The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-12

s3s 651, 439: the costs of damages and legal services amounted to s2,167.144, or 5.6.
 As for Canada the latest figures relating to eight traction companies in British Co., lumbia, Halifax Ottawa Quebec and To- ronto are as follows: Gross earnings, ST. 165,142; damages and legal. s161,70; and ratio of damages to gross earnings, 2.3.
 How does Massachusetts stand? The gross earnings of 12 companies under con sideration amounted to s34,131 ,064; the damages and legal, $1 235, 4s9; and the to- tai ratio of damages to gross earnings was 3.6.
 Connecticut? One company has ss,s41. .425 in gross earnings; s161.742 in damages and legal; and 2.4 ratio of damages to gross earnings.
 Situation in the West
 Skip over to the middle west and the northwest. There are nine traction companies in Michigan whose gross earnings amount to s9,237,362. The damages and legal costs are S2o0,306 and the ratio of damages to the gross earnings 2.2.
 And the state of Wisconsin how does that fare? Eight street railway com panes of that state have a total of s6,So6,253 in gross earnings s269,214 in damages and legal and 3.9 ratio of dam ages to gross earnings.
 Now where is Alabama? Here in one city of this state, the city of Birming- ham, one company, the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company has against these other figures a total of $1,63S,76S in passenger earnings; s130.4S3 in damages and legal costs and 7.9 the ratio of damages to gross earn ings!
 Seven and nine-tenths per cent as compared to New York's 5.6; to Cana da's 2.3. to Massachusetts 3.6, to Con- netticuts 2.4 to Michigan's 22; to Wis consin's 3.9
 Startling Facts
 There is figure that speaks for it. self. From statictics compiled in 1908 it was shown that this local company actually suffered in damages and court costs, the highest percentage of any street railway company in the entire United States and Canada during 1907.
 A more grave and serious condition cannot well be imagined; nor Is there a heavier or more unjust burden car ried by any corporation in the coun- try.
 To enter more minutely into precise details: The average amount paid out every day by this company in dam ages and court costs alone equals $357.49. This amounts to $10,873,58 per month, or $1304S3 for the year 1910. | Out of every dollar earned by the rail- way department 7.9 cents thus goes to pay damage and court costs.
 When these figures are considered | it is seen that the company is indeed | suffering from an excessively heavy | burden from this source. Extension | ideas arc hampered. operating condi- | tions are daily rendered more diffi- | cult.
 One Aspect of the Case
 One of the great--in fact, the great | force that exists in today Is being hewn and hacked at. with citizens and taxpayers | looking on
 Who recalls the lame service of a few years ago? The days of the dum- my and all the other good old times" when the line was started first?
 When Nat Baxter Jr. now president | of the senate in the Tennessee legis- lature, was in Birmingham, president of the Tennessee Coal. Iron and Rail- road company, he bought the little old road" on its paper valuation.
 Then" said he, "I started out to ! see what it was i,ke. The old roads
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