Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-03-11
Frederic Ha.kin's Letter
WHERE THE JITNEYs WON OUT.

prohfbitive bond, so they did not
operate for hire. Instead, each OF
them carried a sign saying Free
Union Jitney," and . general In
vitation was extended to all the
good people of Miami to ride where
ever they wanted to go for nothing.
The jitneys had already COM
manded a good deal of popular sym
patty, and now they won the town
folk completely. Everyone rode in
the free union jitneys, and no one
rode in the buses. When he got
out Of jitney, the passenger threw
his fare on the seat, and in order
to show that he was on the side OF
the Independent operator and the
scent ride, he often left a quarter
or 50-cent piece instead of a nickel.
The jitney operators made more
money giving free rides than they
ever did charging q regular scale
Of fares.
Meantime the jitney operators.
who had organized themselves into
Local No. 494 of the International
Brotherhood OF Transfers. Chauf-
feurs, Stablemen, and Helpers, went
into court and found a Judge who
declared that the ordinance COM
polling them to put up bond was
unconstitutional. They then re-
sumed operation at the usual fares.
The husses, in order to meet this
competition, came down in fare to
FIVE cents, but even at that price
they could not get any business.
The jitneys had it all. The bus line
got another ordinance, just like the
first one passed, and the jitney driv-
ers again went into court and had
it declared unconstitutional. That
finished the bus line as means OF
conveyance within the city. The
jitneys are now absolutely supreme,
and they have a remarkably secure
place in the affections of the people.
This jitney service is a good ex-
ample of a very loose organization
in which every individual is a free
operator, but which serves its pur-
pose very we'll. The union has a
president, and a lodge room. 1t
costs $40 to join it and 81 a
month in dues. The union
has a business agent on the street,
who looks out for its interests.
Each driver, however, is free to
drive where and when he pleases
Supply and demand is relied upon
to regulate the number of jitneys
operating on each street, and this
laissez-faire policy seems to work
very we'll, as you never have to
wait long for a car anywhere. The
driver may leave his route where
ever he pelases. If he has time he
will often take you to your door
for dime or nickel extra, but in
the rush hours he will usually re-
fuse to do this. The only hard and
fast regulations have to do with
the fares. Each operator carries a
card on the windshield which an
nounces on the outside that it is a
union jitney, and on the reverse
IdI lcS d statement vi tuc Go u
all points. Thus there is no chance
for misunderstanding.
Nearly all of the jitney operators
are young men, most of them little
more than boys. They make from
$25 to $50 a week each, over
and above all expenses of operating
their cars. That is in the tourist
season. In the summer a good
many of them go away, and the rest
manage to make a living here
This jitney service has grown ul
with the city of Miami. which means
that it has grown up very fast
! Miami has grown like a tropical
plant. Twenty years ago there was
next to nothing here. Now there
are about thirty-ive thousand regu.
lar Inhabitants, and in winter about
the same number of residents
Building is going forward at a great
rate. Hotels are crowded. Prices
are high but service is good. Ev.
| cry possible opportunity is afforded
you to spend your money, hut you
always get something for it.