Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-05-19
ABANDONING THE TROLLEY LINES

ment of the Jersey Central Traction company's line which op
crates between this city, South Amboy, Keyport, Matawan ant
Red Bank. 1t is Of particular concern to the merchants who hav
a big trade in that section built up largely through the trans
portadon facilities furnished by the Jersey Central trolley line
The interest of the city and the interest of these business men mus
Z be protected. Here is real work for a Board of Trade 0 a Cham
Der of Commerce. Unfortunately, the city has neither of these anc
y there does not seem to be interest enough In civic affairs here I
organize and support one,
The problem is not easy to solve. No one can expect any con
Germ to operate indefinitely at a loss. There is no reason to be
lieve that the Jersey Central Traction Company is over-capitaHzed
There has never been any evidence of watered stock. The road
has always been conservatively managed and, from all appear
ances, an honest effort has been made to put the line on a paying
basis.
: But there has been a radical change in the means of trans
/ portation since the Jersey Central company was organized. The
automobile, then, was in its infancy. Today nearly everybody
owns one, or can ride in one. The trolley, with its tremendous
overhead expense, and its single track necesstating annoying de-
lays at switches, has not been able to keep the pace.
With all its faults, however, the trolley is still an important
factor in the transportation problem. This is especially true in the
territory covered by the Jersey Central Traction Company. Al
this territory is an important feeder to Perth Amboy. While thu
discontnuance of the trolley would doubtless mean the establish
ment of bus lines, there are still a great many people who dislike
the buses and object to riding in them. The bus lines are not organ
lied like trolley companies and have not the financial responsibility
behind them. There is only a sembiance of regulation, and the
whole system is still in an indefinite and unsettled state. There is
a question just how far buses could 60 in supplanting the trolley
s. 1t is a well established fact that a trolley company makes its
money on the short rides. In cities where people will ride for a
few blocks a trolley line is still a paying proposition when prop
ely managed. We have a striking illustration of this in Detroit
sKhere the municipality took over the operation of the street
Transportation a year ago and in its first annual report it shows
that it has met all expenses and cleared a million dollars in profits
in one year; and on a five cent fare, at that.
In rural communities, however, such as the Jersey Central
sqraction Company operatesin, the conditions are entirely different
There is no such thing as the short ride for the Jersey Central pa
irons. When anyone boards a Jersey Central trolley car it may be
taken for granted that, in nine cases out of ten, the passenger is
going to the next town or further. People are used to walking in
the smaller towns and they hardly think of taking a trolley to
ride just a few blocks. They are not trained that way, and one
Of the reasons is because the cars run so infrequently, being from
twenty minutes to a half hour apart, so that one can walk the
distance while waiting for the car to come along.
"a. In these days of high taxes, high wages, expensive materials
and increasing bus lines and automobiles, it is not surprising that
trolley line operating exclusively in such a field as that covered
by the Jersey Central Traction Company should find it impossible
10 make ends meet. The only logical thing to do under such cir
cumstances, is to disband, just as scores Of other trolley lines il
i different parts of the country, as we'll as some railroads, have done
But the interests of the public must be considered as we'll a
the interests of the trolley company. The franchises for operating
The trolley line were granted in good faith. Many development
have taken place on the strength of the trolley being there bust
ness has been established and trade has been built up. Now, ate
3 all these years, to have the means of transportation suddenly wiped
out means a serious loss to the communities and a blow to in
dividual enterprise.
The only hope of the trolley is to keep abreast with the times
A great deal can be learned from the Middle West in this regard
In some of the states out that way, notably Indiana, Ohio an
Michigan, fast line trolleys mean what the name implies. The
L~are, to all intents and purposes, electric railroads; the cars ar
large and built for speed. The roadbed. is smooth and the schedul
is maintained. The public appreciates good service and encour
ages rather than binders the companies.
But adequate transportation must be maintained. Perth Am
boy and all the municipalities between this city and Highlands ar
vitality concerned. The matter requires study and planning. Lack
ing a Board of Trade that usually looks after such public affair
what is Perth AAboy going to do to retain the business that come
here from SontI Amboy and Monmouth county,if the trolley lin
is abandonedI