Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-05-05

u does not help what viii become Of
the values beyond the Two and a half
miIs limit which the committee nnds
% BE- the ultimate range % service %
che Hinsys. u the fitney weskens the
present transportation systems which
draW the support for Improbable lines
serving the outlying districts from the
section where trafic e deasest. what
does % mean % the property owner
and tle home owner In the suburbs
% Oakland. and the American city,
The committee believes that the iif-
nsy bus On a large measure is due 20
poor business. hard times. and the
iapossibii!ty o. men obtaining work %
any klnd Many % these men al
ready owned small autos. or had saved
enough money 90 bay an automobile.
and 10 this way they went into the
iiaey bus business. For the present
they are doing something for them
selves and their families. their time
o. occupied and the nickels they take
in enable them % eat ~ the expense %
their autobus. In other words. the tit
ney driver f. living upon hts capital.
o. The capital % some one else. be-
cause the income e. not sufficient 10
provide for hts living and the neces-
sary operating expenses. plus fixed
charge and depreciation.
The Cost Of Operation.
Extended Investigations OF the com
mittse showed them that the average
iituey travels i57 miles per day with
n car mile income OF L. cents. Con-
siderinE depreciation and cost % OPP
Grafton and allowing 50 20 the driver.
u was found that even the smallest
fitney could not run for less than
cents per mile. This emphasizes the
fact that most drivers are living az
tho expense % their autohus and on
their capital rather than on their in
come.
Effect Upon Securities.
Investigation Of certain standard
traction bonds 90 California with a par
value ~ si01 .see 900 showed 4 shrink
axe from December. 1914. 20 March.
1918. % sS.ss5. 900 Or about S IL per
cent.
The ultimate effect OF this - appre-
ciatcd by anyone who considers that
over Ss0.OoO000 worth OF California
electric railway bonds are held by saw
.nEz hanks and local investors IN Call.
or IN other words. by home PEG
pie. S+5O.7s7.T05 IN outstanding stocks
and bonds was the total for 30 street
railroads on June 30. 1913.
Effect Upon the State and MunIcIpaii- I
ties.
The state receives 5 IL per cent OF |
the gross income OF street railways.
and the total tax paid on gross in /
come amounts 20 about II per cent
This means a total loss 20 the public /
on principal lines OF the state $500. 600 /
per annuEn. aside from the other form |
% taxation placed by the public upon /
street railways IN the building and 4
% that portion OF the .
street occupied by the roadbed.
Effect Upon Streets.
Il was found that in London whore
The motor bus has attained its great
80 prominence. the fact was brough.
'ut In hearing before parliament that.
whereas the cost % maintaining a GER
ain road surface prior to the advent
~ the motor bus was sass q. Der
lquare yard. Il was increased to Il sOs
!; after one year OF bus traffc. or
Nightly over 100 per cent. In this
'Ass u Vas the pubiic-or IN other
soFds. the Niddiesex county council
appearing IN It's own behalf 20 demand
'eiisf from a new burden OF taxes i'm
'osed BY the bus traffic.
Congestion In Streets.
During the rush hour from TO S ..
n. the average number OF passengers
transported IN the scent lini, from
Ne business center of Oakland IN
ensth % three blocks on Broadway
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