The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-11-30
SURF ACE LINES,
SUBWAYS, PAWN
OF BIG FINANCE
Worker Asks for Strap
to Hang On

The traction situation is holding a |
considerable portion Of the spotlight
in Chicago. The situation is complicat-
ed by the fact that the twenty-year
franchise Of the Surface Lines expires
on Jan. 81. According to the opinion
of many lawyers, the holders of the
$1G5,O0O,0O0 In bonds will Immediately
call for a receivership, since by no
stretch Of the imagination can a traf-
ic solution De arrived at before that
date.
In the mayors office stress is placed
on the immediate need of building
downtown subways, and Mayor Dever
favors considering this matter apart
from the general traction muddle The
mayors plan calls for a north and
south subway on State street thru the
loop, with another somewhat in the
shape of horseshoe from the Van
Buren, tunnel bending to Michigan
avenue, and turning west to the Wash
ington street. tunnel.
To finance this scheme, Mayor Dever
suggests that the cost be met partly
from the traction fund and partly from
special assessments levied against the
property to be benefited Opposed are
those councilmen who object to using
any of the fund for work which will
benefit so small section of the city,
and who feel that property owners
should meet a much larger proportion
Of the expense.
Two Ordinances Offered.
From the Office of Corporation Coun-
sci Bgsch comes word that he and his
assistants have been at work for some
time preparing two ordinances to be
presented to the council a week from
today. Engineers and attorneys have
been called into consultation in the
matter. One ordinance, which has the
support Of local interests, calls for
consolidation Of all lines. The Harlan
lLisman ordinance, on the other hand,
provides for another twenty-year fran
chise for the Surface Lines.
All hopes of unravelling the tangle
OCAOtO luC CApiAdlAUu VI bu6
Lines franchise at the end Of January
disappeared the other day, when Cor
poration Counsel Busch pointed out to
the council transportation committee
that a referendum on the question
could not be held, under the law, be-
fore Feb. %. Some aldermen suggest
a six-months temporary extension of
the Surface Lines franchise. to ward
off a receiyership on behalf Of the
hondholders, but the committee was
told that this would hardly be salts
factory to the bondholders unless they
were at the same time that some salts
factory settlement would soon follow
that action.
The mayor yesterday urged an early
referendum of the popular vote on the
question, and denounced himself as
favorable to six4months' extension Of
the franchise.
The Poor straphanaer.
Meanwhile the straphangers are still
hunting even for a strap on which to
hang.
What concerns the worker and his
family in any solution of the traffic
problem is that he shall not Indirectly
as well as directly be called upon to pay
for the cost OF solution several times
over. 1t is notorIously the case that
the cost Of every new subway in New
York City has been paid for at least
twice by the travelling public-once in
transportation fares and then again
and again in increased rentals, which
Immediately follow in every district
that benefits by the improved transit
facilities.