To Be Electricly United

Negotiations are now in progress to bring under one management the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti St. Ry. and the Ann Arbor St. Ry. Unes. Mr. F. H. C. Reynolds is conductlng the negotiations and his well known energy and ability are a guarantee that it will be done if possible. The basis on which thia plan could be carrled out are somethtng as follows: The motor line is at present bonded for $60.000. It has a splendid roadbed, not excelled by any such line in existence, but is handicapped by the fact that it cannot run its present motor cars into the city of Ann Arbor. This makes a change of cars necessary at the point of meeting the electric line and either a doublé fare or an arrangement for a continuous ticket on both roads. During the past six months there have been no cars running on the Ann Arbor line and this has made travel between Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor even more disagreeable, but still it has held up remarkably well. The cost of running the present motors is far more than would be the cost of running electric cars and is thus an additional handicap to the motor line. The proposition of Mr. Reynolds is to issue a new set of bonds amounting to $100,000 covering the motor line. Of these bonds $60,000 would be used to replace the bonds at present outstanding and the proceeds from the sale of the remaining $40,000 of bonds would be used to equip the motor line with electricity, provide a power house, etc. Mr. Reynolds will agree to equip the motor l:ne with a first class electrical equipmnt, three large doublé motor cars and i power house out of the proceeds of the sale of these $40.000 worth of bonds if they can be disposed of. This would Put the motor line and the Ann Arbor street railway on the same basis, each bonded for $100,000 and would raake the combination of the two roads possible without any further adjustment. The street railway company has its own ïngines and dynamos and by placing them in the power house of the motor line would make an equlpment which could not but prove satisfactory. The combination of the two roads under one management would be an economical move for both roads. The expense of engineers and firemen for one power plant to furnish power for b th roads will be no greater than it woulj be for each road, were each to have a power house. The cars of one road would run over the other and thus could be massed whenever most needed. In many other ways the roads could be more economically managed under one management and this means that they would prove a paying investment. So far as the other advantages of a combination are concerned they have long been perceived by everyone. When a person can step on a car at Ypsilanti and ride to the central part of Ann Arbor in 20 or 25 minutes without ehanging cars, travel from Ypsilanti to Ann Arbor would increase and probably doublé. The same would be true the other way. When a person can get on a fine electric car and ride through to Ypsilanti without i.hange, hundreds would avail themselves of the opportunity who have in the past looked upon the change of cars and waiting as too much of a nuisance. A ride on a clean, well furnished electric car between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti would be a splendid pleasure trip, especially in the summer. The car service between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti would not only be continuous, but oftener. A car would leave each city at the same time and meet half way. The trips would not be more than 45 minutes apart at the most. This would also be an inducement to more travel. Mr. Reynolds has secured the consent of nearly all the bondholders of the motor line to such a plan and $10,000 of the $40.000 have been placed leaving only $30.000 to place. Some of these wlll be taken by present bondholders and the citizens of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanü will be asked to subscribe for at least a portion of them. Kvery person interested in the welfare of the Twin Cities must see that such a plan would be highly beneficial. It has been talked of many times, but has never been near realization before. The Times sincerely hopes that lt will be carried out now and has every reason to believe that it will be.