El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-05-22

WHAT viii become Of the street caTss il IS problem
w al over the country. Traction companies are IN troll
he Almost unanimously they say trolley lines don't pay,
that they can't money that few have been abe 10
raise and that their securities listed low IN the
market Operating costs have gone syward Many have
found it impossible to stretch to cover expense 10
say nothing Of dividends and already have gone into
bankruptcy
The Literary Digest says the trolley is vanishing
and nay disappear entirely if present tendencies continue
at has seen its day." declares Charles E SorensoH IN
the Detroit Journal and the Hartford Courant remarks
at is question open to debate whether not the trolley
has done its work and going to JOIN company Win
the stage coach" :.
oTe than $50 miles Of track have been abandoned IN
the last year. says Harlow c. Clark in the New YORK
Evening Post while to-day than 10 percent OF the
total mileage the country IS N the hands OF RECEIVERS
and additional large mileage IS threatened win OanA
Five hundred members Of the American Railways as
socation recently got together and passed resolutions u
ing the traction managers everywhere TO Tend an Possioe
aid N the promotion legislation to bring about the pubic
ownership Of all electric railway lines Thus they seek
to aget out from under before the tna crash comes
whereas, formerly the manipulation OF trolley LInlse
was favorite pastime Of GetRch Quick Walngfords MI
Mculloh Of the United Railways Of St LOUIS says thaI
under present conditions local franchises are Yauee
This is an astonishing situation and with which
readers doubtless acquainted only insofar as the con
dtons described apply to their own localities tor N
stance the traction company in FL Paso asked SIX cent
fare representing conditions as being most unIaFoIaD
and was refused the increase It well understood ar
the time that the pubies attitude might have oeen a
feIent had the company IN past years gwen le pOp
more consideration and better service -
The Tucson RAPID Transit company also got into dim
entities and service almost Oft That company Il
sIv secured an increased fare however and is managing
TO maintain service The Phoenix Street Railway company
has been having its troubles for the past ten years. con
stutv representnq that it was not making money and
was unable TO make improvements Iast as growth OF
the civ made desirable These few examples Of
what seems to be general condition
As for the causes which brought about this weakness
o. the traction companies, Mr. Clark calls them:
Largely the result Of conditions which, DUNG lne
var imposed UPON electric railway operation all Of the
burdens which other business has borne, but which have
prevented the adoption Of those measures Of relief which
have enabled uuregulated industries to readust their al
fairs 70 meet the crisis We find the steam roads con-
fronted with the same increases IN wages and
in the price Of materials, but find them also III the
hands Of the government which has not only largely n
creased their rates. but IN addition provided the money
for necessary extensions and betterments.
aFor the electric lines such has not been found
possible Although coniended by former president
Taft and his associates the national labor board
that the national government possessed the power to reg-
view was not adopted BY the administration and they were
left to protest themselves as best they might
aIn the meantime the national government asserted a
large measure Of control their affairs. fixed the
their operating expensesand so added 10 tnelI expenses
an amount estimated at s1oooooooo year, sufficient 70
more than wipe out their entire net income
a fixed the price Of the fuel which they consumed
fuel being the second largest item Of operating expenses;
II fixed the urce Of most of the materials that they
ured and because Of the industries in many local.
ties It practically dictated the services which they per
formed.
The assistance afforded the companies By the govern
eut was ueager The terms Of the law creating the waT
few railways able TO avail themselves OF its provisions
since ample security such few Of the companies possessed
was required as a condition Of leans
cit obvious that the recourse Of electric railways