The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-02-28
10 YOU COME IMP"
The Gladstone Park and Its Connection
With the Proposed Transfers of the
Shreveport Traction Company.

Shreveport, La, Feb. ~, Io1I.-My
attention has been called to a piece in
the Cosgrove's Weekly under date Of
February IS, 1911, which deals with the
transfer subject. That part of the piece
which l especially wish to reply to is
headed DO You Come In?" The writ
er seemed to think the Gladstone Rail
roSl and Amusement Company would
be greatly benefited by the means Of
transfers. Such would not be the case.
| At the present, all persons going to the
| Gladstone Park from the four lines and
| belts pay FIVE cents fare In case trans
| fers are issued all passengers from the
| various lines and belts, with the excep-
ton of the Highland car line, would
recah the park on transfers, assuming
that the four lines and belts carry equal
! number of passengers. Our receipts
from railroad going to the park would
be reduced Is per cent on account of
transfers.
It is to be admitted that larger
number of persons would visit the park
in case Of transfers, but the increased
patronage would be insufficient to make
good the IS per cent loss above referred
to on account of transfers. | feel con-
| fident that our railroad would sustain a
net loss from its present earnings from
10 to IS per cent Now, as to the park
| and improvements, | am authorized by
| the Gladstone Amusement Company to
rent the park and all improvements for
period of twelve months to any re-
| sponsible person or company, they max,
| ing the usual annual repairs at their ex-
pense, for the sum of $500. This rent
would pay the owners of the property
less than ; per cent on the actual money
| invested in the park and improvements,
or will give the park and Improvements
without charge provided that the lessee
will pay sum equal to the annual de-
| terioration on the improvements III the
park, the deterioration to be fixed by
| three competent disinterested mechanics
The above proposition is made with
the understanding that the park grounds
will be thrown open to the public with
out charge as in the past, and that this
offer will hold good for two weeks.
| Now is the chance for those who think
4
| that the owners are going to make too
much money on account of the giving
Of transfers to come forward and accept
this offer and make some easy money
| for themselves.
Now referring to the committee ap-
pointed by the Chamber of Commerce to
treat with the Shreveport Traction
! Company to ascertain on what terms
that transfers could be obtained for the
| city of Shreveport. | wish to state that
the committee made an exhaustive ex-
animation along this line. The data in
the hands Of your committee discloses
the following facts That cities around
10000 population as Meridian, Miss,
and others, transfers are worth about
7sc per capita annually. Cities from
$4,000 to 10000 transfers are worth
$I.25. to $I.5o per capita. Cities from
1900 to 100000 as Birmingham, At
lanta and others, transfers are worth
from $500 to S2.5o per capita. Cities
from $4,000 like New Orleans and 9TH
ers, transfers are worth $500 per capita
annually.
The above figures make il plain that
the transfers would save the people of
Shreveport from $4,000 to $4,000 per
annum with rapidly increased value as
the city grows larger Thirteen years
ago Birmingham was somewhat smaller
than Shreveport is at the present. The
Traction Company of Birmingham is
| sued last year in round figures 100000
in transfers If Birmingham in thirteen
years has increased its transfers from
the value of $4,000 to 100000 per an
mum, it is reasonable to suppose that
Shreveport will be issuing from 100000
to 100000 transfers yearly. The trans
| fers can not be obtained other than by
agreement reached BY the Traction
Company and the citizens Of Shreve-
port, as it is a well known fact that the
Bernstein and Dickson administrations
endeavored to obtain transfers through
the court and failed. An agreement has
been reached by the Traction Company
and the committee appointed by the
Chamber of Commerce which will no
doubt meet the hearty approval of the
voters of Shreveport
A careful analysis Of the above figures
will prove eonclusively that the univer-
sal transfers, such as agreed upon, are
of far greater value to Shreveport, to
say nothing of the other concessions OBJ
tanned from the Traction Company, than
u u a 4 49,. IL.