The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-06
PROPOSED INCREASE OF STREET CAR FARE BRINGS MANY PROTESTS FROM
 CITIZENS ANDPA IRONS OF CAR LINES

strong sentiment against increased street car fares on lines of the Bir- mingham Railway, Light and Power company was expressed yesterday by citizens interviewed by members of The Age-Herald staff.
 Resentment was voiced alike by the suburbanite and the man living on short haul lines. Both feel that they are being made the "goat.' The sense of opinion is that the reduction of wartime prices should enable the railway company to operate,on low CT cost basis.
 Jitney operators, following the an. nouncement of the order of Judge Grubb authorizing the receiver of the mission for higher rates, through Frank White. their spokesman, vii announce the continuance in effect o their present rates.
 Commission Opposed
 It is believed the city commission
 
 increase street car fares on the ground that ixis unwarranted. Members of the ycommission would not express them selves officially last night
 Four members of the commission arc soiidiy arrayed against the in-
 crease, it is certain. One member declared that the fight would be
 carried to the last ditch. asserting that the increase was not justifI- nt,1 Ar.
 the legislature giving the public
 commission power to increase rates
 of utilities with which municipali-
 ties have contsacts will he attacked in the courts, it E practically cer-
 tain n feature of the battle.
 The commission will probably hold 8 conference some time today to deter mine just what steps will be taken to prevent the increase being granted by the public service commission.
 The attitude of the commission to- ward the statement of B. H. Cooper, member of the public service commis sion, given out during the jitney regu- lation fight two weeks ago, was very bitter. Dr. N. A. Barrett, president of the commission, denounced Cooper's ac- tion as waving the big stick to try to intimidate."
 Expressions of Citizens
 Lawrence Broughton, 17Os Copeland avenue:
 For the life of me I cannot see any justice in the proposed increase In street car fares. There might have been some excuse for 1t during the war time period, but now that prices on most everything are coming down, I think the street car fares should come back to a nickel instead of being in- creased.
 During the war ordinary day labor cost approximately $450 and s5 a day. Now this same kind of labor can be gotten at from s1.5o to s2.5o per day.
 Price of matedial used in the upkeep and the repair of the tracks has also de- creased greatly, and I think it will cer- tainly be a raw deal for the average working man if the higher fares go into effect"
 Ed. Manning, druggist, corner o. Third avenue and Twenty third street: There is lot of talk about the reg ulation of jitneys in Birmingham but the regulation of the street car lines would also shelp a great deal.s Stree ear lines like Ensley, East Lake Boyles Pratt City and the like should stay at cents, or even an increase of 1 cent might be granted on these lines
 But the short run lines like North and South Highlands and the loop line and other short lines of three miles or less should be reduced to cents anc no transfers should be given. This I think, is a more practical plan than that of increasing the fare to cents on all the street car lines"
 Hollis Hart, proprietor of the West End Bakery, Poplar street:
 'I do not believe the Birmingham Ia will eto fAv ,al1 ;x, street car fares. Of course they may not be able to help themselves If the rates are approved and are put into effect. but it can mean only one thing and that will be more business for the jitneys.
 "If the street car fares go to 8 cents and charge cents for a transfer the 10 cents rather than cents and 2 cents for a transfer to the street car company
 M L. Cooper, Ensley: "The working people are the ones who will suffer the most from this raise in car fare and they are the ones who can afford it the least. It is crime to think of the increase being put on at this time. It appears funny that the price of any one necessity should be raised when the price of everything else is com ing down. Many Ensley people who work in Birmingham have to take 7. transfer and vice versa, many or those who live in Birmingham and work in Ensley require transfers. If they only ride twice day they will have to pay 6 cents more each day ana there are very few who can afford it at this time"
 Miss Katherine Horton, employed by Birmingham department store: With the small salary working girls get these days in proportion to the cost of living, the increase in car fare is going to work hardship on them. and there will be many who Eill be compelled to walk a great deal Of the time. at least one way. for they can not afford to pay the few extra cents required by the increase in car fare.
 "The Herald deserves commen- dation for upholding the people in op- posing the increase. It shows it has the interests of the people at heart by opposing this unjust raise in car fare.''
 S J. H. Smith, federal building: There is no reason why the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company should increase their fare at this time when everything is coming down. If they were losing money when they ad- vanced the fare to cents they should have figured out their losses on a bet ter basis. It looks like inefficiency on the I/rt of some one. At that time everything was much higher than it is now and they should have figured accordingly I live in East Lake and know that fewer people ara riding