Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1922-05-19
CITY HEADED TOWARD
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP OF
MODERN MOTOR LINE

ttth bfSSa ssttt&
Thew is nothing new ia the street
car franchise situation ana il nov
seems the street car eNmpany intends
u continue stalilng - leng aS pos
Slhse, heplug. nrnhahls. that che city
aill eventually give il tho entire use
Al the p0htls streets aNd maybe pay
the company a hanus Il run les uns
slightly rattle traps through town.
However. inquiry Al The city build.
Ing reseals the Information that the
matter Il no nealef settlement now
Than il vas last September. when the
franchise epfifed. aud Tie company
continues o. operate ltS ears over the
gel together With the city IN wofNlng
oat franchise thai would be sasis-
factory with al concerned
Public patience Is becoming eNs
hausted Il Is wondering why lt iA
that a private corporation is allowed
free use Of the principal streets Of
the city when peanut stand must
pay license faf occupying a very
small space, sentiment against the
street ear company Is growing rapid.
ID. and as people have had ample
time 10 think the matter ever. they
are beginning 20 believe that, any
way. the present mpde Of tfanSpoftas
tion is back number and should be
feleRated 60 the eeran plle with other
things that wefe At nna Tune cousid.
cred up-to-date, but which have long
since served their usefulness.
!. People nowadays are looking to-
wand modernism. They are no long
er content with ancient Ways of do
ing things. First men travelled on
lpot, then horses were used. later
carts, huvgieS, stare coaches, horse
drawn hacks and street ears; aud
when the electric car made It's Ap.
pearanee about 30 years ago. il was
considered the acme of perfection, and
rapidly displaced the horse car. But
nov the electric car Is as antiquatcd
IA means of city travel as the horse
drawn car was considered 10 be when
the eleetrics displaced them.
Much may be said against the olec.
trie ear OF the present day, and there
Is not a single argument for IL. COM
pared with modern means OF trans
portation. Probably the most obs
jectionable feature Of the electric car
Is the inability 10 operate Il except
upon certain fixed routes, and these
routes are usually so far separated
that but small percentage Of the
people receive any real service. The
noise connected with running the cars
is far from being pleasant 10 resi-.
dents along the fight-ofrway. Danger
Gus and unaiwftly Overhead wires
cndanger the life Of those passing un.
der them. BADLY constructed tracks,
seldom repaired except at orders oi
city officials, occupy one~third OF the
street, and are usually in such condi.
tion as 10 injufe automobile tires and
render automobile riding dangerous
as well as uncomfortable. Being run
upon n track, the electric ear cannot
change It's course, and in thia manner
collisions occur that could be Rvefted
If IL were possible 90 alter the course
of the car; and, lastly. IL ls ifnposai-
bic 60 operate electric cars ESQ the
company officials say on less than
seven cents "a ride.
Contrast this with the modern
gasoline-driven bus. Large, commo-
dious, and rapid, these modcrn con
yeyances are capable of traversing
any paved streets, reaching all sec.
tions Of the city. Thus those who now
live III districts far distant from the
routes covered by the electric cars
will be enabled 90 have the conven-
fences now enjoyed by those living
on n few streets. Nc tracks, no over.
head wires, no noise, fise-cent fares,
up.tosdato service rendered In AN up
to-date way.
During the past few weeks motor
busses Of a nondcscrpt character have
been operated Ia the Twin Cities, and
while these save demonstrated the
superiority Of service of the motor
bus over the electric car, they have
created the Impression among some
that they represent modern motor bus
transportation. They have proven Of
much convenience 10 those living Ia
sections Of the cities not touched by
the electric cars; bat these buses are
In no way comparable 10 the large
eight wheeled motor buses operated
in some other cities, and should not be
considered as a fair example.
Several city commissioners have ex-
pressed their belief In the motor bus.
They believe this means Of city trans
portation, municipality owned, would
solve the problem and would be a de-
cided improvement 10 the city. They
would welcome, they say, a move IN
this direction. and II Is probable mem
bers Of the commission viii within a
short time make tour Of inspection
TO the manufactures Of motor buses
with the intention of becoming thor
onghly informed upon the subject.