The Detroit times., 1909-01-14
50 MILES OF new
TRACK NEEDED FOR
VERNON PLAN
PRINCIPAL FEATURE OF LATEST
SOLUTION OF TRACTION PROB
LEM IS RE.RoUTlNo OF LINES
SOME CHANGES PROPOSED.

In introducing his model traction
franchise. AID. James Vernon. of the
Second ward, has stirred things up
notably. Some OF Mayor Breitmeyers
friends are inclined to think that YER
nor has been rather presumptuous In
an ordinance before the
committee OF so has had chance TO
get at the facts as to operating cost OK
street railways.
Vernon, however, intends TO bring
his ordinance before the Breitmeyer
as a draft TO work along
when 1t has gained tie necessary an
formation TO work with. IL Is py no
means new idea with him, as he out
lined the plan, now put In concrete
form, year and hair ago. us
principal idea is OF re-routing OF tne
street railway lines so as TO carry
the passengers at the lowest cost.
The course OF Vernor's work Is
shown In seven large maps which nanx
in his Woodward ave office. he nrst
took the lines whose franchises have
expired or will expire in 1909 and 1917.
and traced them upon map. Tnen
he traced the lines the franchises OF
which expire in 1915, 1924 and other
years on another map. which proved
conclusively that the ID. U. X. SUD
urban cars could be brought into the
city only by roundabout lines after tns
expiration of the main franchises.
A third map shows the streets which
will be available for new system
after June, 1910. A fourth map shows
the new trackage that would De
available for a new system after June,
1910. A fourth map shows the new
ltrackage that would be necessary 10
make a working street railway system
in opposition to the three-cent lines
and stub-end lines which the ID. U. X.
would have remaining. A fifth map
shows the ideal system In case the
ID. u. r. accept the franchise, another
map the new trackage the ID. u. X.
would require and the last map Is
combination to show the ideal system
with the old lines and new ones In
different colors.
To complete the ideal system, re-
routed. the D. y. r. would have to
build about so miles OF new trackage,
but much OF the material for this
would come from abandoned lines.
! Thinks system Would Pay.
There is no doubt in my mind but
that this new system could be operated
at a good profit at three-cent fares.
says vefnor There would be d.
vision OF expenses so that the Detroit
lines would pay only their proper
tionate share OF running the system.
IF the ID. u r. Is not willing to
accept such a franchise as this II
would be for one Of two reasons:
Either they would not be satisfied with
I per cent on the actual investment or
they do not fear competition. As to
( the latter, think that there are
capitalists who would be willing to
take up the proposition. possibly the
same men who were behind the Peo-
pies Railway Co. offer some time ago.
! "If the u. U. r. officials feel that
they cannot run the lines according TO
this franchise, II would be up to them
to suggest notifications as to rates
Of fare or as to routing would not
expect all the lines OF the ideal sys-
TEN TO be built at once"
! Vernon has a firm idea that the in
viting OF competition to bid on the
franchise would stir up the ID. u. r.
TO act, inasmuch as this city Is the
center OF the whole ID. u. r. system,
and the interurban and freight busi-
ness depends upon holding strong
CONTINUED on Pare Eight