Omaha daily bee., 1911-06-18
Omaha 6 Council Bluffs Street
Railway Company

has been opened within the last year. Each car
house is under the supervision of q day and night
foreman who have the immediate direction of the
carmen The latter rank in order of their seniority
according to the divisions which they attached
The older men have the preference Of runs, etc.
New men are required to spend at least twelve
days on the cars under the tuteage of old employees
who paid additional compensation for the in
struction so rendered. They are then further in
structed and examined by road officers given some
practical experience by themselves and finally ex-
amined by the superintendent of transportation be-
fore they considered regularly employed 1t is
necessary to maintain extra list of $50 men who
hold themselves in readiness to take the places of
absentees from day to day and who are rotated in
priority.
There is no doubt that during the past fifteen
years the cost of living has greatly increased The
company experiences the effect as an individ-
aul in its expenses, due to the advanced prices of
AeCGSSltles.
GREAT GAINS SINCE 1902
Since 1902 the Omaha q Council Bluffs Street
Railway company has been practically rebuilt and
equipped with new central power station, new
general repair and car shops, new car houses, new
and larger cars new and heavier rails and roadway,
and new electric distributing systems. The first
electric lines in the early nntes have disappeared.
Besides this many miles of new lines and extensions
have been constructed
All the work has been with first-cass materials,
purchased at the high prices of the period and with
labor constantly and justly demanding higher wages
and receiving them.
1t is apparent to everyone undoubtedly that it
costs more to maintain the track and roadway of to-
day than it did to maintain the early type of track
and roadway and also that it costs to maintain
the heavy modern in operation today, with their
air-brakes hot water heating plants and other
cessories than it did to maintain the small single
ale
BUYING POWER OF NICKLE
Since 1898 the power of five-cent piece in buy
ing transportation throughout Omaha and its sub
urbs has increased 30 per cent In 1898 the longest
street railway ride that could be purchased for five
cents was eight miles Now the same sum will buy
any one of several rides each about twelve miles long
In 1898 the five-cent ride was good for a maximum
OF eight miles in small electric cars run 45pound
rails, the service being excellent for the period In
1911 nicke buys ride of twelve miles in smooth
running, 42foot, hot-water- heated air-brake cars
travelling over heavy rails on firmly constructed
roadbed and driven from energy distributed from a
10,OOO-horse power central power station.
In serving the community the company ignored
the artificial lines of corporate limits and regards
Omaha, South Omaha, East Omaha Florence, Ben
son, Dundee and intermediate territory as single
district to be served impartialy and without dis
elimination nicke is good for ride to any point
in this territory any other point the lines of the
system "A universal transfer system which permits
travel in the same general direction at any junction
enables this accomplishment
MANY FACTORS IN UPBUILDNG
Many factors enter into the upbuilding of city
street railway is one of these factors and by no
means is the least important No mill or outlying
real estate is worth much unless it is easily acces
sble by the electric No visitor comes to the
city without forming an impression and using it in
passing Judgment upon the town No small salaried
worker can enjoy the pleasures of home owning of
lower rents and healthier surroundings unless he can
go to and from his work quickly at a small cost.
The street railway company that makes no pro-
fit is not good institution for city The street
railway that is prosperous and is always looking out
for the Improvement of its service is the company
that makes good in the hearts of its patrons Quick
service in airy, sanitary cars makes the Omaha q
Council Bluffs Railway company a most desirable
corporation for this city 1t makes it the company
that stands at the head of things.
RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF BEST
The street railway system of Omaha is rec
ognEed in all parts of the country as one of the best
1t is much better than many systems in cities the
size of Omaha 1t Is enabled to maintain a high
grade OF service at all times and continues to make
improvements It's officers and directors are contin
ually engaged in endeavoring to make all improve
ments that viii aid the progress of the city and the
convenience of its patrons
Omaha must, in degree be known by the street