El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-11

1854 He was the son of Mr. and Mrs
Albert l. johnson and received his
early education in the state Of Indiana
In 1863 at the age of Is, he took a
position with the Louisville Street
Railway company, where he applied
himself so well that after six years
service he had thoroughly mastered
every detail. He invented and patented
numerous improvements, the sale of
which formed the nucleus of a fortune
later estimated at more than s1,000,00O.
In 1875 he bought a badly managed
traction line in the city of Indianapo-
lis. rejuvenated and placed it on a pay
ing basis. Later he acquired large
street railway interests IN Cleveland,
Detroit and Brooklyn, which he after
ward sold and centered in Cleveland,
his adopted city. There, too, he oper-
ated an iron manufacturing establish
ment
Entry Into Politics.
Tom johnson first came into rne
public eye in 1891, when he was elected
to congress by the Ohio Democrats
through his advocacy OF the single
tax" theories of the late Henry George.
AS an exponent of the municipal own
ership of public utilities, with stress
on street railway lines, he became even
more famous. So firm a believer was
he IN its principles that he spent most
of his fortune fighting its opponents in
Cleveland
He carried the idea Of municipal own
ership even further He argued that
there was no more reason why passen-
gers should be carried by elevators
free Of charge to the tops Of high
buildings than that they should be
carried from one building to another.
or from their residences uptown to
their offices downtown. He declared
that a free ferry was just as sensible
as a free bridge, and often said he
hoped to live to see the day when We
hicles would be provided for the pub
JIG free of cost, both on land and on
water.
A Presidential Possibility.
After the expiration of his term in
congress he was doomed at various
times for the Democratic nomination
for governor of Ohio, and was seriously
considered as a presidential possibility.
In 1901, convinced that Cieveland's
council and mayor were corporations.
owned, or at least negligent Of the
rights of the people, he announced his
candidacy for the mayoralty. He was
elected.
Prior to 1900 there were two trac-
ton lines in Cleveland, one in which
Tom Johnson and his friends were cUa-
trolling factors and the other in which
senator Hanna was the power. These
lines were later consolidated as the
Cleveland Electric Railway company,
and, in the process of consolidation
Johnson was frozen out. His company
had been giving seven fares for a quar-
ter. while the other line charged five
cents each fare. After the absorption
the five cent fare was universal
1o 10
mayor, johnson opened the first broad
side for three cent fare and for pre-
vention Of extension of franchises on
various streets, excepting upon that
basis The most exciting incident Of
the fight in its earlier stage came in
1902. when franchise prepared by
mayor johnson providing for three cent
fares and the right Of the city 70 buy
the lines at any time was introduced
and passed.
Then the lawyers for the railway
contended that the charter Of the city
Of Cleveland was null and void, being
class or special legislation. The courts
ruled that such was the case. not only
with Cleveland. but with other Ohio
cities. A special session Of the legis-
lature had to be called to pass a new
code granting a charter to all cities
affected by the courts decision.
The Three Cent Fight.
Again Johnson began plans for
three cent fare company. 1t was neces-
sary though, to get around the Ohio
laws, which prevent a city from own
ing or operating street car lines. He
accomplished this by organizing the
Forest City Railway company, TO be
operated under lease by the municipal
Traction company, to which the coun-
Gil cAtroled by the mayor, granted a
franc illegal However, on the
groun Nat some of the necessary per-
mits from property owners had been
revoked. This tied the matter up an
other two years. In the meantime John
son was reelected.
AS fast as the different street line