The Detroit times., 1915-09-10
Congressman CrOsser
Tells of Employees
Attitude
SOLON BOOSTS
CITY OWNERSHIP
Presses Plan to Have
Washington Acquire
Traction Lines

Municipal ownership OF the street
railways Of the District Of Colum-
bia is advocated by Robert Crosser.
congressman from Cleveland. who
is visiting his brother, David II
Crosser. of Detroit.
Congressman Crosser, who was a
member OF the District OF Columbia
committee of the house in the last
congress, introduced a bill. which
was reported fayorably, providing
for the manipulation Of the
street railways Of the district. Press
of other business prevented 1t from
coming TO a vote.
81 shah reintroduce The bill In
the coming congress, said Mr.
Crosser. and / believe that a ma
jority of the house will be found
willing 10 vote in It's favor.
Washington has two competing
companies, the Capitol Traction Co.
and the Washington Railway &
Electric Co. Their capitalization Is
highly watered. the two companies
together having about $50 10000 in
bonds and stock The two plants
are worth perhaps s25,00O,0OO They
own about 200 miles of single track,
less than the Detroit system but
all their wires are laid in cOnduits
underground, which adds TO the
value of the properties
The committee took a great deal
Of testimony regarding the value of
the plants, suhpenaing the officers
and going into the matter very thor
oughly. and II is from the testimony
OF the companies own men that we
decided that $25,Oo00O0 is fair
value OF the two plants
THE companies are competitive
They have some % meeting and
crossing points, but they do not is.
sue general transfers. There is one
point at which tickets good on both
lines can be bought at four for a
quarter, believe, and another
where transfer can be obtained
for two cents, but there is no gen
eral Arrangement"
Congressman Crosser said that he
would not care 10 comment on the
Detroit situation, as he knows very
little about IT
I'm g municipal ownership man.
however" he said 81 believe that
II city can secure It's street rail-
way lines, t win pay it to do 80"
The congressman said that Cleve-
land is strongly in favor Of muni
cipal ownership, in spite of the fact
that The street railway company has
better cars and gives better ser
vice than he finds In Detroit
THE street railway employees
were opposed to municipal owner.
ship at frst, as ! understand they
are here he said However. their
sentiment has changed. Although
| worked hard for city ownership.
a great deal OF my strength came
from the street railway men and
other labor bodies ! can't see why
the employees should oppose it, they
ought rather 10 favor it as they are
likely to secure better treatment
from city board IN town In
which they are voters than they do
from a private company"
The proposed Washington plan or
operation IS somewhat similar 90
the Detroit scheme, according 20
Congressman Cros-Or. The street
railways are 10 be- put into the
hands of the three commissioners
OF tho District of Columbus who
are 10 have full swing in hiring the
mon who arc to operate the road.
Their position Is to be similar TO
that OF jhe Detroit street railway
commission
The coprrc sman, Who SIS over six
feet tall. and has reputation as
forceful camraicncr was born I'm
Scotland and came to cleveland at
the age uf seven He began the
practice of law In Cleveland in
1901 IIo soon made bis mark and
In 1911 was sent 20 the state legis
lamrc. where he introduced She
cessfu initiative and referendum
bin Tie WAS chairman OF the in.
iuauyo and referendum committee
Of the Ohio constitutional CONVEX
tion of - I'm The fan Of that