Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-03-13
COMPANY PROPOSES TO DOUBLE
SERVICE WITHOUT add
TlONAl MEN.
QUESTION TO BE PUT
UP TO CITY COUNCIL
New and Lighter Cars Ordered and
Company Proposes to Equip All
Changes Considered Because Of In
roads Of Autom obiIsS on Business.

Cedar Rapids March l3.--If unoffi-
cial information IS to be credited, the
people Of Cedar Rapids are to awe an
opportunity to decide whether they
prefer frequent service with "one man
street cars, or the present service with
two-men cars.
Recently Glenn Averill, president OF
the company, said ten new cars were
being built for use in Cedar Ra pids de-
signed as one-man street cars. That
is TO say these cars will operate with a
mUtOrman only.
Mr.. Denman, another official Of the
company, was in the city within the
past few days and he corrobOrated
what Mr. Averill had said and supple
mented it with some additional state
ments regarding the service which the
company proposes to give the city if its
wishes are followed. Instead II ten
cars there will be twenty new cars,
enough for service on all the lines. eX-
cept the Marion line and on this line
the present Marion cars Will continue
TO be used.
Motorman to Do It All.
In these new cars there Is no bulk
head" between the motorman and the
passengers. The car is open from one
end TO the other. The motorman con-
trolls the entrance and the exit, which
IS in front. He will look after he exit
and entrance of the passengers, watch
the receipt of the fares and when all
are on and off, start his car and go on
TO the next crossing. The company Of
tiCials believe he can do this practically
as fast as the motorInan and conductor
do II now.
These new cars Will seat practically
the same number of passengers os the
cars now in use: but they VIII be much
lighter In fact il IS declared he ten
cars now being built are 10000 pounds
lighter than the big cars now used.
That means a saving Of 100, 900 pounds
on the ten cars now used here. The
big cars are 10 be sent to the tTi-Cites
where the traffic is much heavier than
il IS IN Cedar Rapids. on account Of the
large volume OF traffic passing across
the river.
More Frequent Service.
II is understood TO be the intention
Of the company, if It's new program is
accepted by the city council and the
people, TO order sixteen more new cars,
so as to place sufficient cars on all the
lines 10 give Cedar Rapids a ten min
ute service in place Of the fifteen min
ute service now prevailing. The Off
Gals have figured out, it is said. that
they Will be able to do this and still.
make money whereas with the present
big cars and the twO-men service. has
resulted in a dangerous diminutiOn OF
net revenues.
No One to Lose Job.
1t is also said 70 be the intention Of
the company not 10 discharge any Of
the present moto-nen and conductors
All Of them. II is said. viii be -eedcd
In the new and more frequent service.
Some may be used as flagnen at dan
gerous crossings.
Company officials will point out 10
the city council that the One-man car Is
In satisfactory operation In number
Of cities, some Of them larger than Ce
dar Rapids They claim that It Is the
solution OF the problem caused by the
growing use Of the automobile which
has made serious !nroads into the rev.
nues Of the street railway companies
in prosperous cities Ike Cedar Rapids,
all over the limited States