The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-12
EVERY CITY NJ Us7
WORK OUT OWN
CAR PROBLEM
--F. W. STEVENS.
None Can Successfully Copy Another
Towns Plan, Says Expert, Discuss
ing "Fifty's" Ordinance, Based on
Cleveland's Scheme.
With Capable Men and Favorable
Conditions Public Ownership Would
Be Success, He Declares.
--F. W. STEVENS.

street car problem" declared Frank
w. Stevens, of Albany, New York,
chairman OF the pubic service com
mission for the second district OF New
York. who came 10 Detroit to address
the Board of Commerce at its
membership acquaintance luncheon IN
the Hotel Cadillac, Monday noon. Mr..
Stevens district comprises the entire
state OF New York outside The metrop-
oils, and he is in position 10 speak
from experience.
Il know very little about the situa-
ton in Detroit" MIR. Stevens contin-
ued. 1T may be that the conditions
here are the same as they are In
Cleveland, for instance, but | do not
believe so. In New York state we
have from 40 to so cities that have
street car systems, and in no two Of
them are the conditions the same
One city may receive helpful sugges
lions from another with respect 70
street car and other problems, but no
city can successfully copy anothers
plsn. An arrangement that has been
found entirely satisfactory in one com
munity might prove dismal failure
in another Every city must work
out its own problems according 10
local conditions"
Just previously, Mr.. Stevens had
been told OF the committee OF fifty
plan of settlement proposed for De
troit, which has been patterned large
ly after the Cleveland plan, and HIS
remarks in this connection seemed
particularly pertinent
Mr.. Stevens declined to express him
self on municipal ownership, even as
a general proposition.
Matter Of Men and Conditions.
Municipal ownership is purely a
matter OF men and local conditions"
he said. Given capable men AMI
favorable conditions, 1t would doubt
less prove a success But would
not attempt to say whether municipal
ownership would prove satisfactory in
your city"
Mr.. Stevens attention was called to
The fact that the fifty ordinance pro-
Tides, among other things, for a slid
ing scale OF fares dependent on the
cost OF service.
In my experience ! have found
that 1t Is impossible to determine the
cost of service in a given case ne
said. TN our state question arose
over the rate charged by the steam
Ataho AOI ing W. llltQ W
determine the cost of service, but
there were so many factors that
entered into 1t shat the task was i'm
. possible. A man boards street car
and rides two blocks, we will say,
while another gets ON at the next cor
+ ner and tides two miles. There is no
way TO Ak the cost of carrying either
Of these men. The best that can be
Nnua fc IN avaraQa I'm tho cost
I'm New York state the fare for
carrying a passenger from one point
to another point within the limits OF
a city is fixed by the statute at five
cents, but our commission is given the
power OF changing 1t at any time the
conditions warrant. The great prob.
lem with traction companies in New
York is the abuse of the transfer sys-
tenn. Under the law, in order 70 car
ny passenger from one point TO his
destination IL is often necessary 10
give him a transfer on a transfer. In
spite of all the precautions that have
been taken by the companies TO pro
tect themselves, the privilege is
greatly abused by passengers Why,
It is possible for man to ride half
day for nickel"
Pay-Enters a Success.
Mr.. Stevens says that pay.enter
cars have proven a success in Buffalo
especially from the company's stand
point
Immediately after the pay enter
cars were adopted the receipts in
creased eight per cent" he said.
THAT OF course, represented the fares
the company had not been able to
collect before and the fares that were
going into the pockets of the conduc-
tors"
Mr.. Stevens spent the forenoon
touring the city in an automobile, in
company with President Abner E.
Larned, G. ID. Pope, one Of the direc-
tors of the board of commerce.; Fred
erick t. Bancroft, who conducted the
appraisal of the ID. u. RS property
3 for the committee OF fifty, and ex-
+ Judge G.. j. Reilly. a member of the
committee and d. u. r. bondholder
Between Mr.. Bancroft and Judge Reil-
4 ly, Mr.. Stevens had an opportunity TO
become thoroughly posted on both
sides of the local street car situation.
and the discussion is said to have
grown interesting at times.
Mondays luncheon marked Presi-
dent Larned's debut as the boards
new presiding officer, It being the
first public function given by the
board since he took Office April z.
The main dining room OF the Cadillac
was we'll filed. and Mr.. Larned was
given a rousing send-off when he
arose to Introduce the speaker Of the
occasion.
President Larned responded brief Y
TO very complimentary introduction
by his predecessor E.sA. Sumner. and
took occasion TO put in boost for the
Industrial exposition, which he called
the most important work the board
N Of commerce has ever undertaken.
Mr.. Stevens Address.
Speaking on the topic. Traction
Problems OF a great municipality. "
Mr. Stevens said I'm part
With your kind permission I will
change the title OF my address to
The solution of the traction problem
OF a great municipality and of a state
The problems which arise In connec.
ton with public service corporations
are numerous and vexing, aud this
trouble has arisen because We have
not had an adequate tribunal TO
handle The problem One great trouble
B has been that public service corpora.
Y tlons have sought not to do all that
they could a. the way OF rendering E.
E prflic service. but, instead. have sim
N NiN reached out for pecunfarv gain