Evening star., 1924-02-01
2D0FORD SEDANS
JOIN J|TNEY FLEET
Automobile Dealers Watch
Akron's Trolley Car and
Bus Developments.
BY j. c. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, February 1.-The peo-
pie of Akron, Ohio, rode to work on
today The city is prepared to under
take the handling of its transporta-
tion by motor busses. and officials to-
day expressed confidence that within
another week they will have sufficient
busses in operation to allow regular
suburban service as we'll as within
The city limits.
The situation which threatens to
Keep trolley cars off the Akron streets
indefinitely grew out of the expira-
ton at midnight OF contract be-
tween the city and the Northern Ohio
Traction and Light Company. which
had been in force twenty-five years.
The city and the company have been
unable - agree on a new rate of
1are. During most of the time the old
contract was in force a Accent
fare prevailed. During the war this
was raised to cents. with free
transfers. A c. Blinn, general man
ager of the traction company. claims
the company is loosing money on a
5-cent fare. A request for a 7-cent
now are under consideration by the
public utilities commission.
Horde Join "Jltney Fleet"
According to Lloyd Carter, who is
directing the Akron Bus Service. 200
Ford sedans have arrived from Cleve-
land. Columbus and Detroit and been
Joined with the remainder of the
'jitney fleet" to replace the street
cars. The feet has headquarters at
the plant of the Firestone Tire and
Rubber Company. The Fords We're
purchased by Harvey Ffrestone and
quick delivery followed a personal
request TO Henry Ford.
1t was stated at Mayor Rybolts
Office that 100 busses had arrived to
cover the routes mapped out by the
city officials. 1t is estimated 125
busses will be necessary to meet the
emergency. So long as the street
ear company is prohibited from oper-
ating. 1000 men will be directly af-
fected, although the state-city en-
ployment bureau is prepared to use
those who apply in other jobs.
Bus Dispute Unsettled.
The situation at Akron is not taken
either by automobile men or by street
railway officials throughout the coun-
try as representing definite trend
toward replacement of street cars by
busses On the contrary, some cities
such as Houston, Tex. and Saginaw,
River Rouge, E.corse and Wyandotte.
Mich. have ceased to depend on 1it-
ney systems. In some cities street
doned were re-esta blished. and in
some traction companies took over
and operated bus lines as subsidiaries
instead of running in competition
with them.
Grain Trading Hours Unchanged.
Grain men and brokers in other
grain centers rejoiced today over the
defeat of the proposal to extend the
hours of trading of the Chicago
Board of Trade by three e-quarters of
an hour. to pm. central time. Ex-
port interests in New York, Boston
and Philadelphia joined in opposing
the change on the grounds that the
extra forty-five minutes of trading
would result in their offers of export
grain to Europe at closing figures
being received abroad too late for
action by European customers who
wanted to do business on a closing
price basis.
Grain men in the midwest and
traders in st. Louis. Kansas City,
Omaha and other market centers op
posed the changx. declaring that it
would necessitate similar action by
the markets of those cities. Other
wise, they said, the additional trad
ing time would give opportunity for
spectators in Chicago to manipu-
late the price Of grains. since there
would be no check imposed by other
markets