Arizona republican., 1922-04-27

system for 1921, We're $212,544 OIL, and
that the total expenditures for opera
tion for the same period were $780,
131 40, leaving a net gain of &c.
412. 81 of receipts over expenditures.
1t is quite clear from said report,
if true, that the Phoenix Street Rail-
way company is in a deplorable fl
nancial condition, and that so long
as such condition continues there is
not much hope of the Phoenix Rail-
way System being improved from
moneys obtained in its operation un-
der the present method of manage
ment and operation with its anti
Quated equipment. We believe that
the present operating expenses of the
system can be greatly reduced. and
its receipts increased by the INSTALL
ment of modern equipment in the
way of rolling stock. We find that
one of the items of expense for opera
ton for the year 1921 consists of $42,-
361 40 for electrical power. This
item, we feel, could be considerably
cut down by the installation of ade-
quate and proper electrical appara-
tus on the cars used on the system,
and thereby eliminate waste of elec-
trical current occasioned by the use
of improper and antiquated electrical
apparatus with which said cars are
now equipped.
Think Power Wasted
The rates charged the Phoenix
Railway Company for electrical cur
rent, we believe, can be appreciably
reduced if the proper action looking
to that end is taken by the officers of
the railway company. We are quite
confident that with efficient equip
ment and management the Phoenix
Railway System can greatly increase
its present receipts, and reduce its
present operating expenses. and that
within a short while be placed in
position where the receipts from
operation will so far exceed the oper-
ating expenses that there will be left
sufficient part of the same to meet
the cost of Improvement necessary to
maintain and operate an efficient
street railway system in Phoenix.
We have given some thought to the
application of the officers of the
Phoenix Railway company, and also
to the communication of the Phoenix
chamber of commerce touching the
application, with respect to extending
the present franchise under which
the company is now operating for a
further period of 10 years and ex-
empting the railway company from
praving between the rails of its track
and outside Of such rails as is now
required to be done by the terms Of
the franchise. and for which the COM
pany agrees to make certain i'm
provements on its system. The city
commission of Phoenix can neither
extend the term OF the franchise nor
eliminate the paving condition there
OF for the reason that by the consti-
tuition of the state and by the pro-
visions of the city charter of the city
of Phoenix as well the city commits
sion is forbidden from doing so.
Must Be BY Vote
The granting of franchises, or al
terations thereof, may only be done
by vote of the people of the city
where action is sought. In any event,
we feel that any request for exten-
ton or alteration of the franchises
granted by the city of Phoenix for
the operation of public utilities in the
city prior to adoption of the present
freeholders' charter under which the
city is operating, should not be looked
upon with favor. The provisions of
our charter with regard to the grant
ing Of franchises places the grantees
of franchises more completely under
the supervision and control of the
city authorities than was possible
charter. 1t should be the policy of
the city to deny all requests for ex-
tensions or alterations Of franchises
granted under our former charter
and where the granting or altera-
ton of such a franchise is just and
desirable the grantees thereof should
be required to accept new franchises
under our freeholders' charter in the
place Of their old franchises.
We regret that owing to the length
of time it took the corporation com
mission to make an appraisement of
the property of the Phoenix Rail-
way company we are unable to make
your commission a more extended
and detailed report of the condition
Of the system. We would like to
have gone into the matter of the
bonded Indebtedness of the Phoenix
Railway company, and the unpaid in
terest on said indebtedness. but we
deemed that we did not have the
necessary authority to bring the par
ties that possess the knowledge con-
cerning the same before US. How
ever, we believe that the Arizona