The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-06-11
To Investigate Regulation Of Jitney
Service; Lawrence Martin
States that Car Line is
Losing Proposition
SAYS INVESTMENT
IS NOW $l2l,OOO
Jitneys Cut Car Lines Revenue;
Routine Business by Council; Re-
quest for Negro Policeman;
Officers Reports Heard

AT the council meeting last night,
the city fathers we're confronted with
proposition that might be considered
food for reflection and will doubtless
cause the body to delve deeply into
facts and figures with the jltney and
the street car line as the central fig
ures around which the investigation
will reyolve.
For some time the council has wrrs-
tied with the problem of regulating
the jltney service, as to bond, the mat
ter at the last meeting in May being
laid over for an investigation Of thirty
days. Last night, Lawrence Martin
of the Chickasha Street Railway com
pany made statements concerning the
street car system, and while he asked
no action against the jitney line, he
admitted that the operation OF the jit-
ney was cutting down the revenue Of
the street car company.
Mr.. Martin spoke OF the conditions
under which the car line was con-
structed here, the $4,000 bonus that
had been given by the people Of Chick
asha, and the amount now invested in
the road. 4 have nsard talk here and
there to the effect that Chickasha gave
the road TO the street car company"
said Mr. Martin. Il went into the prop
osition against my will and better
Judgment. as members on this board OF
aldermen well know. went and pro-
cured capital. and felt that it was my
moral obligation to become financially
Interested in the proposition in which
] had interested others The dealings
between the street car company and
Chickasha we're had with committee
OF six men. They pledged a total Of
$4,000 and they have made good their
word. There was no contract between
the street car people and the men re-
ferred to as to what route the line
should cover.
For the first seven months the line
was operated. 1t paid and paid well.
Since that time, II has been losing
proposition. The company considered
within short time of the roads con
struction the idea Of cutting off the
loop. as 1t was losing money They
figured on cutting the line from the
residence OF Mr.. Sparks, across on
Georgia avenue and into the line again
at DR.. Dawson's corner
"As matter OF fact. want TO state
that at present the road stands the
company s123,0O0 and the proposed
equipment and improvements will
within a short time increase that
amount to s1Si, 900. l do not come here
to speak against the jitney line. There
is, It seems to me. plenty Of room for
the jitney. in sections that are not
now being served Our franchise for
bids us from paralleling our lines on
Kansas and Choctaw, leaving that open
for other companies that might build
here.
"As the jifney is now handled, Ger.
tain sections are getting double ser
vice, whereas the districts around
Fourth. Fifth and Sixth streets, have
no service, and they are the most
densely populated in the city.
'Is the jitney service cutting down
your revenue?" MIR Martin was asked.
/ "In the past few weeks the decrease
IN our receipts has been plainly no.
ticeable,o replied Mr.. Martin Now,
gentlemen, 1 am not saying that the
street car people will discontinue the
line, but the question is simply, how
long viii they continue to operate a
Aosing propositions"
A meeting OF the street committee
will be called soon to fully invostigasr
the proposition, and to prepare com
plete report with recommendations &C
the council.
The business proper transacted BY
the dads was largely of the routine ma
ture The salary ordinance, allowing
the salaries and bills of the city, wal
passed, showing that in the month o