The Detroit times., 1910-10-19
0NnEhsHIP
I1[lT SUCCESS
N EUROPE
- lESviear Gives Interesting and
hnp1ttu Account Of Observations
Dusing Lag Trip Abroad; Finds
Little Criticism.
nnes Dalrynple Denied Stating That
Jsblic Control Of Utilities wouldn't
Do In American Cities.

Jobn hcvicar, leader Of the local
|onoicipal ownership forces, who has
<0ot returned from long stay abroad,
V1tro he took advantage OF ample OPP
Dog<unities to observe the workings OF
3 n41lc ownership of utilities In various
<U1tjos Of Europe. gave an exhaustive
|1eCount of his observations in q meet
|nG< IN Manuebachs ha-a, Grattot-ave..
4 [ooday evening, held under the aus
>M1Cos OF the citizens municipal owner
prlD committee. Mr.. Mcvicar said In
B Bvsrywhere / found satisfaction with
80 public ownership as compared with
Tho private ownership that preceded IL.
4 @&though In some places found kick
/-4E against the conduct under puonc
"a these latter cases they did not
q 111nk Of or advocate a return 10 pri-
4 unto ownership; the Kicking was
|nafher for q longer haul for the cheap
~ fkre. or against what they termed
k1esing by favor" or. as we would
mt a. the securing of positions
I&ErouRh influence. though these latter
Hkiokss were comparatively few.
found many peculiar circumstances
;1f arrangements. from v our point poir,c,s OF
0nnsker service, and then only for ad-
4ional fare: hrst and second class
||5fSs; reduced rate for return tickets:
M seats for your fare. with some ex-
.1ontxons to the latter plainly noted.
< IN only one case of note did md
~ advance purchase system OF TICK
- In other cases / found such
yD1om had been tried and abandoned
~ complicated OF too annoying for
'0c4cttcal use or benefit
~ only one case did md that
Go1cit had been added TO the tax levy
~ put upon the ratepayers." as IL was
lrmed. In this case, II arose from
hes after those In existence under
41vate ownership had been taken over
"a the city: and II was only tempo
SSSr Of deficit. This was Birkenhead.
|7n English city OF about 10000.
found the average rate OF wages IN
urope did not exceed $1.25 per nine
! SSnr day OF our money: that is. the
2&xeFage wages OF motormen and con-
An Unfair Attack
found in some cases that. the pri-
<4ote corporation had been charged
<4optal for the use OF the streets, while
&undor the public ownership no rental
|Xas charged, and this fact was made
B kold that ii was an unfair advantage
Hlven 10 public ownership In the way
*3f permittfng lower fares as against
owner nnapa the fact t mat m1pe
lsa scod. By public ownership .,nsI,i E. than nan
3flvate corporation did not seem 70
these gentlemen s,nk,n Nor fua did w sas
LING added 10 annually for the ex-
fnction OF debt so that In due
1ken rates OF fare could be still furth-
~ reduced and yet the best service
=< 81 vas told that under private own
01uhtp higher fares were frequently
nxActsd because OF failure to designate
~ thai sss cars were not Kept Clean.
*6nA we're packed until standing room
<onzd not be had. and routes not plain
narEsd etc all wh, nah,s ED' e@nsr.
Md. or practically SO.
found almost universally rules
F1Hainst standing In cars. and both on
~ sentiment and In the British isles
4 @Aw cards on cars announcing that
10y were full" when they would
nok stop until seat space was available.
Can't stand In Cars.
E> ~ rot on n car In Glasgow one day
{<vhen the conductor was upstairs. and
moved to be the one too many TO get a
oot Without collecting fare. 1 was
til could not stand, and must get
"a q the next stop unless a seat was
1oGoted. Fortunately. II was SO va
&4tod and remained on board and paid
tsis ss that ic came under 1n my oSssrva
IN was on two or three occasions, I'm
rain storm. when ladies and possibly
Aers were permitted on board out OF
- rain. when there were no seats
la them. Whether this was owing to
Dood-natured conductor, who took
chances OF violating rule: or
rsrnstances, / cannot say.
A. Liverpool the rules against stand
~ eeem to be very strictly enforced.
e19Sd two patrons who got upon and
Unused 10 leave full car when or
1red 70 do % by the conductor.
Service GeneraIiy Good.
4 found the service generally good
els Ssi struck %s th aeu Certain
p<tQns were not well accommodated.
these cases. however. IL may be
1T my lack OF acquaintance with the
IDS OF those sections accounted for
~ the managers undoubtedly know
1G these better than a stranger.
XonAned to Britain and France. and
~ upper part Of the car provides an
<oouent method for a stranger to
zew the city: But they make plenty
- ~ giving the passengers receipt
the form OF q punched ticket when
~ Days his fare IL universal in Eu-
~. the ticket being punched to In
1ISs{e where the ride paid for ends.
The cities OF Edinburgh and Leith.
Is pcotland, are one city SO far as the
[X3MB0T can see, the ulNlutnS line
o)oG simply a street. as though
~ Dlde OF Woodward-ave. were one
III and the other side another city.
4mburgh's street railway system Is
IEIoted by private corporation.
40 are to 4 cents; no transfers
n t6o board an Edinburgh car within
klock Of the street dividing the two
1l6a you pay your 2 cents just as
Ted nav fare here for a ride OF one
1871 under private ownership. Leith =
111kom 10 owned by the city, and n
Ecook me ~ the least satisfactory
~ system under public ownership
~ came across This maybe due
~ tho bad company II IL compelled 10
- owing to it's contiguity to the pri-
~ owned Edinburgh system.
Xoo Will recall that Mayor Dunno OF
&nwo some four years ago sent to
Low TO borrow their expert
rafIman TO look over the then
80 situation and give his advice
oH monicipal ownership. In response
1870 Dalrymple. general manager OF
o1an xoW tramways, visited Chi.
- n11Sd ND the situation and "saic
<n}s Then Mayor Codd tried to gee
F{6 Dotrolt, but he declined TO come
~ rooorted. however, that he hat
11'n1 American cities unripe or un
~ municipal ownership, etc
- k1rInk this report. called upor
IryntDIe IN the tramway office
~. a. learn his reasons for suci
5nion. and also 10 learn whether
5okod upon Americans as less IN
800 or less honest than the SUB
az any other country or the cih
y ~ any other republic ~ view o