The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-10
Albert Patten Tells p. U. e. OF
Street Car Troubles.
Application for Fare Increase
Is Being Heard.
GOING HAS been ROUGH HERE
Company Has Had Hard Fight
From Early SOS.
Bicycle Was First Big Competi-
tor of the Service.

Thirty years of sorrows, trials and
tribulations in street car operation in
Topeka were recounted to the Kansas
public utilities commission today by
A. NJ. Patten, general manager of the
Topeka Railway company. Patten ap-
peared before the commission as the
principal witness for the company in
an application for increased street car
fares in Topeka and Oakland.
Starting with stories of boom day
transit line construction in the SOS
days when Topeka boasted four inde-
pendent dummy lines and horse and
mule system-Patten told of millions
which promoters have sunk here. His
story was of mergers, transfers. con-
solidations and bond and stock issues
always and ever with the same end
ing-losses to the investors.
Story of Years of Troubles.
Patterns testimony was the general
story of years of endeavor to make a
| fair return on the street railway game
here. He will be followed to the stand
| by officials who will explain the de-
tailed figures Of operating expenses
| and the little red marks in the profit
| and loss columns.
Mayor Corwine sat beside Fred S.
| jackson, attorney for the state COM
| mission, during the morning session.
Mayor Corwine will aid commission
attorneys in the fight to establish the
| claim that the street railway is losing
money and cannot opera under its
| franchise agreement of cents
| General hard luck has pursued
| street railway activities in Topeka,
| Patten asserted. In the early COS
consultations and mergers gave To-
peka a single system and aided in
reducing the overhead expense OF
| operation. In 1892 local interests took
over the combined capital stock issue
OF $1,25o,o00 and $1.100,0o in bonds
he said.
The next year the panic hit. The
Santa Fe reduced its shop forces the
company's credit was shattered and Il
found trouble in securing money.
Bicycle First Competitor.
Then came the bicycle. Hundred.
OF former patrons rode to work or
their wheels. Gross revenues dropped
from $500 a day to 5000.
Later an Independent line was bull
to Vfnewood park and an amusement
resort opened. This venture resulted
in the sale of the local system Bu
Vinewood didn't pay and was closed
several years after the system was &C.
CURED by the Mckinley interests ir
1910. In the period from 1903 to 1915
investors in the system borrowed 81.
@oO'VOO PcISO1dl HOIoS. HdIIen SdlQ
and the line was rebuilt and new
equipment installed. Patten said thai
a million and a half dollars were ac
tually spent on improvements from
1903 to 1910.
Topeka and Oakland looked like
good bet to the Mckinley interest.
when they bought the line in 1910 anC
paid S95 share for the stock and as
sumed a bond debt of slightly more
than million dollars. Patten told tn,
commission of numerous extensions
betterments and improvements by tn,
Illinois Traction company controlled
by w. B. Mckinley and associates.
He Gives Gross Earnings.
"Gross earnings of the compan,
from March 1. 1910, to December 81
191S.' said Patten, 'were s3,SS2,
, 1880. Operating expenses includin,
taxes and depreciation amounted T.
: $2,435, ,0s2.62. Bond interest wa
: $3.50, 3,21S.57, retirement of bonds
$4,000, new construction 1861,
0o9.63"
sPatten then asserted that the re
! naming s396,66S.4S which went T.
| stockholders reduced their investmen
here. from $1,516. 6.S63SS to the presen
actual investment of $1,11S,I95.4O.
A total average investment durin
the nine-year period of $1,352,1S1 wa
claimed by Patten. He said that tn
!, average annual return to the com
, pany from the Topeka Oakland line
! was s44,29S or 3.27 per cent a veal
In 1918, the general manager test
fled, the return above operating ex
, pense was s53.505.05. without charg
Continual ON poDa sTyro