The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-07-19

l"iitney OuS S'uH'o''SS' ~ 80 ,
iii today passed the ordinance wnle'
rrovIdes regulations Of many KIND
for the automobile vehicles carryin!
passengers for a five cent fare In com
netItfon with the street railway.
Among the conditions imposed upol
4he would-be operator Of a jitney bu1
nv the new city ordinance are:
That he must secure city H.
nense costing from $50 to $3.50,
according to the seating capacity
of his automobile.
That he give bond Of $4,000
TO the city which will cover all
damage to persons and property.
That he charge no more than
fare of five cents for each person
and that children under seven ac-
companied by an older person
ride free.
That no passengers be carried
on the running boards, on the
doors, or any other part Of the
car excepting the regular seats
inside the car.
That he shall operate his car
over regular route, set forth in
his application for license.
That he operate his car over the
prescribed route at certain inter-
walls each day. also to be set forth
in his application for license,
and that he operate the car every
day in the week at the specified
times.
Fines and penalties for the viola
ton Of any part OF the ordinance are
prescribed in the ordinance and many
other provisions Of minor nature also
made.
Death kneiI Of Jitneys.
It is believed the ordinance will
sound the death knell OF PRACTICAL,
every true jitney bus that might be
operated here unless some owner o,
such car can discover a route ovel
which he could drive his car every
day and which would prove very re
munerative. 1t is certain to end the
existence Of that kind OF jitney bus
that springs up over night and is gone
the next day.
The ordinance is very. similar &c
ones that have been adopted in other
cities all over the United States
While the provisions of the ordinance
are stringent they are designed tt
give protection to the street car com
pany, which has invested large sums
OF money, against an unreliable. insti
tuition which. with a very small in
vestment, might be able to prey sue
cessfully for a short time on the
legitimate business Of the street rail
way company. 4
License Fee 10 Heavy.
The heavy license fee OF from $50
% SloO for each car will make this
operation OF a jitney bus here prohibit
i've unless there is real opening
and real opportunity for,such bust
ness.
the 5stney bus is regarded by
authorities in this as well as Other
clties as a public utility, or will be sc
regarded If 1t is permanent. Author
ties refuse to look upon the jitney bus
IN any other light. Public utility mer
ana city experts are divided as t.
Wnether or not the present jitney bu:
craze will prove permanent. The
large majority say no. backing this VI
ny saying that they will not prove e
oe paving proposition when the
owner OF the automobile finds It neces
sary TO replace his car with a new one
- ne ordinance passed by the coun
\. Cli mere today is aimed to affect only
nose vehicles which would prove
r.ompetitors OF the street railway
! i,axicabs, hotel buses, and other We
nlGies such as the Country club bus
VIII not be affected by the ordinance
Not Many "Jitneys' Here.
J, heokuk has not been seriousl,
., by the invasion of tn
Jitney. Several machines have BEEF
,perated here recently, however, OF
eilhs to carry passengers to vario.,
"a OF the city for FIVE or ten cents
ihese machines have not been oper
leeo on schedules over regular routes
,1oWever, and it is not believed the.
ney nave given the street raflwa.
"a! serious competition. The recefp.
u 'i. street car companies In many othe
.lties, however, have been reduce,
many thousands Of dollars a wee.
trough the operation OF these We
i nc In some cities as high as
wv 1itneys" have been in operation
It one time.