The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-12-22
RECEIVER TAKES
CAR line; CITY
TALKS SUBWAY
Traction Middle Grows
Ever Muddier

Two important developments in the
city's transportation question are the
receivership for the Chicago Railways
Co. and the report Of the councils
transportation committee recommend
ing the immediate starting of sub
ways.
While a receivership for the surface
lines was expected Feb. 1, when the
franchise expires and the bonds fall
due, it was a surprise when it was
announced that on petition of the
Westinghouse Electric Co., and with
the consent of the railways directors,
Federal Judge Wilkerson had already
appointed receivers. The receivership
extends to only a, part of the surface
lines, which are a consolidation of
seEeral companies. 1t does not affect
he Chicago City Railway Co., the Cal
lmet and South Chicago Railway Co.,
Or the Southern Street Railway Co.,
| operating on the South Side.
The court authorized the road af
feeted to continue unified operation
with the other lines, thus insuring the
issuance Of transfers as usual.
Whether the city will participate in it's
share of the company's receipts, IS
per cent, is question.
Mayor Dever charges that the re-
ownership is dishonest and that its
affect will be to take control Of the
lines from the Illinois commerce COM
mission and will block the city's effort
10 have municipal control indefinitely.
The council fastened to grant six
months extension of the present and
expiring franchise President Busby
of the Chicago City Railway Co., one
Of the lines not in receivership, a.
nounces that his company will accept
the grant of an extension.
Plan for Subway.
Meanwhile the transportation com
nlttee had recommended to the coun-
cil immediate steps to build two sub
ways as a start in that means of so
.dtion, one on State street between
the elevated structures at Roosevelt
read and Chicago avenue, and west to
Franklin; the other to be a curve
from the. Washington street tunnel
east to Michigan boulevard, south to
Jackson, west to Franklin, and south
10 the Van Buren, street tunnel. The
cost of these, it is planned. is to be
split between the city and the owners
of property to be benefited. The prop
eTty owners are yet to be heard from
IN this matter. None have so far
rushed forward with certified checks.
The tunnels are to be used partly by
the surface lines and partly by the
elevated system.
The program contemplates submit
tirg the scheme to the voters at the
primary on Feb. %.
Dever and the Commission.
BY coincidence, while all this is
going on the Illinois Municipal Con-
ference is holding it's meetings in the
city. Mayor Dever, in speaking of the
conference, urged the repeal of the
act establishing the Illinois commerce
commission. He claims that its de-
cisions are only obeyed by the trans
portation companies when they are
favorable, but contested in the courts
when they do not please.
At the same conference Professor
Merriam urged an amendment to the
state constitution permitting cities to
issue bonds for the purpose of buying
their public. utilities. THE law per
mits dissatisfied cities to purchase
their public utilities he said, "but it
makes no provision whereby the nee
essary money may be raised"
Who Shall controI7
Thus the immediate question OF
1 transportation for Chicago is mixed
UP with the question of where con.
troll Of franchises shall lie-whether
in home rule, as advocated by the
mayor, or at Springfield, as the trans.
portation companies wish, according
to the mayors charges against them.
The mayor says that while all the city
asks is proper service on the part of
the companies, what the latter most
desire is to engineer the control from
the city council TO the commerce com.
mission or the legislature at Spring
, field. 1t is this which, according to
Dever, has caused the companies to
delay the building of needed extern