Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-09-11
DEPOT LINE NEVER
PAYING PROPOSITION
That Is Why It Was Discontin-
ued, Traction Co. Officials Tell
Board of Acknowledgement
Fares Observation-Disclosures Is
Dropped Temporarily

10 a raise IN rates on the lines or the
Burlington Traction company, II the
special meeting of the board of alder
men, called Monday to consider the
matter of restoring service on the line
to the Union station. is any criterion.
After hearing a story of increased costs
of operation and decreased revenue, told
by officials of the company, and after
some cross-fre between these officials
and Alderman Hanbridge, Alderman
Patrick's motion that the whole matter
be dropped until the committee of arbi-
tration having in charge the difficulties
between the company and the employees
had reported was put into effect. Al1er-
man Beecher moved that the matter be
laid on the table and the meeting be
adjourned subject to the call of the
mayor, following the report of the COM
mittee of arbitration. This motion pre-
vailed
| The meeting was the result of a request
| on the part of Mayor Jackson that serv-
ice be resumed on the depot line as for
merly. The officials of the company
asked to be heard on the matter before
the board of aldermen and this oppor-
tunity was given them. The company
was represented at the meeting by Elias
Lyman John J. Flynn, c. w. Brownell
and r. b. Jones Mr.. Flynn stated the
case for the Traction company.
| The depot line, said Mr.. Flynn, was
never a paying proposition and was not
supported by the public. When the old
station on College street was in opera
ton and the Traction company lines ran
right up to the station platform. the
people patronized it fairly well, the re-
ceipts averaging 81 to IS a day. But
since the new station was put in, the
line has never paid, according to Mr..
Flynn, the receipts being around rs or
so cents day. People had to walk a
block to get the car, and then it was
only couple of more blocks to the no.
tells so they walked the remainder
of the way. The line was not patroniz-
ed did not seem to serve any purpose,
and that was the reason for it's discon-
tinuance. said Mr.. Flynn. who stated
that 1t was the intention of the company
to tear up the track on this line and use
the rails elsewhere.
The increased cost of running the roads
was gone into detail by Mr.. Flynn, who
said that it would be impossible to keep
up the lines under the present fares for
any length of time without any further
burdens imposed on them, and that if
they were forced to operate the depot
line. it would mean extra loss to
them of many dollars a week.
| Mr.. Flynn asserted that many people
who used to ride on the street cars, now
ride in automobiles, and that the Bur-
lington Traction company Is forced to
keep up the streets over which their cars
run. and thus pave the way for the au-
tomobiles to compete with them. The
gravel which has to be used on the
streets costs several times what It used
L..
most a total loss except for a few months
during the summer, and yet the COM
pany is compelled by law to operate
it all .-ie year around. though losing
heavily on 1t during the winter months.
Elias Lyman, speaking for the COM
pany, declared that the rates for trans
portation are lower in Burlington than in
any other place in the country, and that
! it was absolutely impossible for the COM
pany to try to run such parts of the line
as that to the depot at a loss and still
keep above board. He quoted rates in
; other New England cities to prove his
statement as to rates.
Alderman Edward Hanbridge called at
tention to the fact that the estimate of
expenses on the lines of the Burlington
Traction company. which had been quo
ted, were for the past two years, when
transportation conditions had been at
their worst when few people had been
riding, on account of war economy, and
when costs had been higher than ever
before and higher than they would proba-
t bly, be next year at this time. Alderman
Hanbridge said that the merchants or
4 Church street We're strenuously opposed
to the taking up of the tracks on the
depot line which would mean its final dis
+. continuance He said that Burlington
l merchants had built up trade which de
= pended largely on out-of-town shoppers
e and that these shoppers should have
e some way of getting from the depot with
out having to pay hackman half dol
d lar to get up to Church street.
When interrupted with the protests o.
, the officials that the depot line simply
d could not be made to pay, Mr.. Hanbridg'
= said that it had not been operated in sucl
. a way that it would pay, anyhow that i
had not been run on any kind of SEIZED
u ule, and that if the cars could be run IRON
h the head of Church street to the depo
and return, according to fixed schedule
: the line ought to pay. The officials de
clared that this was impractical on ac
count of the heavy traffic on Churcl
street.
Elias Lyman stated that the com
pany would be glad to continue tn
service provided the aldermen woul
find some way to make the entire line
take care of the loss on the depot line
Mr., Hanbridge suggested that the com
. pany might ask for more fare on tn
> lines.
That's what we want to do" sal
Mr.. Lyman.
"Then why haven't you done It?
asked Mr.. Hanbrdge.
I'VE have, on the Burlington Esse
Junction line. We had a hearing befor
O the Public Service Commission nearl
: three months ago, and have had n
0 decision yet. If we knew of any wa
v TO get the matter before the commits
I sion and get a decision on it, we woul
7 try to get a raise"
I Mr.. Hanbridge suggested that ther
4 would be no difficulty in getting tn
) Public Service Commss ion to act ia
- vorably upon a petition to raise tn
! fares, provided the petition had bee
= approved by the board of aldermen.
- "You are undoubtedly entitled to ir
= creased fares, considering the increase
. cost Of operation said Mr.. Hanbridg
i. Let me ask you a question" sal
u Mr. Lyman. would you vote for a
q up before the board of aldermen"
u II would vote here and now for
Y six cent fare said Mr. Hanbridg
l For more of an Increase than tina
l. you would have to show me that
4 was necessary"
r II was the general opinion of II