The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-12-03

the company for the slddanv cst or
ina action bat be is roe blinded sr
says, 60 the fact that impUis.ve ac
ton might lead 20 SIN further re-
prisais on the part of the railway
Therefore ne Couus-i- calm action
and the financing NJ tHe street r7i-
way cumuissiou as Else only part rle
council can play in the matter Cor
the present
The message 81 Mayor Marx to
The council follows
70 the Honorable. me common Cour-
rtl
Gentlemen
For such action as YOUR hcrora bio
body may deem advisable. 7 an .-r-
wardlnE herew ith communicable
from the Detroit United Railway. de-
livered az my office. saturday. prr
IN which r. contained the ccW-
Bany's announcement that on Dec
1914. it would arrogate the s0-caIted
Aug. agreement. and increase IRIS
rate ~ fare from seven far-A-s 1af t.t
70 five cents straight
A. one % those responsible for the
agreem snt. which the figures ~
President Brooks, ~ the street raj
way company. reveal. has saved the
600 900 during the four years that ~
has been ga effect 4 think j need noe
emphasize my regret and dispieasure
AZ the Company sudden action,
had hoped tnat before me people OF
this city were Indicted with higher
fare. thQro and business-it6e in-
veEtiEatton By competent engineers
might have been conducted "a ra
ever the company as unwilling tc
postpone action and We must meet '.."
problem. resulting thcrefrom as lt
faces ne.
For my part. Z do not believe THAI
ibis IL the time FIR impulsiye ~ ili-
advised action which may only ag
grayato the situation from tAg pub
nc viewpoint IL a. rather time
Tor The exercise - common sense and
a serious consideration OF ell The
circumstances Ia connection v Nh the
crmpany's determination 20 exact IN
creased revenue from It's paaseuse gers.
View ing the situation calmly and
without prejudice. Ne cannot aud
must not expect the Detroit United
Railway or any other public service
corporation % render service az
loss. No honest citizen or Detroit
or any other city demands this. The
company has insisted that incre ased
operating costs together with fall
ing OFF IN passengers % l50. coo q day
make II impossi bic 20 meet it's cur
rent expenses az the old rate OF fare
Whether thas contention Is true or
not, can only be shown BY careful
examination OF the Detroit United
hallway hooks. One thing - certain,
however the service given by the
company for months past has been
shaInefuily inadequate for The city :
requirements.
As ! view it, the problem before Us
is this.
pany provide adequate service for
the people OF this cityl
In nay judgment. the way 20 deter
mine this IN sane. business like
manner. is as proposed by the board
IHfi Irsn IfaF fsar ID d sH
employment ~ competent experts %
make thor0 examination OF the
Companys books, II the inquiry
shows that the compauy's contentious
are correct I am sure the people Of
Detroit will ask or n only what is
fair. n, on tho other hand, - IS prov
on that the company IL receiving
more than IL u entitled 20. We can
then force II 20 reasonable terms
with the backing OF public sentiment.
and with the use or every club al
In ether ease. believe the investi-
CATION should be followed by
The adoption or an ordinance
stipulatinR the fare 90 be charged
The adoption of a schedule SUIT
able 70 the needs and requirements
Of every lire In ne city -. 80.
company for every failure 70 live ~
20 the above measures
While ! am angered by the com
uHuE huG0Nn uNINA hllhn o. - A'tA-
tract entered into b. both parties in
good faith. I believe that so-cahed
TepriBals By your honorable body, ~
this time such as the imposition OF
rental will not only prove useless m
solving a veKatious problem, but may
further Inconvenience and injure the
public
which will penelizs the company Tor
It's inConsiderate treatment ~ the
people OF this city. provided those
measures do not add 20 the burden o.
the car-riders themselves.
The imposition Of rental a. teis
time IL inadvisRhie. I believe. Tor the
The decision In the Forrest case
makes the Legality Or such action
questionable. At any rate 10 paNes
the way for costly and endless iitiga-
q The imposition Of rental az this
time would simply befog the Issue
which is IN reality the question ~
good service at a reasonable rate ot
The rental a. proposed Is IN sf-
feet a tax on the car-ridlng public.
4 The exacting 20 such o penalty
a. this time before an investigatior
has been made of the compauys re-
cefpte. VIII only make the situation
worse Tt is likely 20 fasten the
burden ~ POOR service 20 that % in
creased fares by giving the street
railway company an excuse Tor nor
FefnedyluE -oudifions
Personally j Will not stand sponsor
for such action az least until the
board ~ Rtroet railway commission
ers and It's engineers aEcertatn by IN
vaetfraff8r AZ what rate ~ fare the
COMPANY ran rive ne decent service
III seems Oh me- that the only sen
slbie courFr :rf your rnuHrahle hnot
a. take fs 90 authorize the necessarv
FUNDS o. enable fhe board ~ street
railway Ccmmiss t0rfrs. BODY lf