The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-10-31
BUSAND AUTO
ARE HURTING
STREET CARS
People of America Are Grid
ing on Rubber" Instead of
the Trolley Lines r.,
COMPETITION is KEEN
Detroit, Mich. City Of Auto
mobiles, Makes Street
Car System Pay

Chicago. Oct. 31.--(R-Thc Amer
lean peoples prediction for rid
ing on rubber" has brought numer-
Gus middle-western street car COM
panies to their figurative knees.
Competition of organized motor
4 bus service is accused AS the ch'e1
spectre stalking the c." c"mpan' ',&'
Golfers, with privately cwned aIto-
mobiles "A close second, and, IN some
cities and towns taking precedence:
"Jitneys," individually owned and
one rated automobiles, forerunners OF
the buses, still tantalize street rail-
ways in Il few cities.
Competition between the street
ears and busses IN Indianapolis, Ind,
waxed so furious that it led to isoiat-
/. ed outbreaks between employees of the
two companies.
Some tram companies have resort
ed to busscs for operation over iced
\ CT" lines. while in one smaller city
the street railway was junked and
busscs installed
Some Cities Restrict Business
Recognition Of street railways as
nublic necessities has led some cities
to restrict motor competition. Partl-
rularly is that true of Des Moincs
Iowa. and Kansas City, Mo-, although
the latter's car lines have been II
rcccivership since 1920 largely be
cause of motorized competition. Tn,
Kansas City company has spent $3.50
600 for busscs for feeder lines.
P.ses have made serious inroads
into the st. Paul Minneapolis inter
city traffic, but inside the Twin titi,s
the street car company virtually ma:
II monopoly.
Unemploymcnt and use of persona
automobiles are ranked ahead OF bu:
connection in Cincinnati as causes
of lost car patronage. The tractio,
company is ready to operate buses
as feeders and supplements.
Detroit Owns Own System
The only middle-western city own
ing its street railway system, Detroit
Mich. secs its street cars and busse
operating in harmonious competition
The street railway officials admit tn
bus is necessary, but want "jitneys
denied the streets. The car lines u.s.
busses as feeders.
Notwithstanding Detroit's man
passenger automobiles, the car sys
TEN. on six cent fare, is paying
$1,000 ,OCO annually on the purchas
price of the lines, and funding a 81,
100000 payment due in 1882.
Milwaukee, Wis, and Omaha, Nebr
car companies have no bus competl
ton, but in Omaha private automo
biles are hurting car traffic.
In the southwest the most unusua
conditions are disclosed.
Oklahoma City, Okla, with tn
tn sN<t ~
car system in dire straits and, as tn
may be forced to lessen use of per
sonal automobiles. The Oklahom
City system has competition of on
bus line and maintains one as a
auxiliary service.
Abandon Street Cars
Port Arthur and Marshall, Texas
have abandoned street car service.
Dallas, Texas, has no busses, bu
many privately owned automobile
which have hurt street car traffic.
The St. Louis, Mo-, car lines are i
receivership, and the bus company
passengers last year approximate
the 13,500O00 lost by the car lines.
Indianapolis and Cleveland, inter
urban centers, report heavy inroad
by motorized transportation. A fin
lsh fight is on between independen
bus companies and interurban utiii
ties in Indiana which have adde
buses to meet competition.
The Cleveland car company oper
ates under franchise guaranteeing
six per cent and has no bus compe
tition, although a company is seek
ing a franchise. The car compan
operates some busses. A 300 per cen
increase in personal automobile
helps tell the story of no increase il
street car riding since 1916.
Chicago has the middle-west's mos
elaborate motor bus system, but las
month produced record number o
. street car riders.