The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-24
NTNEY QUESTION
INTERESTS MANY
Opinion Is Divided on How
They Should Be Reg
uIated Here

In the jitney controversy, South
Highlands service seems in the minds
of many, despite the fact that the
people of that neighborhood, mostly,
own their cars
The effect of street cars on real estate
values and suburban development Is an
ether feature causing much concern.
Among the statements made yesterday
on the jitney subject are the following:
Mrs. ]. E. Frazier, ITO Twelfth street,
south. said: II think the jitneys should
be regulated. but not put out of business
The jitneys are a convenience, other
wise they would not be so literally pat
ronized, but there should be some re-
sponsibility and regularity connected with
their operation
1T seems to me the thing to aim at
is restoration to the old five cent car
fare. The lower the fare the more peo-
pie will ride on the cars We should be
fair to the car system, but we should
regulate and not destroy a legitimate
competition
j. H. Donnell, 1915 Grand avenue, said:
1 oO ilOI uoO Luc JiLIoySJ AOI TeSlulIlS
on a jitney line, but l think it would not
be right to deprive the people who have
the jitneys AND seem to like them. of
that quick service. Regulation is all
right. but the jitneys should not be put
out of business. l think the city should
try and do right by both sides without
depriving the people of rapid service
Judge G. M. Taylor, inferior court,
Pratt City, said: I'VE have no jitneys to
Pratt City and therefore the routes and
operation are not matters of vital i'm
portance to us. but the fact that they
threaten the continuous and frequent
operation of cars and threaten further
increase Of fares makes it a matter of
vital Importance to use
I'VE don't want to be taxed to main
tain a fast jitney service for the people
on South Highlands and other close-in
sections. The jitneys are a menace te
the property values in the suburbs and
We think we are entitled to some con-
sideration in this matter"
DR.. Edmonds Bennett, rector of st.
Johns Episcopal church, said: IT have
read many statements in the newspapers
about why jtneys should continue to run.
but have never seen any argument adj
vanced in their favor that was not purely
selfish.
line and therefore has two car lines, is
no reason why the great majority of the
people and all tax payers and property
owners should be made to pay for that
duplicate service when the facts show
the street car is ample to meet all needs
and that the public can't support two
services. The unregulated operation of
Jitneys means poor car service and the
jitneys quit when the weather is bad"
NJ. H. Mcdowell, general manager the
Ensley company. Ensley. said They
tell me the Birmingham Railway, Light
and Power company wants the jitneys
regulated. If they do. that is the best
thing I ever heard of that company do
from regulation? Everything else Is reg
ulated now. They regulate our method
OF living and our habits. so let's regulate
the jitneys.
THE jitneys should be bonded They
occupy the streets built by other people s
money and yet when they do damage,
they are not responsible. l favor regu-
lating them.
]. j. Donald, druggist and real estate
owner Fairfield, said There can be
no excuse for not regulating the jitneys.
To allow them to run without regulation
Is giving them an unfair advantage. If
the present situation continues it neces-
sarily will follow that the people living
in the suburbs will be made the goats
I'VE will either have to pay more fare
to make up for the cost of giving dupli-
cate service to South Highlands and
other short hauls or else the company
will cut down the number Of cars. I
can conceive of no reason why a man
in the suburbs, not served by jitneys.
should not favor their operation. And
If a man is property owner he will
pay dearly for titneys even il he lives
on a jtney line"
Mrs. Charles Zeigle, Fairfield. said:
birmingham should do like Peoria when
the jitneys menaced the continuous and
proper operation of the street railway
line. the only method of transportation
that the general public can depend on.
by taking steps to curb the unregulated
running Of jitneys.
Eighty per cent of the people Of Bir-
mingham are forced to depend entirely
on street cars for transportation. and
say 1t is not fair to tax this major
ity either in increased fares or reduced
Service to provide duplicate service
for people who could get along fairly
we'll without cars"