The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-06-23
CAN'T STAND IT
Requiring of $4,000 Bond Will
Put JitneyS Out of Business.
City Is Disposed to Insist on
Indemnity Feature.

If che city commission insists upon
$4,000 bond for each jitney bus OPP
Grating N Topeka, as is proposed in
an ordinance now pending before the
city commission, the jitneys will have
to so out of business. This IS the
substance of statements made by E.
F. Maxwell, president of the Topeka
.Jitney association and vice president
of the National Jitney ASSOCIATE F.
b. Elbs, secretary-treasurer Of the To-
peka Jitney association, and Roy
Crawford, principal stakeholder in the
Topeka Jitney company.
The bond proposed by the city is
for the protection not only of pasSen-
gers, but also for the city and the
general public for possible damages
from accidents. As nearly as can be
learned all the iitney operators are
agreed that it is not the intention of
the city commission to put the iitneys
out of buSineSS-that the mayor and
commissioners are actuated only by a
desire to protect the public, the jitneyS
doing wholesale public service.
The stumbling block is that indem-
nifty insurance or bonds for iitneyS
cost more than the jitney people can
pay. The jitney business has grown
rapidly that Sidelines connected
with the business have not kept pec
The jitney mer say that to provide the
kind of bond the city wants will cost
at least s240 per annum for each car.
In this George +. Hayden, city attor-
ney, who in the last few weeks has
been devoting himself almost entirely
to the subject Of jitney legislation,
agrees.
But" says the city attorney, and
In this Mayor House comedies, "a
bond is the very essence of a jitney
ordinance drawn for the protection of
the public. Mere traffic rules, while
necessary are not enough. There
must be some tangible asset behind
the operators of jitney busses.''
As Crawford Sees It.
Roy Crawford sums up the situation
about as neatly as possible.
Were the demand for bonds for iit-
neyS made a year from now. or even
six months from now, L think there
would be no difficulty in meeting it
But this lire of business is new now
and Indemnity insurance ana bonding
companies are not Yet prepared for
this kind of business. The proposed
rates are out of all proportion to the
risks. They are made 50 the COM
panies can play safe until they know
more about it. But they are too high
They are so high that iitneys can not
afford to pay the charges and do bust
ness at a profit.
II can not speak for the 'indepegld-
ents. bat I think l have plan which
possibly will do for temporary rem
edv for jitney operators who have in
corporated. The stock of their COM
panieS is a tangible asset and can be
these Jitney operators get together and
agree TIC assess themselves they car
further meet the responsibilities due
TO -he public by The orga nizaticn of a
mutual insurance company among
themselves or by an inter-insura
plan.
Il suggested some such plar at a
meeting of the Topeka Jitney associa-
ton last night and it seems to meet
with favor Some sucn plan will have
TO be worked out for the present at
least In six months or year think
there Will be plenty of companies
writing jitney bonds and indemnity
insurance But they are not doing it
now and we can not do business and
pay S240 a year for a bond for each
car"
The jitney men will hold another
meeting tonight. George +. HAYDEN
city attorney. will attend.
=. Mayor House attend the meeting
held last night
Topeka's jitney ordinance will be a
compromise" said Mayor House
There will be some things in it that
the Jitney people will not like There
VIII be other provisions which will NOT
please the street car company, and
there will be some which the public
VIII not like but we will do the best