Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25
BUS MAY SUPPLANT
STREET CAR LINES
Interurban Companies Have
/ Reported Sharp Decline
( in Revenues.
BY GEORGE E. DoYING.

1t may prove to be cheaper for mu-
inequalities to substitute street railway
operation than to attempt to solve the
motor vehicle parking and traffic prob
lens which are becoming increasingly
acute, it is suggested by the Wisconsin
Public Service Commission.
Apparently it will be necessary to dc
something about the interurban electric
lines also, judging from statement OF
1880 decreases just issued by the Inter
state Commerce Commission, showing
the abandonment during that year OF
about 10 per cent of the 1929 mileage,
a decrease of $4,000, 900 in revenue and
a drop of 100,000,000 in the number OF
passengers.
Fare Application.
The solution may lie in complete
transition from rail service to motor
buses, 1t was suggested in an applica-
ton filed with the Interstate Commerce
Commission by the Wheeling Traction
Co. operating an 34-mile electric line
between Steubenville, Ohio, and Wheel
ing. w. Va. in which petition this sub
sidiary of the West Penn Electric Co.
asks permission to keep in effect the
low passenger fares under which 1t has
been operating since last March.
Despite extensive improvements in Its
service and reduced fares, the Wheeling
co. is in a precarious condition ana
there is a serious question whether IL
can avoid a receiverShlp, the commas
sion was informed.
The Wisconsin commission, however.
points with pride to progress made by
the Milwaukee Electric Railway q
Light Co, in its Milwaukee street car
service and announces that experiments
with weekly passes and other devices
have enabled the company to hold the
decrease in business during June anu
July to ST. per cent, while losses IN
other cities were recorded as follows:
Detroit, 1915 per cent; Cleveland, l5.S'
indianapolis, 1913: Baltimore, Ill. en-
cinnati. ia; Pittsburgh, 1874; Mime
apolis-St. Paul, 1917 per cent.
ut is hardly too much to say" SAID
the wisconsin commission, that THESE
utilities have come to be regarded as
moribund in cities of minimum trail
Az density. Their owners and operators
seeTn to have taken fatalistic view,
Indicating by their conduct that they
feel powerless to change the rldlng
habits of the community, and That IL
can only be a matter of time until most
If the survivors will also be overcome
nv the persistent tide OF RED ngureS. III
fbe very teeth of the competition OF
motor vehicles most of the managers
have resorted to the largely inenectuaI
oxpedient of rate increases ana 10 SUI
perficiaI operating economies"
: SIT NAV be, however" 1t was sug-
oesfed in the Wisconsin opinion by
commissioner David E. Lilienthal, that
the pendulum has swung as lar toward
individual urban transportation as IL
NAV and that considerations OF con-
venience and cost will soon force
greater reliance upon the street and
electric railway"
Investment Decreases.
The investment in road and equip
rnent of the electric lines reporting 10
the Interstate Commerce Commission
decreased by $685. 100000 during 1881:
ana the mileage operated decreased
from 1Oo76 to 1858. Expenses de-
creased by s14,000,00o along with
revenue decline of S17000,000. Dlyl-
bends Maid in 1929 amounted to S25,-
Ss1 476' while in 1880 they decreased TO
S20,750.2I6. The number OF employees
dropped from 47,3a7 to 38,769, tnelr
condensation showing corresponding
decline from ST., ESQ, 500 to S66,65I,96I.
The number of buses operated py
these electric lines also showed q oe-
crease. having dropped from l,uoo IN
1929 to 755 in 1880.
tcopyright, ls3i)