Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1915-03-06
"J|TNEY BUS" WAVE
COMING EASTWARD
Pacific Coast Passenger Traffic Has
Been Revoiutionized
by it.
SAN FRANCISCO, CITY

passenger traffic in every city and
town Of Importance on the Pacific
coast Is being revolutionized by the
advent Of the jitney Give cents) bus.
And even the officials Of the big street
railway corporations admit it has
come to stay.
When the first jitney bus operator
appeared on the streets OF San Fran
cisco prepared to carry passengers Tor
five cents from the Ferry building TO
OF three miles, local traction mag
mates smiled.
He won't last week. they said
Hell starve to death if he sticks
railway company"
Today there are 600 jitney buses
operating in San Francisco alone, and
they are taking thousands Of dollars
,.aiIy from the street car railway
company.
Traction officials in every city OF
the state admit the jitney bus is max
ing deep inroads on their receipts.
Our company" said Paul Shoup,
president Of the Pacific electric rail
way of Los Angeles, at a recent gath
ering of traction magnates in Sacra
mento, "has lost 100000 in receipts
in the past four months on account Of
the pitneys. We have millions Of dol
lars invested where the owners Of the
jitney buses have but thousands. We
want the jitney bus operator to come
under the regulations OF the state
railroad commission. The street rail
way companies have opened up scores
OF suburbs by extending their lines
and we think we should be afforded
some protection"
More than 1000 jitneys are operat-
ing In Los Angeles. Everywhere the
street car companies are laying off
found, too. In San Francisco, Port
land, Seattle and Los Angeles, the
street car companies ar laying off
employees and these men are buying
and operating them as jitney buses.
In discussing the jitney bus situa-
ton In Seattle recently, Mayor Hiram
Gill said: at will surprise me great
~ II another foot Of street car track
is ever laid in Seattle. In my opinion
motor-propelled vehicles are as logi-
cally the successor to the electric car
as the electric car was the logical sue
cessor OF horse-draWn vehicles"
Autobus owners and drivers in San
Francisco have organized the Jitney
Bus Association, have engaged a legal
staff, and are prepared to fight any
attempt to legislate them out Of bus
mess.
In Pueblo.
EUEBLO, Colo, -Jitney
buses are now operating full blast in
Pueblo. They are in open competi-
ton with the street cars and doing a
big business. In fact so serious have
the jitneys become, from the stand
point of street car men, that a dele
cation OF employees of the Tramway
Company appealed to the city com.
missioners to put the jitneys out of
business. The commissioners have
looked the ground over, however, and
are OF the opinion that 1t can't be
done.
The concern of motormen and con-
ductors employed by the street car
company Is due to the fact that they
declare the company officials have re-
duced the number OF cars being run on
many lines and their chances Of hay
Ing steady employment are ruined.
The reduction dn the car service has
resulted in many men being thrown
out Of work.
Kansas City.
KANSAS CITY, Mo, its a
long face the taxi cab chauffeur here
n n