The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-11
Of Notifications Of the Street Railway Franchises Of Rnhmond-Conhmel

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streot railways. like other transportation eosspanea are 4depsndsns mn
tho revenue derived from sMo OF transportation to the pubic g rasct thah,I
obligations to the public their operating expenses and hasa rharsea.1v Y
the increased cost or everything entering into the operating ezpcnso Of atreSN
railway companies and The cos of furnishing tho service .te limit of whAf
increase does not yet seem to have been rcacheda' With the innreasc iS
the demands o. the public fol- improved eautpment r frequency IF aaleA
secure capital Tor roveme nd extensions j he Tines Il service NH
difficulty is n which must b confronted and met by the company and IN
public in a spirt Q fairness. II the public asks more in the way OF ionssf
hauls auiekes service. more expensye equipment with correspondents eol
yeniences and increase in property values. then. they ought TO be willing
sests Thereof. = s = $500, =, = 80 - = 51
y law, M Il the public through. its governmental bodies. undertakes to II
to see that the compensation nxed a. a reasonable oe n changed ss
often as the operating conditions and justice to the company may require.
There are several ways Of meeting this situation.
The method employed In European cities q being seriously cord
sdered in many American cities is that of regulating the fare by the Distant
travelled. and having vhat. is known Is fare zones or mileage system rasa
gets in the way Of transportation. It is subject to the objection tME
the public in America is lot educated to this method. and since II tncreasaY
the rate Of fare With the distance trayeledt tends to prevent the development
to induce The concentration Of population in small areas. I
sou IL n g { s easv q .n m ,s,sgs. system afm m = not no. ado. adopted, Cd and the companies Saht
based upon the average fare per passenger. 4 fare witch was reasonable ssg
years aso is urreasonaby low at this time, vhe the price Of ali, material
n y labor "a greatly increased. and taxes and other public charges are mud
eayler while the service rendered Is better. n more expensive TO ul
company THAI that REQUIRED ten years ago. az
The manaseme Of the COMPANY desire to render to- the people OF uI
es'enhon Of such service as rapidly a 8 conditions viii warrant to- sontrlbul
property and taxable values. IL the company IL expected to render r' ts,ss :.
, nm1 % !. public ,o Il IN has sa the right u o. the other hand TO expect that the col
eauona return therefors SUFFICIENT to meet the increasing cost Of opera,hhI
ASa0A6So NhNSAL LIN company HuhC cav MAEf
IN connection win this subject the earnest attention o. the ,annn4,. ul q
u . '' abuse o. e transient privilege. In response to- an imlsteut t5t
mand, the company has within the past year extended the transfer svsts, H
an experiment The result has been that over 40 per cent OF the revenue na H4
enserssn now uat transfers. hesdanger of looping has been increased am fs
average revenue derived from each passenger has been espondin lie
creased, athoug 1T was already lower than the service warrante and InuHHA
han tina received in other cities o this class We would arnes1.s ,r,hH
that he conpanys give transfers only atth time Of the aynent OF fare toHE
good only at points of intersection. which would lot restrict the nresent%n NIL
Der of transfer points. put would enable he company to control tho ahnsaU@
transfers; and that the companies be not required to give a ransfer on
transfer custom which results in great injustice to III company, and isl
pcen abolished In many cities. AH
The company presents the salient facts bearing upon the subject of fMs
and transfers. for the onsfocrato o the committee md for discussion. Id
stands ready to furnish IN other information available which@wfu5 aid 81
reaching IN Intelligent and Just conclusion upon these difficult questions. En-
a casual onsderation Oft the. facts presented from the records must convii4
any n that il the zon system Is not adopted nj tho present methodG
charging for street railway service is followed a Straight 5-cent fare is IN
least amount under existing conditions which viii enable the company to a,
nue. 20 render an efficient service with modern equipment IN to extend ID
system from time to time to promote the convenience and encourage he A
veopents Of this; community. W
IL the committee. with the information before them or which the cmnps.1
OF this complicated question to an extent which would justify them in awumA
VIII gladly 1on The city N submitting the whole question 70 the State orIAs
ration Commission. a impartial body established BY law 20 consider such I'LL
tiers, and sabtde5b by Its conclusions. ~ @@t
We would emphasize that: the management Oft he company does not n,E
To make any unreasonable charge for the service rendered. The growth M
development ot the properties depend upon the growth Of the sconanun.yi8M
interests IT the w arc inseparab1e. We believe that the interests q 8h
community Is wnl as those of the company will 10 best subseryed by fxinEaY
rateo II fare upon a losical basis which viii be- reasonable n the light oteA II
I'M conditions. The present rate doss#n not meet these conditions. a4G