The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-05-09
THE OBSERVATORY

think the present management OF
our electric line to Nampa and Boise
deserves commentator. It seemed
to me that the first management of the
lnterurban was neither far seeing nor
liberal. | know that several persons
came from interviews with its Off
Gals feeling they were missing the
mark in their policy, and it is well
known that several implied promises
were never fulfilled. Some years ago
friend become the head of the pas
senger department of principal rail-
road from one of the largest eastern
Cities; the line leads to many seaside.
lake and mountain resorts and to a
score of other cities, some of them
manufacturing places; when his ser
wees were sought he made it a condi-
tion that he should absolutely control
the passenger transportation. putting
on new or taking off old trains or re.
arranging them. He began at once
putting on earlier and later trains.
making the suburban faster, BY ar
ranging that some should stop at GER
tain stations and not at Others, and
another train taking the opposite
course, stopping where the previous
ones did not; he put on workinpmen's
trains with very low fare, which for
some Years was run at a loss. but IL
was more than made up in receipts
from members of their families and in
creased freight and express service.
because SO many workingmen took
homes in the suburbs. In his large Of
lice room he put desk where he
could see each caller and the caller
see MN at once, and allowed eyerv
one who had bushes with that de-
partment to come directly to him.
and took as his policy to make all the
patrons of the road its friends. and
would explain his policy and arrange
ments, and when ever possible change
or modify them to suit the public.
while other railroads were happline
as to whether bicycles should be car,
RED tree as personal baggage on pas
senger trains this man "cut the knotn
by directing that big hooks be hung
from the roof Of the baggage car ana
bicycles hung on them and carried
free' as 1t would stimulate late travel,
or at least, crafty many patrons of
the road and no loss result to the COM
p,any' and then all other lines followed
the lead The development of the bust
ness and the prosperity of the road
was remarkable. Not long afterwards
three other large roads were conso1i.
dated with it and my friend became
the president and followed the same
poncy, and there was almost no com
plant that the patrons suffered from
lack OF competition, for he believed
the principles with which he had start
ed the development of the one road
were the wisest for the combined
roads.
Now see: Formerly if a patron
OF the Interurban wished to 20 from
Canyon station by the Boise river
bridge to COLLEGE Heights he had to
pay two five cent fares; the Family
tickets were put at a high rate:
school tickets also, and if memory
serves rightly the management dis
eliminated between the public and
private school pupils; now one fare
takes one from 10th street to the
bridge; now public and college pupils
have most liberal rate from Middle
ton and intervening points to the
high school or college; and family
tickets have been substantially re-.
duced in price with the result uhat
tney are much more largely used. Mr..
fierce was told that if he would make
a 1--WE cent fare from Frost, or Curtis
Park, station many people would
gladly go to town by the Interurban
Tor ten cents cost, when if they had to
pay two ten cent fares they would
mitch II" their horses and drive in: he
replied that it cost over five cents to
make stop, which when you come to
think OF it, was no answer to the re-
quest; simply reply that meant
nothing. Observation in recent months
shows that many more people are now
availing themselves of the conyen-
fences of the electric line.
Many farm people who have lived
IN cities served by electric, or even
morse, cars have wondered why there
was not much later service leaving
our city going out as far as Star, or at
least Middleton, staying there over
night and returning earlier in the
morning than the present service, and
is gratifying to learn from the Off
Gals that some such arrangement is
being contemplated a 10 O'clock to
Star and II o'clock car to Middleton
will soon pay; for the more travel
conveniences that are provided, the
more people will go out along the line
for homes. Above all things tue man
agement should see to it by arrange
ment with the Short Line, or without
it, patrons from the east should be
landed in Caldwell in time to catch
the west bound Pony in the morn
ing. and that reasonably close con.
nections are made at Middleton for
Emmett, but do we realize our ores-
emit conveniences? 1t was onlv a few
years ago that l waited at Middleton
all afternoon for the "Dinkev." or
whatever it was, only to have tele-
phone word after six o'clock that m
its trip to Murphy at noon it had
broken down and the afternoon trim
to Emmett would be omitted! And
the mud OF the public highways was
at that time something frightful.
There is a rumor that the park in
vestments OF the Interurban have not
proven a mine of wealth; but as the
road has no investment in Curtis park
believe a round-trip far of 10 cents