertalned what the
capacity Of the surface and IL" lines
would be II operated Jointly. Subway
construction Is very expensive, and
when errors In such construction are
made 1t In extremely difficult to correct
them. Elevated construction, on the
other hand, Is far more expensive than
surface construction, and by the same
token elevated extensions should not
be made until It is determined just
what can be done with the surface
lines. Under a three-level system of
transportation In this city, all branches
or service should be co-0rdlnated In
such manner that the elevated should
supplement the surface lines aud the
subways both surface aud elevated
lines operated Jointly. The surface
lines should handle as much as possible
| or the short haul traffic, and the IL"
lines should absorb generally the long
haul traffic, ana the subway should
combine the functions OF both surface
ana elevated cars after their Joint On.
mcity has been exhausted.
Chicago is the greatest center In the
world. ana 1t IL also the greatest mail
transfer point, there being 541 mail
trains to be met daily by the local post
Office. Our depOts ana terminal rail-
way stations are scattered all over the
downtown district. The city stands In
great need of better facilities for
reaching not only the depOts, but the
larger hotels and public buildings. Chi
cago needs a short line to take care
OF this kind of traffic. We ought to
be able to say to u stranger who Is
seeking Information as to how he may
reach particular depot, take any
red ear Let the color or destination
lie what II may, but let 1t be such that
he who runs may read.
30 far as reconstruction OF surface
lines Is concerned, both the Chicago
City Railway Company ana the Chlca-
20 Railways Company have made sub
stantial progress, ana plans are beInx
formulated for the rehabilitation of
the extreme south side system owned
by the Calumet & South Chicago Rail-
way Company, and operated by the
City Railway Company. The Chicago
City Railway Company, which accept.
cd Its ordinance q year In advance Of
the Chicago Railways Company, has
reconstructed seventy-five miles Of
cable and electric track, and has ex-
pended on rehabilitation nearly S12,.
OOO,OOO The Chicago Railways Com.
pany has built seventy.four miles OF
track and has expended ON sshabilita.
! tao,, N onn n<Ao@ - ~ g -7772 !