Page 14By 1918 the street railway was carrying 6,000,000 passengers per year, or
double the figure for 1907. Despite this increase in use, wartime conditions
had driven costs ,especially wages, up to such a point that the company was
finding it hard to make ends meet. The first fare increase in Saint John's
history was put into effect in the spring of 1918. Fares went from six for 25
cents to 6 cents cash, and transfers were sold for 1 cent instead of being
free. Despite the increase, severe curtailment of the number of cars operated
was made in an effort to economize.
The new Brunswick Power Company owned 46 closed and 26 open cars. About 30
of these 72 cars were in service, and most were kept in storage for parts or
emergency use. The committee of public safety called attention to the
overcrowding of cars during rush hours. It was normal to see passengers hanging
from open doors, occasionally some hung from the car sides or climbed onto the
roof. The company's answer to the cost problem was the introduction of one man
cars.
T.H. McCauley became the general manager in 1920, and soon
plans were announced for drastic changes in operation. Mr. McCauley had
developed a design for one-man cars, and introduced them in Calgary where he
had been superintendent of the Calgary Municipal Railway since 1909. He
intended to introduce the one-man car in Saint John. In addition the Fairville
line was to be extended along Manawagonish Road to Manchester's Corner, and the
East Saint John line was to be extended 3,000 feet to the drydock.
The employee's union opposed the use of one-man cars on the grounds of
safety. McCauley refused to sign a new wage agreement unless the men agreed to
the one-man cars, and a strike almost took place. Cars 84 and 114 were fitted
up with two doors on the front left hand side, and the rear door sealed. As a
safety precaution, the rear brake, normally operated by the conductor, was
moved to the motorman's end as an emergency brake.
Hazen Mclean, the street railway's superintendent, demonstrated a one-man
car for city council July 16th 1920. City council considered that the
arrangement of one-man cars was not sufficiently safe, and two man cars
continued to provide all service. Cars 84 and 114 were put in storage.
The Fairville line was not extended until 1924, but the
extension to the drydock was undertaken in 1920. By 1921 hourly wages ranged
from 49 cents to 55 cents. This was an increase of 150% in ten years, while
fares had increased only 25%. The system could not continue to operate with
two-man cars. Prices were dropping as the post-World War I boom faded, and the
company proposed a 20% wage decrease. This was reduced to 15%, and approval was
received from the city to run one-man cars.
Car No.s 84 and 114 were again demonstrated on June 16th, and were in
service before the end of the month. This resulted in an immediate strike by
most of the men. The city requested protection from the Mounted Police,
remembering the violence of 1914. All service was stopped by July 5th, and a
jitney was operated by the strikers. The jitney run by the strikers became the
"Union Bus Company", but the competition was halted by a court
injunction in late 1921.
About 40 men were dropped from the
payroll, and 33 old cars were scrapped in 1920 and 1921. The car roster
consisted of 33 closed and 6 open cars at the end of 1921. The open cars were
eventually converted to closed cars. Fares increased to three tickets for 25
cents or 10 cents cash, and a $1.00 unlimited weekly pass was put into effect.
The weekly pass was very effective against the bus competition. One-man cars
had taken over completely by the start of 1922, and the operation had passed
successfully through one of its worst crises.
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