Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-06-07

Railway Company it was necessary for
il 10 have new and better power condi-
lions. new cars car shops. additional chr
barn facilities. reconstruction of tracks,
double tracking on some streets. certain
extensions If its lines and paving be-
tween tie tracks. demanded OF mis-
company tia; some or all Of these I'M
proveHfents ard betfcrmtnts be made. I
WAS informed hy the officials Of this
company that they we're unable to meet
these demands of the city for the req
sen that the company was not earning
sufficient revenue 70 comply with these
demands, as thry were not earning Il re-
tnrn on he present agreed value Of the
p-01 rtr ana that it was therefore un-
able to secure new money. In fact, they
claimed that all they could do was TO
keep ont Of the hands Of a receiver.
''Invesr iSation Of their situation showed
the following facts: During the first three
years of tho World War period. when the
cost Of materials aud labor was senring.
this company was one " the very few by
which the rate IL fare WAS not increased.
On Oct 3d. 1918, he rate was increased To
5 CENTS straight fare On Nov. is. 1920,
the company was permitted TO charge q
Scent fare and 1-cent transfer. which
continued until June l. 1921, when b. or
der Of your commission the rate of fare
was fixed at cents with 2-cent trans
fer. which order IS still IN force. The
officials OF this company claim that dur
ing all this time on account Of the high
cost Of materials and labor, all the earn
iDys If the company were used to pay
operating expenses and fixed charges and
Il was d5ffieHlf At times to pay them They
claim now thRt II IS Impossible to make
these much needed improvements. be-
cause the company is mol earning suffi-
cient revenue 10 do SO. md that IL Is noW
imaoSsihla to borrow money.
HOLDS GooD CAR
SERVICE NECESSARY.
"Good ana efficient street car service
is necessity. Believing that the peo-
pie who ride on the cars and contribute
the revenue were entitled TO know the
exact condition OF this company and as
certain II IN" clailus of the company were
made In good faith and wera true. ] de
termined ia have thorough Investigation
and examination of Its financial condi-
ton by the people themselves.
Therefore. on the nth day Of Feb
ruary, 1922, I requested each one OF
NJ civic societies aud business organiza-
tiontions III indianapolis and also the
Central Labor Union and other labor
organizations to select a representative
to meet me In conference. On February
Is. these representatives, about 200 In
number. met and after thoroughly dis
cussing the entire situation. decided to
make thorough Investigation OF the
fairs and financial condition of this
company. Fer that purpose two different
sub -committees were appointed by the
general committee. One was designated
the committee on transportation. whose
duty il was to examine the hooks, ac-
counts and records Of the company; the
other was designated ns the snb-com-
mittee on qnestionnaire. whose duty it
was to get information from other cities
about the size Of Indianapolis as to the
comparative conditions IN such cities. On
the end day OF March, the sub-eommit-
tee on transportation made a partial re-
port tcS the general committee to the.
effect q y s. was necessary to employ
an expe.r accountant In order to ascer-