PAGE SIXTEEN

THE DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

11•11.111110.10.

THERE CAN BE NO EXCHANGE OF TRANSFERS
DOUBLE FARES COME WITH TWO SYSTEMS

"Will the Detroit United Railway accept transfers from the lines of
another street railway and issue transfers from its own lines to the lines of
another railway?"

This question appears to arise in the minds of many street-car riders as is
indicated by the number of times it is being asked wherever people gather
to discuss the City's street railway problem.

The people are entitled to a straightforward
answer based upon the facts in the case and in
the light of past experience in Detroit and
elsewhere.

It is a matter of knowledge to all who have
conscientiously and without the tinge of politics
investigated the cost of Street Railway service,
that the fares now charged throughout the coun-
try are necessary to pay the costs of the service
and maintain the properties at a proper degree
of efficiency. Indeed some of them are acknow-
ledged to be too low.

These rates of fare differ in different locali-
ties due to variance in local conditions. Fortu-
nately the Detroit United Railway has been able
to operate on a fare much lower than the average
and this ability to do so is only by reason of its
operation and control of a unified system of rail-
ways of nearly one thousand miles of track,
thereby enjoying the advantages of economies
not obtainable in the operation of property of
less size. These savings from unified operation
have come to the Company and have been trans-
ferred to the people in a form of fares that have
been lower than would otherwise have been
possible.

If the one fare now charged in the City is to
be divided with another system, then it follows
that neither can pay its expenses. This means
failure in service; loss to the investors in one
system, with the taxpayers meeting the burden
of deficits of the other system in case it is muni-
cipally owned.

It has been publicly stated that as a means
of coercing the Detroit United Railway into a
transfer arrangement in case another railway

system is started, the public will be denied the
Interurban service it has enjoyed for so many
years. This will not help, but on the contrary
it will be most harmful to the public. Such a
move would place an additional burden on the
people within the corporate limits of the City,
not only in their pleasure but in a business way.
It is as harmful a threat as is any of the talked
of plans for forcing the Company into bankrupt-
cy as is now so often threatened.

An exchange of transfers between two differ-
ent street railway systems means that each
carries two passengers for one fare. Traveling
one way, one sytem collects the fare and issues
the transfer. On the return journey the situation
is reversed and the system that took in the going
cash fare then takes in the returning transfer,
thus giving two rides upon its line for but one

cash fare received.

When it is admitted that at least a five cent
fare must be collected from every passenger to
meet the necessary expenses of any new system
that may be established, it is self-apparent that
such new system cannot afford for its own
protection to enter into any transfer arrange-
ment. It cannot "split the pot" by letting the
existing company collect pay from any riders
upon such new system.

This has been and is the experience of cities, where there are two
systems.

Years ago when there were two and three systems in Detroit it was
found financially impossible to exchange transfers, and passengers who, by
reason of their travel, found it necessary to ride on more than one system,
found it necessary to pay double fares or even more. Such a course has
been found necessary wherever unified operation has been broken up or
where piece-meal construction and operation has been undertaken.

To obtain one fare and that the lowest possible, unified operation is
necessary that every economy may be practiced and the stronger lines of
the system enabled to support the weaker lines of that system.

In view of all the facts and in the light of all experiences of the past the
Company frankly states it will not be possible for the people to avoid paying
two or more fares with two systems operating where one would be charged
under a unified system.

This Advertisement Paid for by the Detroit United Railway.

Note—Watch for further statements to be issued by the Company.