The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-03-10
HIS Plan
OUT.
SUCCESS
Seattle Man Suggests Sale
of Weekly and Monthly
Street Car Passes
BY Jack Hall

SUcet IdT ASSES
BY Jack Hall
Ever since the city acquired the
municipal railway system from
stone a Webster three years ago
the lines have been running in the
rcd" notwithstanding desperate 81.
forts on the part OF the mayor and
city council 10 keep the ship afloat.
Now a solution OF the problem to
provide ample funds for the system
has been found In the proposal sub
mitted TO the city council In De
cenbcr, 1890. by BENJAMIN Henry
Fetley. consulting engineer. offering
. plan that has since been inau.
-,rated and successfully operated In
&pgstown. o.
hs*Ffhe plan. rs proposed. for
ufting the lines on . paying
basis. Is . steeidedly novel one
and IL distinctly different from
the usual methods employed to
produce greater rrvenue--that
Of increasing the rate Of fare or
making special Inducements for
riding during offp~sk hours Of
the day by offering \ wholesale
price TO those patrons who
would ride Wholesale. thereby
reducing the cost Of transporta-
ton to the regular rider.
MEETS WITH
ENTHUSIASM
The idea as set forth In the Pet.
hey plan Is meeting with the enthus-
tAstic approval OF citizens generally
wherever Il has been presented. for
Il not only furnishes the means for
securing funds necessary for the
successful operation OF tho street
railway. but it Il so readily adapted
10 existing conditions that IL may
be tried out at lnconsiderablc ex.
pense without interfering with pres
ent arrangements under the sts-cent
fare. In fact. tho retention Of the
sh cent fare for the casual rider
and the sale OF "a cent tickets TO
school children Is contemplated In
~ proposal
rhe plan provides for the optional
sale OF weekly and monthly passes
NJ a fixed price. individual and re.
curing no transfers Tho price
determined upon Is approximately
the cost to the passenger of two
rides daily at So cents each. equal
TO a rate OF ti.25 weekly and IS
monthly. also the sale OF passes TO
school children at IS cents weekly
and 50 monthly. which will include
travel to and from school and for
other rides that would otherwise re.
auire the payment OF sis cents.
LIKE PAYING
PHONE BILL
These passes are comparable TO the
monthly payment for telephone serv-
Ice at a fixed charge. the patron en-.
Toying the privilege OF unrestricted
use. but taking no advantage to Sc
cure greater service than Is re.
CURED. In the case Of the street rail-
way. by this plan. the patron may
ride as much as he finds necessary
or convenient. but the rides taken
over and above the regular trips to
and from town on peak load must
necessarily be made an off-peak load.
at which time there - "A large sur
plus Of equipment. and therefore
with no additional expense TO the
Railway. relatively speaking. Double
- humber Of cars are required for
operating on peak as on off-peak 10
transport approximately an equal
number Of passengers. and therefore
at twice the cost. The plan also pro-
vides for a more uniform distribu.
ton Of traffic. thus permitting Of
reduction In cost for operation and
decrease In rate Of fare. Under pres
ent methods OF operation no reduc-
ton In cars operated Is possible with
out further loas OF patronage, and
notwithstanding the fact that the
average number Of passengers car
ried during the period Immediately
preceding the raise In fare was ono
third greater than during the year
1921. the number OF cars and car
miles operated. and therefore the
cost for operation has remained prac-
ticaily constant.
BIG LOSS on
SHORT HAUIS
On the short haul lines. for er.
ample. the three cable lines. Yes
Ter Jarnea and MadiEou the loss