The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-22
CITY INTNMLGGEN q E.
THE NEW FARE SYSTEM.

streets Railway Company--How H Works
.-Blechnnicnl VS.. Human Honesty.
The new Bystem of dummy conductors and jack
drivers is now naugurated on the Spruce
and Pine Streets Railway. What It's practical work
tnus ore only be known by trial 1t is at present
q fruitful source Of amusement, curiosity, and per-
pleyity to all classes Of passengers
"A passenger on entering car OF this company Is
expected read all the placards with which the car
ebounds, In order TO understand tue new way OF
one fs through with it, the driver WILL in all proea-
Hnity be clamortng for the fare;
obseauious conductor follows you up to take the
fare when you ready, but each one must step up
TO the captains office for himself. The captains
ONCE is small upright glass-slded box, in which
the passenger deposits the exact change or ticket.
When the fare is once in no mortal, save the OFF,
sial can got II out again. i lays there temptingy
IN sight until the driver tit to pull string, ana
then presto change! 1t Is gone.
In case the passenger has net the exact change,
he applios to the driver through a small braZen gate
labelled sChange." One has to study the mechanism
of this gate some time before he can find how it
opens Detergnined at last to take It by force, he
nndH That IL opens quite easily and that little bell
announces the fact to the driver. 49,, ,---
IL he gives the driver say dollar note, the driver
give him change fer the full amount or tickets as
may be desired. The PASSENGER is then expettedto
place THE fare in Tire box where 1t remains until 1t Is
removed by the proper officer at the end oil the
route.
form but direcfy the street, with few external
steps for exit it faces towards the back, pas
Benger cannot jump on or OIL the car very readily
while it is notion The opening and shutting OF the
door can be regulated by the driver 10y means OF a
many timesit has been opened, aud the number OF
passengers who entered each time. He knows just
how many tickets he should 1nd IN the box, outii
they-are not all there, il is matter of some dia
Guilty TO find Them
The drivers duties are numerous. 1t requires
smart man to discharge them all perfectly. lie has
to drive the horses in the rst place. to see that he
does not run over people, or that he does not bump
into other vehicles upon the street If the street is
crowded, this duty should take up the whole Of his
time. In addition to this he has to be on the look
out for passengers and stop when any one wants
either to enter alight. He has to attend to the
opening or shutting of the back door, to watch how
many enter and remember the number, until the
proper number of fares are in the box Change has
also to be made and the sale of tickets to- The
questions OF passengers have to be answered, and
<delinquents hunted up. If they are not hunted up
promptly the, probability is that the delinquent will
thaye left the car without paying.
II Is not unlikely that with these mutituddous
Sdutes some should be neglected. or only partially
performed IL for instance dispute t arises which
tend to themselves for the time being, or the car
stop II the car stops the passengers are dissatisfied
n Il goes without driver, there Will be trouble
outside
II the great supposed depredatOnS OF the conductors
are stopped, the company will make more money
and will have reduced fares, but OF this shall
motive for Overcrowding car, he will drive on
when it is conveniently full, which will be more
comfortable for those inside, unless he has special
orders to the contrary
III the car is not to be overcrowded, but is to be
driven on when FULL leaving party of passengers on
The sidewalk who may wish to enter, what will those
passengers say? They will have to wait some time
another car, and Wnen tne OGner car comes that
too NAV be full. If the company expects to ran
double the number of cars, it may make it all right,
but do not expect any such pecuniary sacrifice
II the car s allowed to become crowded, this
method will not work. At night or at any time, in
fact how the driver to see, through crowded car,
lust how many are received at the back? How many
passengers in such case will put themselves to the
fnconyenience Of working their way to the box
merely for the sake of being honest?
One great disadvantage of the new method is the
Increased trouble to which passengers are sub
absence N
The matter of fares is this noticeable. An elderly
anfirm person needs help on entering leaving a
car Passengers are expected to be on the lookout
to render such help. In other anu smaller matters
the absence is no improvement. Inere IS no
windows. The stout hearts OF these appendages, it
is well-known fact, no one Dut conductor can
move.
In some few matters the absence of conductor is
uuite favorable change. The conductoria habit OF
taking young ladies by the shoulders, or pOkng
them in the SIDES under pretense of helping their
movements is avoided. Another advantage is that
mot have to wait until it suits the conductor to look
shat way or until certain point in the street is
reached. The small boys who ride on the back steps
are certainly in favor of the change, since they can
enjoy themselves to their hearts content
Passengers not all blest with the same amount
of fbrans. One man understands the system at a
glance; another requires oral explanation One
finds great difficulty in hunting up the place where
the money is to go in; another finds the hole mme-
diatey. To the bashlul passenger 1t is not pleasant
to ask many questions, and 1t is still more unpleas-
ant to make blunder from ignorance.
To any one wishing amusement, ride in the
Spruce and Pine streets cars Of any distance will
AFFORD sufficient material. We noticed one incident
the other day which serves to show the natural
dency of man to be dishonest. An Irishman had
entered, and had by dint OF questioning found out
that it was necessary to get his dollar note at
the window. He receives the change and counts It,.
lie hndg that he has received just dollar in return
"Ah," thinks Pat, "the fellow has forgotten to
take out the fare" But Judging that it will be ali
right, and that no one will be the WISER he slows it
safely away In his pocket and takes it easy.
In short time the driver taps at the window.
swami your fare, Sir says he.
'Ddn't give you dollar 2" says Pat.
Mutual explanations ensue, and the crestlaen
lrishman deposits the money which he had thought
10 gain
the routine, deposited ffty-cent note in the box,
and expected the change from the driver. The
driver refuses to give change Young lady, on in
uuiTy as to how she is TO get the fifty cents back,
learns that she will have to ride all the way to the
depot and then 'perhaps the officer will return 1t.
Young lady does not wish to ride TO the depot. A
matter in hand and orders driver to give young lady
1fty cents, and not dare to take her all the way to
the depot Driver, intimidaed, does So and we sup
poRe has q fuss when he reports
We would suggest that the new arrangement does
not DO away altogether with the possibility of dis
honesty but only lessons the chance 1t gives how
ever hdditional chances for passengers TO defraud
fhe company, which before were open only to CON
ductors.
instance, from giving his checks to all his friends,
who can deposit them as well as he? What Is To
prevent passengers from using counterfeit money
when there Is no one to examine it?
The system is said 10 work well in Washington
aqd some other Southern cities; but we should like
Ia see it tried on line like the Union, or the Cit
zel ,s', or any other good paying company.
W suppose, as matter OF course that the drivers
are I, receive increased wages for the numerous
duties which have been placed upon them.
TIE A. NERICus CLUE have purchased the property
No 24i y, uth Fifth street, now occupied by Thomas
I claytoI, ESQ.,, attorney at law, as an office anC
~ g.. Ipi0V n Thp Ouaf