El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-05-22
STREET Car COMPANIES m HARD
STRAITS: WHAT is TROLLEY'S FATE?

r0rfr0rFar VIA euCTm0Is-T
either an increase the price Of their eommoaty service
OF reduction the amount Of the commodity fuInsneu
for the prevailing price. This was tne poney "a SeA
other industry affected by Ike Conditions as Is eueC
m the increased price Of practically everything that IS solo
on the market It was however impossible tor the eece
railway companies to solve their problem IN TINS simple
manner.
abo national Government which assumed the night to
increase the cost OF operation, absoved itih OF any re
suousbitv as the furnishing Of revenue with which 20
meet the increase The companies were themselves win
ot noer which Law either with state regulating coHls
sions OF with the local authorities In the communities IN
which the companies operated
what Is the answer to all this? The street car com
snv managers naturally suggest higher fares SIX to eight
cents but while people VIII stand for higher postage stamps
two more on cgaIels ana TAX On MOTION pr
ture show tickets, they bak at cent OF two more On
street car fares They point the tanning of cars to the
verv ultimate Of crowding and to the discomfort OF hang
ing to strap for two miles Win anolnel passenger step
ping on ones toes.
In municipal politics the promise to defeat demands for
an Increased fare becomes an excellent bid for votes, nor
i The increased fare as efectuaI remedy for the com
pauys Affections might appear says kehare hoaoey
inglev In the New York Tribune, ION short haus (ano II
IS On short hauls that the money is made IN ansporta
toni has been found that former uders now become
1rs-sud save their money" What then? Shall cities
take over the trolley lines and them themselves9 Chi
cgo refuses to- Detroit refuses Seattle is about to ~
san Francisco has tried 1t and lost money Or might
We not 90 in for public control and operation while pre-
serving private ownership? That IS the Massachusetts plan
M Clark says, the Boston Elevated railway nuons
subways and surface hnes)-
aTs benq operated BY state trustees fare Of eight
cents Is IN effect and has far proved insufficient to pay
the cost Of service The trustees have announced their IN
tution of creating two five cent zones and the assun
ton Of part the cost Of service by the state through
taxation is being advocated"
No satisfactory solution has found up It
NAV be that for those companies that carry on
somehow time VIII solve the problem partly at least by
bringing down operating costs It may be, too, that more
Communities viii sanction increased fares when they see
street car companies about 90 bankrupt Whle COM
plants against trolley service very general It IS vel
recognized fact that street have played great part
in city development by making possible the upbudng OF
suburbs Try to sell lot OF house two or three
miles from his place Of business and, he does not nave
an automobile Of his questions IS: How lar IS II ron
street car lne? If there Is line nearby he goes
elsewhere to make his home.
And the street have faculty Of safety and de-
psudabitv that tnes have. The trolley cars are
far from being perfect Of transportation but such
as they are they the best for the purpose that has
been found and somehow other they viii have 10 be
kept running