The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-04
JAMES BOWRON ON
 J|TNEY PROBLEM Writes Letter on Subject to
 the Commission A NEW COMPLICATION Insurance Companies Refuse to Issue Indemnity Bonds Unless Pro-
 tected by Collateral for
 Face Value
A NEW COMPLICATION

Suggesting that if the street car com pany is not making money on account of alleged unfair competition" with the jitney that the city commission would be supported by the public in taking over the street car company and oper- ating it as a municipal line James Bow ron yesterday presented his views on the iitney question by letter to the city commission.
 A complication arose iL the jitney regulation movement yesterday when in- demnity bonds to the jtney unless it was protected by collateral for it's face value. This, however, it is said has made 1t a practical impossibility for the jitney owner, to make an indemnity bond as Is proposed in the ordinance now drafted The ordinance as drafted and printed in The Age-Herald a few weeks ago win not be adopted, but parts of it prob ably will. Judge Lane stated yesterday that there were parts of the ordinance he would oppose and parts he would fa- vor.
 Letter to Commission
 The jitney regulation question is ex- pected to receive much attention at the
  this afternoon. but definite action, if any is to be taken, is not expected un- til a week from today MT. Bowron' $ letter is as follows:
 ''The Honorable City Commission, Hon. G. B. Ward, Chairman, Birmingham, Ala:
 Dear Sirs: understand that the com mission is likely to take action tomorrow on the question of regulation of the jit- neys.' agree with MT. Percy's posi- ton in his letter on this subject. If the jitneys pay the same license as the taxicabs l can see no reason why they should be charged any more or restricted by any further or additional regulations. The only difference between q jitney and a taxicab is that it is doing the work more cheaply and therefore to the in- terest of the general public. The Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company is appealing through the advertising columns of the local press for regulation and for higher taxa tion of the jitneys, and ask if the com- petition is fair.
 "I suggest to the commission that in these articles which seek to mould pub lie sentiment there is no reference made to the fact that the Birmingham Rail- way, Light and Power company enjoys a monopoly and the jitneyS do not. Ine street railroad company owns per petual easement on the breat bulk of the cify streets. for which it paid nothing. It apparently complains of the cost oi its share of tine paving, which is nothing more than the upkeep of property ac- ouired by it in the main without any payment, although the grading, engineer ing and draining of these streets has cost the city, and therefore the citizens, q great deal of money. At one time there seemed a possibility of competition 1T the street railroad business. and ap- plications were made for trackage rights on behalf of the TideVater system anc the Kelley interests, which were re- sisted by the Birmingham Railway, Ligh' and Power company. It now, having sue cessfully avoided competition on that par of the streets which it owns for haulagt purposes, is objccting to competition o the jitneys on the remaining part of th' streets which it does not own.
 Apply Law Both Ways
 If regulation of street transporta tion is to be undertaken, why shoui' 1t not apply to the street railroad a well as to the jitneys? It Is nctor ious fact that for many years durinl the rush hours In the evening not nor than one-half the passengers goin home have been able to obtain seat on the street cars. They have bee crowded in masses, packed like sar
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