Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-08-23

in Des Moines today would be the big
gest single disaster that could befall the
city. 1t would retard the city's industrial
and physical growth at least ten years,
and the attending publicity would cost
the city and its citizens millions of dol
lars, hundreds of industries, and thou
hands of homes and Inhabitants"
REPORT DEALS
WITH THREE CITIES.
The report of the iitney investigating
committee consisted Of twentyxgfx type
written pages of details concerning the
jitney street railway controversies in the
three cities visited.
Features of the report upon the Sioux
City situation were that the city council
has annihilated the jitney by regulatory
ordinances based upon a statute of the
State Of Iowa, that street railway service
has been better since jitney competition
was eliminated and that the chief com
plants against the busses bad been that
an undesirable moral condition arose
when busses were oyercrowded during a
brief period Of inadequate street car
facilities, that the jtneys took advantage
Of this situation and raised their rates
In some instances to as high as 70 cents
that they failed In many instances to run
to the end Of their lines, passengers
being summary discharged before des-
tinations were reached, and during heavy
SHOWS the buses would not operate until
the car company had cleared its tracks
and then would run thereon. The report
says union men of Sioux City favor street
car service, and 1t had been computed
the jitneys in reality did not earn money,
but nevertheless forty of them have fled
application with the city council for per-
mission to run.
DIES MONIES COMPANY
PRESENTS GRIEVANCES.
The Des Moines tangle, which has been
heralded throughout the country as a re-
suit Of the suspension of service since
the local councilmen made their investi-
q tIon there, is said by the manager of
the utility to the long agitation against
the car company, the cOmpany's failure to
properly deal with the public the in
lection Of the problem into politics and tn
fact that jitney fare IS cheaper than the
street railway rate the report states The
company has demanded of the city that
buses be eliminated from car line streets
that its franchise be cancelled and it be
granted temporary relief from extensions
and betterments, including paving be
tween tracks, but the city has refused to
meet these demands until the company
6hbAiAAH new A1AANhAsc anu = VA
adequate service, 1t is stated. Figures to
show that jitneys also are operating at
loss here are given. Because the street
car men were strongly organized the jit-
neys were on the unfair list" at labor
union headquarters.
The jitney business has been very
thoroughly organized in Kansas City. the
report indicates. Buses first fourished
In 1917 during a series of strikes Of street
railway employees. Kansas City's street
railway problem apparently is more diff
cult than that Of indianapolis since GO
cars are required on $50 miles OF track
while S04 cars operate on 160 miles Of
track here. The report states jitney
service has been inadequate to replace
street cars and gives figures to show that
4.750 buses would be required If trips
were made hourly or 1 1858 If three trips
per hour were made Prior to restriction
OF the buses there were 2S5 in opera
ton
STATE, CITY LAWS
REGULATE BUSES.
Legislation regulating the buses in
Kansas City consists of a State law pro
hib.ting the extending Of the person Of
any rider six inches beyond the Lody of
the car, and city ordinances requiring
that iitney operators shall file an in
demnity bond, regular routing of husse,
forblddlng them TO operate on or ira
verse streets having street car lines, re
curing written consent of property own
ers on any street before a jitney can OPP
crate thereon and a regulation by board
Of park commissioners forbidding jitneys
from operating in or traversing on parks
or boulevards.
The drivers have 8 Jitney Bus Associ-
alton which is fighting much OF the
regulation. The association requires
strict obedience Of regulations as TO
routing, speed courtesy and care in
handling passengers, fning offending
members. 1t is trying 10 bring about
the elimination of touring cars as jit
ueys and the exclusive use of large
buses Dispatchers are maintained by
the association at the ends of lines, to
insure regular service. Directly after
the passage OF the ordinance prohibiting
jitneys from using car line streets the
receipts of the car company increased
about $1,000 per day. the report states.
The number of 1itneys has fallen off %
per cent, 1t is added. Kansas City has
an official called the 'jitney bus in
spector"