Evening star., 1925-04-08
BACKED BY MAYOR.
Purchase of Lines Would Have
Spread Over 10 Years.

spread over HI ears.
The traction plan defeated yaster-
day in Chicago was fostered by Mayor
Dever and provided for the acQuisi
tion of the lines a the end OF 4o
years. The plan had two divisions.
one to acquire the lines and the other
to create a municipal hoard Of con
tion Of the proposed subway would
have required an expenditure Of
about 100000.
Have Fund 10 Start.
1t was proposed to pay s162.s43548
for the street railway system ss5,-
100000 for the elevated and $26S ,3Ol.-
600 for the extensions OF those sys-
TENS. Forty million dollars was avail
able in the city treasury for the be
ginning of construction work on the
subway.
The s4o,o0o0o0 traction fund which
has been accumulated in the treas
ury will remain in the bank until
the voters agree on some plan to
use 1t and on a group of men who
can gain popular authority - carry
through the immense task of con-
structing the subway and reorganIz-
ing the present system Of trans
portation.
Surface extensions under the plan
were to be 247 miles Fares were
to be Z cents, with transfers between
subway and surface lines. Certih-
Gates were to be issued. carrying
per cent interest. which bankers
agreed to float. There was to be 10
taxation. a sinking fund was pro-
vided. The CHIEF reason advanced
for the defeat by some is that hoth
systems are considered antiquatad
and one elevated line virtually oU-
solete.
Feared ny Voters.
Another cause advanced for the de-
feat was that popular distrust of mu-
nicipal ownership and operation
reigned. There was period when
a Majority of the residents OF Chi
cago would have voted for municipal
ownership, hut hundreds of citizens
who expressed their opinion on the
ordinance before the election said its
adoption meant more graft and poll
tics" They feared an increase in
fares, rise in taxes and a conse-
Quent rise in rents.
There were other contributing
causes to the overwhelming defeat
of the ordinance, II is stated. II is
said that there are several politi-
clans who were opposed to having
the transportation question settled
so that construction and improve
m ent could be started at once. Such
a condition would exclude traction as
an issue in the next mayoralty cam
psisn.
Mayor Dever. when news of victory
for the opposition was brought to
him, Is quoted as having said his ad
ministration would begin all over
again in an effort to present a plan
which would prove accept able to the
voters.
Sees Opportunity Lost.
"The people have spoken In SO de-
cisiye "a manner. said Mayor Dever,
that comment is unnecessary. l be-
lieve Chicago has lost a great oppor-
tunity. hut the people seem TO think
otherwise, and that settles 1t.
LAS to the future, all 1 can say Is
that we are going to keep right on
working until the end of our term, in
an effort to solve what now. because
of the election. is a difficult task. I
confess l am disappointed in today's
results, but that gives me no right to
sulk in my tent, and 1 won't. We will
go right on endeavoring to solve
this and other difficult city problems.
II will begin work all over again
in the hope that We may. at least.
present an alternative plan the people
will accept.
When the question was placed be
fore the people, it brought three for
mer mayors out of political oblivion
to fight 1t. Carter H. Harrison and
Edward +. Dunno were assisted In
the assault by William Hale Thomp-
son. Each of these has a plan. and
1t is accompanied by hope of landing
again in the ofice of mayor, il Is
said The fight for and against has
been bitter. Mayor Dever has ac-
cused Mr. Dunno and Mr.. Dunno ac-
cused Mayor Dever of telling untruths
about the measure. Three influential
newspapers supported the plan.
Mayor Dever had rallied to his sup
port more than 400 civic organiza-
tions. When he took office Mayor
Dever attracted nation wide atten-
ton by his war on saloons and gam
bling. This alienated much support.
il is said. Then came the hint that
certain favored saloons and gambling
resorts were never disturbed and
this, in turn, lost him the support of
former friends II is charged