Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-05
JITNEYS SOON MAY
LEAVE THE STREETS
tContInucd ks,,,n I,,rnt Pnne.1


tCont!nucd faom First Pnge.1
few weeks le:rr. t.ave the Jitneys nm
other opportunity fpg big business,
however, The lato Mayor L, S.
Meals, through officers of tho police
apartment, Issued an order permit
ting 1itneys to run during the strike
without paying for u l!conso or fling
n bond,
Make Big Profits
Hundreds of machines crowded the
street. and with only u few street
car runnings-most of them on city
lines-the jitneurs made enormous
profits, many of them running their
automobiles from early in the morn
ing until late at night Some resi-
dents in nearby towns and boroughs
used their machines to haul passen-
gers to the city also. Many COM
plants of overcharging were heard
at first, until finally city officials or
dered the jitney drivers to charge
only 5-cent fare to carry persons to
any part of the city.
Eventually the railways company
succeeded in getting enough mon to
maintain schedules again and notified
city officials to that effect. The late
Mayor Meals then ordered jitneurs
off the streets unless they paid the
required license tax and filed bonds.
A storm Of protest by the jitney driv-
ers followed this order, but the
mayor would not revoke it. and once
more the buses decreased in num-
ber.
Determined not to give up their
business, and also not to comply with
the city ordinance regulating it, the
drivers went before Council and
asked to have the measure amended.
The commissioners failed to comply
with the request, and the jitneurs,
through attorneys, prepared for u
referendum.
In the fall of 1916, the necessary
legal preparations having been made,
voters balloted on the question and
voted that the ordinance should be
amended.
Force Amendment
The measure as amended by the
voters required the jitneurs to pay a
license tax, but instead of filing a
surety bond, should give a personal
bond of $50 when they started to
operate, and then pay IS a month
into the city treasury until fund
of $1,000 had been provided, which
should remain there as surety in case
any damage suit was started against
4 driver.
With this modification in the city
law, 1t seemed that the jitneymen
would have no more trouble.
ers were compelled to defend devel-
ers weer compelled to defend devel-
oped when the Public Service Com
ruled that jitneurs must file
certificates of pubic convenience
showing the necessity for the jitney
in the city in which they proposed to
operate, and giving a route which
they would follow.
Before Commission
Counsel for the iitneurs and at
torneys for the Harrisburg Railways
Company appeared before the COM /
mission at hearings until finally the |
state officials made Il complete in |
veStigation of the street car service |
situation i'm the city, and then made |
rulings concerning the jitneys and !
also recommendation for improve
ment of the trolley service.
These rulings of the commission |
including the former one requiring |
of public convenience, |
also restricted the operation of the |
iitneys to certain districts, stating |
that the other sections OF the city |
were given adequate street car
Efforts to have these rulings
changed failed and the jitneurs faced |
the possibility of prosecution for not
An appeal to the Su-
perior court was filed and counsel
for the drivers succeeded in having
it made to act as a supersedeas. so
that the commission could not en-
force its ruling until the court made !
u decision.
The Last Chance
It is understood, now, however |
that because of the expense of the |
the jitney drivers did not !
have their attorneys file the neces- |
sary documents in court, and as a !
result of not complying with court |
rules the appeals were dismissed.
Unless the drivers decide to appeal |
from this order, or petition the court |
to reconsider its action, it is believed |
most of the jitneys will not be oper- |
ated much longer.