Evening star., 1924-07-27
BY ROGER w. BABSOE.
special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispa tch to The Star.
WELLESLEY HILLS, Mast, >uly
26.-All fractions were supposed to
be good, a few years ago. Bankers
and investors bought them readily
because they were fractions, is all
tax-exempt issues have been gobbleo
up recently just because they are tax
exempt. The automobile came in and
the fractions began to lose passen-
ger business. High operating costs
during the war added to their diff
cuIties, and many of them went into
receivership. The investing public
promptly went sour on them, and
fractions became so unpopular as
class they were considered worth
less. They are selling today at ex-
tremely low levels. and many good
ones have suffered unduly as result
Many fractions Still Sound.
Many fractions were financed and
built during the traction boom, but
many others were sound and are still
sound because they render a neces-
sary public service. Fortunes Will
be lost and made on tractlcHs curing
the next few years.
In many of our cities congestion
in automobile traffic is already Sc
rious problem. This congestion VIII
increase, and the electrics Will be-
come more necessary than ever. 1
know many business men who de-
serted the electrics years ago to drive
to work by motor who today are go
ing back to the electrics As the most
convenient transportation offered IN
our congested centers. The city elec-
trio lines are a necessity and Will
prosper more and more as the con-
geStion increases.
Bussex Divide Business.
The problem of the suburban roads
is different Automobiles have come
to stay and as long as highways Will
allow comfortable transportation the
most people will ride in automobiles
rather than in streets cars. The fact,
however, remains that the electric
car line offers transportation at the
lowest cost, and the cars will always
handle the mass transportation in
large cities and between large cen
ters. This passenger traffic must,
however, be shared with the busses,
which will make it necessary for the
electric lines to develop freight
business as well.
The salvation of these properties
lies in the opportunity to develop
such a profitable freight business. 1
have recently studied several of the
better suburban lines and find that
they can carry freight cheaper than
it can be carried in any other way.
Nor will the development of electric
freight hurt the steam roads. In
The problem Of handling steam
freight is one of terminal facilities,
and a shipment that goes but so
miles requires as much switching,
terminal space, loading and unload
ing as one that goes thousand miles.
1t costs the steam road almost as
much to handle it, yet the tariffs on
short hauls are small and do not
cover this cost. Trolley freight Of
fers better service to the shipper.
and this business can be handled at
much less expense.
Motor Truck Also in Field.
The motor truck has come into this
much more actively than the electric
lines. but the fact remains that the
electrics can handle this business
more economically than the truck.
So far these two have been cOmpet-
ing In the future they will have
to cooperate to their mutual advan-
tage.
Instead of the trucker hauling a
load for hundred miles over the
highways, he will call for 1t, trans
fer to the electric line, then have his
partner or correspondent take it out
and deliver it at the other end
The money will be divided between
these two, and both will make more
money than they are making today
and render better service to the ship
per. 1t will require fewer trucks. 1t
will employ the lectric lines and pay
dividends to those who have invested
in them. Furthermore, it will take
the trucks off our highways and re-
lieve motor congestion. Hence every
owner of a passenger car will work
to have such freight hauled by the
electrics. since the steam roads will
not take it with any reasonable
dispatch.
Some Roads Will BE Junked.
The truckers are already aware Of
these facts. have discussed the
matter with one man who has been
in the hauling business for twenty
years. He is now operating over
Fifty trucks in half dozen states. He
has kept accurate cost records, and
he says that he is ready to turn over
all his longer hauls to the electric
lfnes-in fact. has approached one
or two of them in his territory to
arrange q cooperative basis.
All fractions. of course, are not
situated so that they can take ad-