Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-09-09
STREET
CARS LOSE MONEY
IN WESTERN CITY

SAetIiO, WA9n.. sept. 9.-Seatei0 res
Gently completed It's nrst year Of mu-
ways and a prominent local attorney,
Fred w. Catlett. reports candtdfy on
the city's experience upsto date
s1mpediatefy after taking over tho
lines Oh April I.ls1sa' Yrites Mt
were raised and the city faced ~ once
the aavanctng costs q MATERIAL.
time to time blythe superintendent or
public utilities >indicating that the lines
were paying. but failing ito take Ne
count OF any item Of Adepfectation.
The superintendent ehdeav6red 70 Ct
feet economies by the Institution Of
q skip-stop system, by = stricte&f fegu-
laton6of the automobile traffic. on the
them as far an possible for the use OF
h cars, in a greater use OF one-nfan
cars ana by tho installation OF meterh5
on the cars to save power. He also
raised with tho city council the ques-
tfon OF the cost OF paving between the
tracks and succeeded in eating the
council to decide that the municipal
lines need only pay such proportion
Of theScost Of having and r,aintenance
in the business district as was fairly
schargeable to the presence Of the
tracksfin the street.
When. however. the end Of the year
arrived and a report was made up for
the nine months of the year 1918, II
appeared that II a proper allowances
were made for depreciation the mu-
nicipal lines. had run behind $517.-
1879. and the question Of the reten-s
ton ola ive-cent fare at once became
a live issue. The management Of the
municipal lines figured prominently
in the spring campaign and was per-
haps a considerable factor in causing
a change of administration. The new
utilities were reluctant to recommend
an increase of fare untif they had
had a nance to see whether further
economies could not be made. Some
such economies were made. but 1t
soon became apparent that they were
by no means sufficient to meet the
situation. The general fund
OF more than $500, 900 annually to the
street railway system through the lost
general axes which the company
formerly paid. through the lost 2 per
cent gross earnings tax, through the
lost contributions to the cost and
maintenance. of bridges ana aportion
Of the lost expenditures made by h
company for paving between the
tracks. The gross loss for
the first four months Of 1920 is 1885,
600. The present cash deficit in the
railway fund exceeds $780, 900, and
that, OF course. takes no account of
depreciation"
Seattle has now changed to a seven
cent fare and Mr.. CatFett says: THE
mayor has signed this ordinance, al
though he expresses the opinion that
1t will not produce sufficient revenues
to meet the needs of the municipal
lines, n at this writing it seems
probable that he is correct"
He concludes: "Seattle's expert
ence in the operation Of street car
lines is too short to permit many con-
illusions to be drawn with safety. Il
seems, however, to support arguments
often made against municipal owner
ship, such as that the municipality
cannot operate @ cheaply as an the
private company, Q so efficiently
, when 1t ONE to the financial man
agement Of the road.
"A city 10 also not in a position to
employ as cheaply or to have as ef-
fective control over its employees. Their
numberI is greatly increased-here It
rose from 5000 to 5,560-and they AL
come under the civil service rules ana
ADMINISTRATION
A to the quality Of service rem
dered by the city and &2RasSS&privzte
company. there are varying bpinions.
Accurate data seems to ShoW, how
ever. that the city is furnishing the
better service
Mr.. Catlett's final word ie: 1T is
certainly much too 500 to pronounce
a judgment OF failure"