Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-09-06
CITY ELECTRIC IS
KEPT GOING ONLY
BY FAITH IN CITY
President Of Company in Reply
to Kicks on Service Says
Improvements viii Take
Years Gross Receipts,

The slump in the City Electric's
street car service in the Highlands is
only temporary and caused by inn
provements of the company's trackage
and the paving of East Central ave-
of the company, explains in q state
ment in reply to kicks against the
service,
The statement follows
The City Electric company are be-
being subjected to very considerable
criticism by residents Of the highland
and university districts on account of
the recent and existing interruption of
the service that we usually maintain
on those lines. The criticisms, while
doubtless well meant, are very unfair
to us and are probably made in ignor-
ance and lack of appreciation of the
real facts of the case.
The company is willing to stand on
their record during the past four years
as to the class of service it is able
to maintain and the competency of
the handling of its affairs. The service
we are maintaining on the other lines
now in normal operation affords us
the best evidence of the company's
under normal conditions.
We advocated paving, feeling II
would be beneficial to the city and
eheerfully assumed an assessment of
over 100000. reducing property own
ers assessments correspondingly,
with the full knowledge that our serv-
ice would be materially impaired at
great loss to us while the paving was
n Hp,a xxytl
tify our broad minded view Of this
subject, which Is different from the
penny-wise, pound foolish, parsimo-
Nous attitude frequently adopted in
other cities by street railway COM
panies who fail to realize that their
own prosperity lies in the growth of
the town and the friendship Of the
people it serves
At this moment we are operating
under very great difficulties. The city
has possession of four blocks OF our
main track, We are operating cars
beyond that break and are unable to
take these cars to our barns for either
cleaning or repairs, and therefore, we
cannot keep them up to our usual
standard of cleanliness and efficiency
We have just completed the exten-
sion of our Hill street switch at a
cost of over $4,000, which Is solely for
the purpose of improving transporta-
ton facilities on the university line,
and which expenditure cannot benefit
us except In whatever benefits accrae
from improved service. This work
also temporarily interrupted the serv-
ice on that line.
We have recently, at an expense of
over $4,000. installed metropolitan
loop system instead of the old village
switch system, which eliminates the
annoyance Of waits and increases the
transportation speed of our cars and
reduces the chances of accidents and
derailments. This work also tempo
rarily interfered with the service.
We have expended this year on
maintenance and betterments alone
dncluding the paving assessment) an
amount equal to our entire gross re-
eeipts. We have increased our en-
ployes wages materially, are decreas-
ing their working hours, and have
done everything in our power TO
maintain the most modern and eff
cient street railway system in the
United States in any town the size of
ours
Every sensible person realizes that
the home and the office is uncomfort-
able and upset While painting or
changes or spring cleaning is in force,
but that the results are good and
more than offset the stroubles caused
by that work, and this is the situation
applicable to the City Electric today, |
but which in few weeks will disap-
pear; after which time, predict the
citizens will extend to us their usual
kindly compliments and good wishes
for the work We are endeavoring to |
perform in the hope that some day
our good city will become large |
enough to make the company profit |
able.
Nothing but great and abounding |
faith In the ultimate growth Of our |
city makes the operation of the City |
Electric company possible at all, un-
der the existing conditions.
GEORGE ROSLINGTON,