Omaha daily bee., 1921-08-04
.Des Moines
Cars
Stop Today
Auto Bus System Is Only
Means of Transportation
For los. 900 Citizens in
Iowa Capital.
To Sell Traction Plant

Des Moines. Aug. 3.-(Special Tel
egram. )-Des Moines is making prep
arations today to carry its los 600
daily car riders to and from their
work without street railway trans
portation. The cars cease operating
tonight under court order and the
entire plant and equipment of the
traction system will be sold under
foreclosure sale.
The city council today modified
an emergency force of motor busseS
which will start operating under spe-
Cial licenses Thursday morning over
all of the abandoned Car route. 1t
is claimed by the bus men that with
in "a hours enough motor busses
will be in operation to carry at least
$4,000 of the car riders daily and by
the end of the week the entire city's
transportation will be handled by
motor
In organizing the temporary motor
busses the bus owners are moving a
step nearer toward their goal of max
ing Des Moines a city served only
by standard motor bus equipment.
Want Long Franchise.
They asked that the city council
grant them a five-year franchise and
i'll return to put on adequate bus
service i'll every section of the city.
1t is claimed that they will serve
the city even more thoroughly thar
the electric cars because OF the abil"
ity to arrange flexible routes to subs
urbs hitherto untracked.
In cases where the car lines ilava
travelled routes yet unpaved the coun-
Gil is considering employing motor
busses with Hanged wheels to oper-
ate over the street car rails and con-
meet up with the other bus routes.
1t is still doubtful. however,
whether the city will enter into the
desired agreement with the bus in
terest because of the possibility OF
resumption OF street car service after
sale of the system.
In any event Des Moines is bound
to be without street Car service for
at least a month. This is the dec
laration OF attorneys who are wind
ing up the affairs of the defunct conf
pany. Notices must be posted III
forming defendants and other credi-
tors to come into court for account
ing. This will take one month. The
next month will be consumed IN ad-
vertising and conducting the sale.
Interurban Operating.
An auction sale or submission OF
bids for the property are the two
methods that can be followed in SELL
ing the property. The court can re-
jcct all bids and readvertise the prop
erty for sale, if it sees this is best
for the interests of the creditors.
The interurban controlled by the
same interests as the Des Moines
city railway aha deriving power from
the same plant. will not be required
TO shut down at this time under the
terms of the court order. Although
the power plant will go in the sale
arrangements are being made for the
purchase of power from other cleo
trio railways coming i'll here.
One auxiliary power plant owned
by the street car company will be
kept in operation to handle the inter
urban business.
The total outstanding bonds of the
company is $4,S75,000. Debentures
and notes bring the total indebted
ness of the company up to $7,50O,000.
Approximately 700 persons, employ
ed by the company, will be thrown
out of work when the cars are taken
to the barns tonight.
The report that the Illinois Trac-
ton system, which is the Mckinley
interests. operators OF many public
utilities. might purchase the property
is denied by Charles Bradshaw, local
counsel for the concern.