Show SHORT HAUL STAGES MAKING HISTORY California auto stage operators are arc making history In short haul passenger pas pas- transportation according to the Stage by section of or the Firestone Truck by bureau which is authorIty authority authority author author- ity for the tho statement that more than has been cn Invested recently Inthe in inthe the tho big motor busses by business men in Los Angeles eles county alone and that last summer semmer moro more than 1500 of or tho the stages wore ware operating In tho the state st rolling up a n mileage of ot 22 dally So far as we wo can learn says 1 E. E Farr director of or tho the bureau tho the first company to operate auto stage lines In California started in business early In 1915 with a n. route between San l Francisco and San Jose Joso a 11 distance of or fifty miles At the tho beginning it had only six cars Today it is operating twenty se Another company 1 la Is operating seventy cars out of or Stockton Stockton Stock Stock- i ton while In O Oakland kland It Is estimated I Ion on good authority that 2500 passengers I arrive and depart dally daily by auto stage It uIt is very likely that California Is taking tho the lead in this business bo- bo cause causo of or her excellent system of ot hard- hard surfaced highways 3 If It this is so tho the growth of or tho the business there no doubt its growth In other states as asgood asgood good toads roads s uc become more moro general It is Interesting to note noto that In California Call Call- fornia the tho stages aro are not replacing railroad service They operate under undera a state franchise that Is obtainable only by showing tho the state railroad commission that there thoro Is la need 1 of ot tho motor bus service because of or Inadequate Inadequate quate railroad service It would appear appear ap ap- ap- ap pear therefore that the motor stage has hag a n distinct and useful field |