Evening star., 1924-02-06
|NTERURBAN ROADS
SUFFER BIG LOSSES
Bus Line Competition Extra
Hard on EIectrics Due
to Open Winter.
BY j. c. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
NEW YORK, February 6.-Inter-
urban electric roads, and some short
haul steam roads as we'll. have SUI
fered perceptible losses in passenger
traffic in some sections of the coun-
try as result of the speedy and
continuous increase in the use of the
automobile and the open weather this
winter. However the street car sys-
TENS within the cities have registered
a distinct gain in passenger traffic as
a result of automobile congestion in
the streets and overcrowding of park
ing spaces. and officials of the steam
roads declare there is plenty of traf-
fiC to go round"
The Illinois traction system, said to
be the largest electric line in the
world. which runs trains equipped
with sleeping, parlor and dining cars
between Chicago and ST. Louis. with
stops at all the larger towns en- route,
has curtailed its train service. That
is. two or three Improbable trains
have been consolidated. Officials OF
lines and to some extent individual
automobile travel has been RESPONSE
BILE for this move.
Competition Very Keen.
The extent to which this compe-
tftfon has been felt in other locali-
ties is indicated by the fact that ow-
Ing to dwindling earnings two Ohio
don service entirely. According to
Robert ID. Beatty, manager of the
Cleveland and Chagrin Falls road,
which. with the Cleveland and East
ern Railway. filed application to sus-
pend with the utilities commission.
buses and motor trucks have wrecked
the profits of the roads. The Cleve-
land, Alliance and Mahoning Valley
Hallway recently made a similar re-
quest, and both men along this line
have sought to have other interests
take over operation of the road, as
we'll as of the Stark Electric Railway
between Canton and Salem, in order
to keep traina running.
,oF: II Wilson, receiver for the Cleve-
land Southwestern and Columbus
hallway, takes an optimistic view of
the Ohio situation, although he be-
Heves the interurbans will have diff
culties for five years to come. He
land Union Station is completed and
tnterurban trains can come into the
city over the tracks of the steam
roads. motor bus competition can
Steam Roads Affected.
Officials Of the Illinois traction sys-
roads have been affected to an equal
extent although the steam carriers
have not felt the motor transport
competition CON SO quickly in the passen-
Some of the officials Of the steam
roads admit privately that they have
neen affected. but decline to discuss
1t officially.
At the offices of one of the trans
continental roads 1t was said that the
matter was nothing to get worke ed
mp over; except in the matter of op-
timism." 1T is a certain sign of
automobiles and more good roads
mean just one thing, more money in
Circulation. That, of course, means
better days for railroads. Automo-
TO coast have come to realize what it
means travel and see their country.
Ihe. have created a wander
lus' ~nen they have the urge to
ing OF buying a ticket and boarding
train. AS to freight, car loadings
are AS satisfactory as they can be-
As there are more people to travel, 20
there is more freight to handle"
Sixteen Billion Passengers Carried
oHicials of the American Electric
railway Association here admitted
.nat Interurban lines which have been
paralleled by hard roads, had suf-
1ered In many sections from auto
mobile competition, but substantiaI
increases have taken place in the
traffic carried by electric lines as a
whole, within as we'll as without. the
cities. This volume of traffic totaIed
more than sixteen billion passengers
In 1923 and there is every indication
that this record will be surpassed
This year. Fares now are about Is
of cent lower than in 1922. and
operating revenues have Increased 2.5
pc! cent over that year, although this
gain has been offset somewhat hv