From the archives, 1921: Labor pushed Champaign and Urbana to seek a 5-cent streetcar fare

From the archives desk
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026In the Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026 edition

CHAMPAIGN - One hundred five years ago this week, Champaign and Urbana residents were waiting to hear whether their city governments would back a cheaper streetcar ride, according to the front page of the Twin City Review of Friday, Oct. 28, 1921, a Champaign-Urbana labor weekly digitized by the Library of Congress. This is a historical item.

The paper said the Twin City Federation of Labor had asked the two city administrations to request a five-cent fare for Champaign and Urbana from the Illinois Commerce Commission. It quoted an Oct. 20 Daily Illini editorial that also backed cutting the fare from seven cents to five.

The Review promised to publish the local streetcar company's earnings for several years the following week, saying they would show the company was "far from facing bankruptcy" when it asked for higher fares.

Source: Twin City Review (Champaign-Urbana), Oct. 28, 1921, page 1, Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn96071000/1921-10-28/ed-1/?sp=1

Drafted by AI from the linked public source. Approved by a Daily News Editor.

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