The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-12-18
STREET RAILWAY IMPROVEMENTS

The hearing Thursday before Commissioner
Russell OF tho state corporation commission
with reference to the abandonment OF the 81.
Louis avenue line by tho Oklahoma Union rail-
way company serves TO bring to the attention
of the community once again the gravity Of the
city transportation problem.
Tho attorney for tho Q. i. pointed out that
the ST. Louis avenue llne was and aways had
bccn nonrovcuue producer. operated at a con.
gtant loss at best. that the letting Of paving
contract on that stroot and tho provisions OF the
charter requiring tho railway company 10 pay
a certain amount Of the paving cost totanns
something Ike $4,000 had contributed TO their
decision to abandon the line.
No one will question the sound judgment OF
tho transportation company In such a matter az
this n nm cxgting Investment Is Improbable
ana ia without reasonable expectation of bocom-
Ing prortahc It ia not Justice to require m ad-
diuona Investment Of great magnitude even n
n can bc legally oxactcd. There have bcrn
many inaistont complaints from city transpor-
tation companies concerning this feature OF OK
isiug law.
The time haH come, We think, when officials
and the public must bring reason and straight
thinking to this matter There must be gen
cral recognition ~ The fact that conditions have
indeed materially changed FOR city transporta-
ton concerns since tho motor car has come to
be a commoa and well-ngh universal mode OF
city transportation,
The issue Is whether or not this fact shall bo
recognized and a decent effort made to accom-
modato investors IN city transportation that
they may reasonably continue to serve the pub
lie, or whether by Il failure 50 TO DO such in
vosors shall be iriven from a field. that every
atom OF judgment tells us must be occupied
under different conditions sooner or later.
The world Is very strongly disposed towards
the Wow that TO relieve u city TRANSPORTATION
company of the obligation to bear ~ great a
portion Of tho paving on streets occupied by It
will not constitute an injustice towards the rail-
roads and in. the interest OF the city as whole
Because the property owners streets whore
there Is no llne-nggrcgating vast majority
Of The wholc--have no recourse but to stand the
total paving costs; and In no event does the rail-
way company have any voice in determining
whether or not street occupied by it shall or
shall not be paved.
In those cases where street ls Paved and
the transportation company mekes All extension
thereon, lndubitahlv said compaay should ns-
sumo All costs Of replacing the paving in Il man
nor acceptable to thr city authorlues But
"n''' paving ~ Ha"e oh FTeetb Hlreauy ocou-
pied by the company In view of the great dfn-
culties electric lines labor under at best. It
would seem to be wise and Just 10 exemnt them
from heavy financial load as they are now
bound to bear,
Tulsa must solve his city transportation
problem. Tulsa must not only have efficient
management OF it's existing lines OF city trans
portation, but II must have extensions and an
ever widening system In order that the city may
expand In all directions naturally and easily.
TO accomplish this there must be decent and
unselfish cooperation between those who have
Investments in these properties, and the city
officials and public,