Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-06-28

jitney bus business. For the present
they are doing something for them
selves and their families. Their time
is occupied and the nickels they take
in enable them to eat at the expense
OF their autobus- In other words, the
1itney driver is living upon his capi-
tai, or the capital of some one else,
because tho income is not sufficient to
provide for his living and the neces-
sary operating expenses. plus fixed
charges and depreciation"
Extended Investigations of the COM
mittee showed them that the average
jitney travels 137 miles per day with a
car mile income of Ave and a half
cents. Considering depreciation and
cost of operation and allowing SO to
the driver. it was found that even the
smallest jitney could not run for less
than seven cents per mile. This en-
phasizes the fact that most drivers
are living at the expense OF their auto
bus and on their capital rather than
on their income.
Investigation of certain standard
traction bonds in California, with a
par value of $1O7. APP 900, showed a
shrinkage from December, 1914, to
March, 1916, of ss.sS7, 900, or about
eight and cne-quarter per cent.
The ultimate effect of this is appre-
ciated by anyone who considers that
over $50. 100000 worth of California
electric railway bonds are held by
savings banks and local investors in
California, or. in other words, by home
people; S43O,767,703 in outstanding
stocks and bonds was the total for
thirty street railroads on June 80,
1913. The same applies, doubtless, to
other States.
California receives five and one
fourth per cent. of the gross income
of street railways, and the total tax
paid on gross income amounts to about
IL per cent. This means a total loss
to the public on principal lines of the
State 100000 per annum, aside from
the other form of taxation placed by
the public upon street railways in the
building and maintenance of that por-
ton of the street occupied by the
roadbed.
1t was found in London, where
the motor bus has attained its great
est prominence, that whereas the
cost of maintaining a certain road
surface prior to the advent of the
motor bus was s.4SSd. per square
yard, it was increased to 1S.403d.
after one year of bus traffic, or
slightly over 100 per cent. In this
case it was the public-or in other
words, Middlesex County Council
appearing in its own behalf to de-
mand relief from a new burden Of
taxes imposed by the bus traffic.
During the rush hour from 8 to S
D. m, the average number of passen-
gers transported in the scent limit
from the business center of Oakland
Ca length of three blocks on Broadway
is 113,500. Approximately 13 jitneys
would be required to give the same
carrying capacity as one street car.
In Oakland. to handle the above traf-
fc requires 234 cars with a headway
of Is seconds. To move the same
traffic with jitneys at 13 to 1 would
require 5000 cars.
No further argument need be ad-
vanced as to the necessity for fewer
and larger transportation units in the
congested districts during rush hours
or normal. hours of large traffic.
The logical conclusion from the
committees report is that If the pub
lie continues to support the jitney, and
thereby weakens the street railways
and ultimately puts them out of busi-
ness, they must expect a zone system
of fares, because the small jitney can
not operate over much longer route
than three miles at a profit. The
American cities have religiously
fought the zone system on account of
the destruction of property values and
the ongestion of population.
The report is not only interesting.
It is important and should be in the
hands of everybody interested in the
iitney question.