The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-12-17
Pauley Tells Civic Council
of Difficulties of Pub
lie Utilities.
TRY TO DO THEIR BEST
S5SfetS Gar CO. liz Business to
.'SelI Transportation"
Pauley Says.

TRANSFORMATION, and we know that Jne
better service we render in providing
that transportation, the better re-
turns we can show in the way OF
patronage"
Expressing that as the attitude OF
the Wisconsin Gas and Electric COM
pany towards the betterment of sew
ice in Kenosha, H. M. Pauley, man
ager Of the local properties OF the
company, told the Kenosha Civic coun-
Gil at its December meeting in the
city hall Monday evening of some OF
the intricacies and peculiarities OF
public utilities in the business life
of the city. The speaker was asked to
appear before the council so that the
delegates could learn something OF
"the other side" for a better appre-
citation of the situation. The city
transportation problem has been
matter of considerable discussion be-
fore the Civic council at previous
meetings and this opportunity was
taken to get to the problems from
the standpoint of the company.
Must Return Fair Profit.
"a great deal of money is invested
in the street car system of Kenosha,'
declared Mr.. Pauley. "And it keeps
us busy to keep it in shape so that it
will render the maximum service: 1t
keeps us busy also to fill our obliga-
lions to our employers and to those
whose money is invested in the sys-
tenn.
"The situation where street car
systems are reporting little on the
credit side of the ledger is a general
one throughout the nation. The COM
mon use OF the automobile is prob
ably the largest factor in the cutting
down of a tremendous number Of
sources Of revenue for the street car
companies. The local company has
been trying to meet the needs OF the
cities it serves by providing bus serv-
ice as feeders to the main lines. The
cost of laying new tracks and extern
sions is now so high that you can't
get men with money to invest in such
a proposition. To lay one thousand
feet of new track today costs $1,000
exclusive of the cost Of rolling stock
placed on that new track.
Most Lines Not raging
ain Kenosha the only bus line we
operate that is turning in any profit
at all is the Prairie avenue line. That
line is we'll patronized. We believe
it feels real need in that section of
the city. We are happy to know that
Kenoshans are taking to this line as
a help to them in getting them where
they want to go. The Salem avenue
and Rowland avenue bus lines are
running just fair in business. They
just about pay their own way.
ain spite of these facts / have asked
that the company purchase three new
buses fro use in Kenosha after the
first of the year. We need them bad
ly to keep this service at the MAXI
mum efficiency for the greatest num-
Der of patrons. They're going to cost
$4,000 if / get them. And all of that
must come out the fares paid to ride
in them,
awe started out in Kenosha with
the small 14-passenger BUSES. Now
we are using the larger 25-passenger
cars. Those to come will have a ca
pacity of 80 or more passengers"
Reports on Allendale Bus.
The speaker depressed moment to
talk about the newly installed Allen
dale bus line. eve are paying man
for ten hours work daily on equip
ment that costs $4,000. We find that
our average cost of operation and
maintenance of bus is 10 cents per
mile, A bus in Allendale will aver
age so miles per day. The cost there
then is 49, 1t costs US between five
and six dollars per day for driver,
to say nothing of the cost of depre-
citation and the replacement cost of
new bus when this one wears out. We
figure it costs about SIC per day to
operate a single bus in Allendale. Our
best days revenue since we started
the service has been SO. The average
is between FIVE and seven dollars. Now
this has been the contention of our
company in these situations: Is it
fair to ask the company to spend lot
of their money for the convenient
service of the few? Just like in every
other kind of business, we need lots
of customers.
senger coming into the company's cof-
fers is FIVE cents. We arrive at that
figure by comparing the gross re-
ceipts with the number of passengers
carried. If the people do not patron
ize the service we are at loss. 1t is
hard to render a service that will
please everyone"
Making Many improvements.
Mr.. Pauley spoke of the cOmpany's
having rented a bus from the Mllwau'
kee company for the Christmas rush
in Kenosha. He told of the placing
of new tracks at railroad crossings in
excess Of $780, "Yet in spite Of al
these improvements" he said, "oul
revenues have not increased in com
parison with those of last year"
"Were always interested in cult
waiting the sort of service that vii
make people want to use it. Further
than that, we find it difficult to 60.
A general discussion followed the
talk and the criticisms and complaint:
that have been brewing in previous
meetings were aired. To all Mana
ger Pauley gave an attentive ear anC
where possible promised that the com
pany would do everything within it
power co xedp any situation which
eSis&sd cre2 to valid criticism. He ex
pressed his gratitude for receiving
complaints of this nature, declaring
that it is only in this way that tn
company makes its contact with tn
~, &c NJ