The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-14
CITIZENS UNITE IN
PROTEST AGAINST
WITHDRAWING THE
EARLY CAR SERVICE
That Owl Cars Are No Mean
Factor in Development
of City Is Opinion
of Many
GENERAL EXODUS TO
SUBURBS If SERVICE
MADE PERMANENT
Some Oppose Proposal to Increase
Fare, Holding That the Company
Should Make Some Conces-
si0ns for Conveniences
of the Patrons

That owl car service as in operation
in the city during the past month is no
mean factor in the development and
growth of Birmingham is the opinion of
citizens residing in all parts of the resi-
Dental districts. All unite in a general
protest against what is generally under
stood to be the contemplated action of
the Birmingham Railway. Light and Pow
after March II, the expiration of the 80
Gay trial limit set when the service was
begun February 49,
The suggestion being made by many
paying operating expenses, the fare should
be increased to 10 or 10 cents or a quar-
ter rather than discontinue it, is not meet
ing with unanimous approval. The ma
jority of the persons interested, and al
most every one is interested whether the
service Is of any use to them one way
or the other, are in favor of the sn-
creased fare, but a considerable number
were found Yesterday who stated they
believed the service should be maintained
permanently and the fare be kept at a
niclSle during the entire "a hours of the
day.
Many Would Go to Suburbs
A slightly new feature developed yes
terday by the many expressions heard
that If the owl car service was ever made
permanent that there would be a general
exodus of persons toward the suburbs of
the city. persons whose business connec-
tions now were such that it was impossj-
BILE for them to live in the suburbs where
they could not reach their work at any
time of the day. Several persons stated
that they would move to the suburbs to
live as soon as the service was made rea-
sonably permanent and this with other
things tended to bear out the arguments
of many that the patronage of the ali
night cars would steadily Increase as time
rassed, the months trial just ending not
Icing sufficient time for fair and inn
partial trial.
''The street car company should not ex-
pect to make expenses at first, when the
all night service is started said Cleon b.
Rogers. who lives at North Birmng-
ham. 'I would be very sorry to see the
owl service discontinued, for we need
it, and as time passes the more we will
need it.
II think the company should expect to
lose money during the first month or two
of the service. People have not suited
themselves to 1t yet, many people would
use the all night cars If they thought
they were permanent. In most cases it
would cause Encouragement of sleeping
hours and other particulars about mans
daily life that he does not wish to change
merely for a week or two.
"The company should expect to make
less than operating expenses for the first
month or two simply because the people
of the city have been getting along with
out the cars up until this time in spite
of the fact that they needed them. Of
course, when they are first begun people
who have not been accustomed to using
them are not going to take right to the
service. The patronage will increase as
the service grows older and as the popla-
ton of the city increases, and we all know
the population is increasing mighty fast
Let's keep the all night cars
Would Approve Increased Fare
'The increase in fare for the all night
cars in case they are not making operat-
ing expenses for the company now ap-
peals to me as being only fair" said b.
v. Edmundson Of Woodlawn. Il know
of no one but who would gladly pay a
dime or Is cents willingly. II would be
better and cheaper than getting a taxicab
or going to a hotel or the working man
sitting about at his place of work until
the first car runs in the morning.
Il would not like to see an injustice
done to the company. and if the cars are
mot making expenses at this time OF
morning | think the people who use them
should be willing and think they are. to
pay more fare. Birmingham needs the
owl car service badly. 1t is a great con-
venience to many people and there are
probably few people in all lines of busi-
nes but who once in awhile would make
use of the convenience of the all night
service. | hope to see it continued and
made permanent
II would be very sorry to see the all
night car service discontinued" said Will