The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-02-23
CITY OWNERSHIP
ONLY settlement
-. r. INGRAM.
Nowhere Has Street Railway Prob
lem Been Solved BY Granting
of Franchise
REV. II. q. BUss.
-. r. INGRAM.

The granting Of franchise will
never settle the street railway prob
lem In Detroit-we must have munich
pal ownership" declared F. F.. Ingram.
Tuesday. commenting upon the ac-
itions OF certain aldermen, who are en-
deavoring TO delay the submitting OF
charter amendment covering the
matter.
We favor a grant OF power, those
aldermen are quoted as saying In ex-
PLANTATION and extenuation OF their
position" says Mr.. Ingram There
may be others also. that don't under
stand that the city already has the
necessary grant of power, but | doubt
IT, More likely such statements are
inspired by desire TO save 10 the ID.
u. K. its grant of power.
Those who are muddling the street
railway question that way point with
seeming pride TO how the street car
companies of Chicago and Cleveland
were brought to time.
In Chicago the street railway CON-
pany acted as II the ordinance was
being forced down its throat. Since
the plant aldermen gave II the fran
chise it has developed that the street
railway spent what the Chicago pa.
pers claim was slush fund, amount
ing to 100000. This slush fund was
distributed by saloon-keepers, corpor-
alton lawyers and what the Chicago
Examiner calls 'aldermanic agents OF
the corporations in such way as TO
secure tho franchise to the street rail
way corporation. The street railway
company has. these papers claim, ad-
ded the 100000 to rebates, etc, and
the Chicago public is now going
through the cheerful process OF pay
ing II, for II is being added to the
cost OF street car rides. while the city
authorities are spending the tax
payers money having about IT.
philadelphia has just settled the
street car problem by granting a
street car franchise at low fare.
After getting the franchise. the com
pany quit the low fares and chargeG
high fares. and the courts O. K.'d IT.
because the company must pay inter
est on watered stock.
The franchise just adopted by
Cleveland enforces the present three
cent fares for eight months, but no
longer. unless they can AFFORD IL and
nav interest on S6.000.000 OF water.
The street railway officials have al
ready said they can't afford 1t. ana
their actions. like the dickering now
going on with the Illuminating com
many. shows that three-cent fares Will
90 a-glimmering.
1T was consolidation with an Hum
mating company, by the way. that
heat the people OF Columbus out oil
three-cent fares.
The street cal company OF Colum-
bus finally defeated municipal owner
shin by accepting an ordinance that
pave eight tickets for quarter when
the gross earnings reached a certain
figure. The people OF Columbus nave
for the past five years been denied
eight tickets for quarter because the
street railway company. by consohsst-
Ing with an Illuminating company.
has boen able 70 hide It's true gross
earnings.
AT no time and nowhere has the
street railway problem been solved
by, granting franchise. a grant OF
mower forsooth. Tho people have IL,
and the street car company Ia after
Il Fortunately the outcome does not
rest with those who profess desire
20 give the people what they don't
need. while DENYING them what they
have respectfully asked for