The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-25
Wichita Traction COmpany's
Earnings Exceed TOpeka's-
Street Car Mileage In Two Cities
Equal, Engh Reports.
CAN'T HIKE WICHITA'S RATE
Home Rule Law Operates With
One-CitE Utility.
Wichita System Carries Two
Million More Passengers

IN spite Of the fact that Topekanz
have been paying 4 six cent street car
fare as against nickel rate for Wich-
ita- gross earnings OF the Wichita
company have been s25.52g greater
than those in Topeka. Street ear
mileage IN the two towns is equal
IN a report TO the court Of indus
trial relations today, G. A Engh- chief
the Topeka rate has not produced so
much revenue as has the lower rate IN
Wichita. He also refers to the in
ability OF the court 20 increase WIch-
tia rates Under the home rule provf-
sion OF the state law while wage in
creases were granted street car EN-
ployeS IN both cities and fares in To-
peka increased by a corut order.
Haul Fewer Passengers.
Recently the court issued a state
ment pointing cut the need Of an in
creased fare in Wichita TO meet the
new wage schedule
Engh's Investigations shoE Topeka
cash fares for the last year totaIied
9.4T1,9t5 or z.4047S7 fewer than the
Wichita company which hauled
1875, T02 passen gers. In his report to
the court today. Ensh said:
The Wichita Street Railway company IS
i oue-citY utility and under the OLD public
utilities law. il seemed that the court OF
industrial reIatians had no Jurisdiction to
raise the ear fire 70 meet the demands Of
the new wage scale The Topeka Street
Railway company. the other hand
serves the people df both Topeka and Oak
land and is, therefore. under the iurisdis.-
ton OF the court OF industrial relations
sitting Is 4 public utilities eammiSsfonl
in the natter Of car fares. The fare in
Eopek1 Tor the past year has been cents
In wichita for many years IL has been )
cents. with little bit lower fare on tfgkerz
Fhe traPk mileage Of the two roads is the
sanle - miles IN Wichita and % miles IN
Topeka The mileage Of streets traversed
hy street car lines IS greater in Topeka
so.fs3 IN Topeka and =J.6f in Wichita This
difference IN tr1ek and road mileage. Of
course. - caused by more streets having
double traek in wichita than IN Topeka
During the year 1919 the Wichfta Street
Railway company carried 4 total Of IL s-fi.-
f0e passengers. while the Topeka street
railway in the same tine carried only
2. 4Il.9i5 passengers The Wichita Street
Railway company therefore. carried :. 404.-
Isl more Passengers f1In the Topeka Street
Railway company with the same milea re
The Wichita Street Railway company oper-l
ared more ears. therefore lad fewer strap
hangers and shows 4 LIZZIE BIT smaller
number AZ nlssengers per ear mile siian me
Topeka rpad- This shows better ss-vice
IN wichita than in Topeka IN the estima
ton et persons who hive studied the
street car business.
Gross Earnings Larger.
However win the same number II miles
the same investment. the WiGhiEa Street
Railway company. BIZ rHaso1 Of the fact
that it serTea a city of much larger and
uenseF porcKarion than Topeka. carries
70 - than two million passen gers N excess
or the Topeka traffic. would mike gross
earnings on a 5-eeHt fare Of tz5.528 per an
nuln more than the Topeka railTay would
make on a 6-eent fare