Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1920-01-22
WITH CITY ATTORNEY HE
WILL. FIGHT &c
RATE
HEARING NOT SET.
COMMISSION SENDS FORMAL NO
LITIGATION or PETITION TO
MAYOR WEEKS AM THE FREE
TRADER - ADMINS
TRATlON LINED UP AGAINST
APPLICATION.

Formal notification was received by
Mayor George V. b. Weeks this after
noon from the stane public utilities
commission OF the Northern Illinois
ligh, and Traction Companys petit
tion asking that they be allowed to
raise the locat car fares from 70 ,
cents ID passenger. The hearing Will
be held in Sprinenrld Feb II, 1t 10
O'Clock. The mayor announced thia
afternoon that 1t was PROBABLE he and
city Attorney Weese would attend
the hearing.
A strong fight to prevent the com
puny from boosting their fares VIII
oe made by Mayor Weeks. He SAID
this afternoon that, in his Judgment,
before the company Is permitted o
charge cents they must show that
they have the proper service 10 war
lant such IA raise He declared hat
the basis such d contention must DC
that the company was not earning
enough money to pay interest on TIL"
money invested in their property
He said that the type OF service for
the past year had been such that no
one would ride unless they had 10. ana
that at the time OF the North Siar
hearing the earnings OF the company
were shown to be 6 per cent, that
il the company had made the proper
inves tment in cars and complete
equipment, employing the needed mo-
lormeu and giving frequent service,
they would probably be warranted n
asking for ! cent fares, but tina. with
the one-mau ears, the diiapidajed cai
and other equipment and while not
giving a ifteen-nlnute service, h"
saw no reason why the rates should
be boosted.
He went into the service on Norris
rect where only one car an hou" Is
operated, stating that when he or one
of his neighbors missed car they
could not wait sixty minutes for an.
other and We're forced TO walk. EN-
planning that the Ottawa power plant
was run on water power while most
OF the other plants wher electricity
was made had to depend on coal tor
their fuel he declared that he
n.d not believe that tae eNpenseS ni
the local company had increase III
proportion to the expenses ol IN"
other ci.ies throughout The state who
had been allowed by the utilities com
mission 10 increase their fares.
Mentioning the intmatlUn taat nae
been made on several occasions by Of
icials o. the local company that the
street car service would be diSContIn-
ued entirely if il was not fer the
power and lighting franchise, Mayor
Weeks stated that he did not believe
they cared much whether the lire
was kept in operation or not, ana that
he thought they would loose mone>
by the increased rates, as people WAG
had only IL sh0rt distance to go would
walk rather than take the cars.
The hearing at Springfield will
probably be as interesting To the peo-
pie of the city as the one held III 1871
in Chicago to force the company -
resume service in North Ottawa
Mayor Weeks is preparing to put W.
lust as hard a fight as he made OF
that occasion, and feels sure that the
commission will be influenced greatly
by the evidence introduced by the
city.
The official notification sent Ou
from Springfield, which gave the pro
poser fare rates, follows.
January 20, l92o.
The Mayor, Ottawa, Ill.
Ottawa Commercial Association, OF
tawa, H.
Ottawa Free T,adei.JournaL Ott"'
wa, Ill.
Gentlemen:
"The Northern Illinois Light and
Traction Company proposes to MAX"
,nectiNe On March /, 1879, the follow
ing schedule of fares for street car
service in the City of Ottawa
Cash fares, cents. tickets. iour
for 25 cents; children under years
Tree; policemen and hremen, tree,
The new schedule has been lled
with the commission.
"A hearing involving the necessity
and justification for the proposed ad-
Vance will be held by the commission
shortly. Those desiring notice of an"
date of hearing will please inform the
commission of their wishes.
Very truly yours,
"Pl BLlC trlllTIt,5 COMMISSIONS.
by II. VI. SLATER, Transportation
Lot