The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-01-11
1.-THE Only Good Franchise Is Dead One"|
MAYOR THOMPSON Then a Candidate)

there is no packing, but that every
passenger has a seat have my facts
from the Municipal Year Book OF
Great Britain for 1910. VIII you hear
with me IL | give you these figures in
little detail?
In London for the year ending
March 81. 1909, the passengers carried
were 412,913S4l. OF which lO00l3, 2S2.
or 24.22 per cent rode for y d.. or one
cent; 19S.374,3S2. or 4S.04 per cent.
rode for one penny, a fraction less
than 2 cents; SS,350,477. or e.29 per
cent. paid one penny and half, or 8
cents; 40.S34 ,707, or $50 per cent
paid pence. or about cents,
while those paying pa d.. or cents,
we're but I49 per cent The average
fare paid was LOT d. or about cents.
The average fare under the Thomp-
son-Hutchins franchise will be about
cents.
The summary on London as 10 the
advantages gained by municipal own
ership and operation are: 1t has
benefited not only the tax payers. but
street car employees. The service and
status OF the workman has been i'm
proved; the running OF workmen' 5
tickets at reduced rates, reduced fares
tor ordinary passengers; institution OF
10 hours a day, or 90 hours per week
for all employees. he-principle of one
days rest in seven being recognized"
Increased wages for employees, pro-
visions for uniforms for drivers and
conductors, holidays granted 10 all
employees on the basis OF two days
leave for each year OF service, with
maximum OF six days leave per annum
with full pay"
The London county council has had
somewhat similar difficulties in getting
the street railways away from the grip
OF the private corporations that De
troit is passing through, and ran up
against as exaggerated valuations.
Just oae little instance The
London Streets company claimed
L604. 900 Tor about $3,000,000) for
about four and half miles OF line and
for depors, but the arbitrator decided
that the then value was f10l,I9S TOR
about $5D0,000l, or one-sixth asked
by the private corporation.
There 10 a vast amount OF informa-
ton TO be- had on the now interesting
and important subject OF municipal
ownership in this large volume, but
space will not allow me further. May
not refer, by a word only, TO the
great city OF Manchester, OF nearly a
million people. She carried 1901 ,SS4
at 1.20 d., an average fare OF small
fraction over two cents, our money.
On this rate OF fare, the city reduced
the working hours from a little over 20
hours per week to 81. for all motor
men and conductors, at the same time
increased their wages, and supplied
them uniforms, and granted them
other privileges not named in the
general report These concessions
alone are estimated at value OF about
$500, 900 The city has set aside over
81, 100000 fer renewals and deprecia-
ton, over s1,10O,00o to capital outlay
purchase OF old company lines, etc.,
and beside all this. the sum OF $1,SS0,-
900 has been contributed TO relief of
the taxpayers. This is little better
than the city taxing the people to
build and repair the foundations and
do the paving for private corpora
ton, especially whose owners reside In
a. foreign country.
EDWIN s. GREECE.
Jan. 10, 1912.