The New York herald., 1876-02-02
NO SEAT NO FARE.
Effects Of the Herald'e De-
mand for Reform.
VIEWS OF CONDUCTORS AND DRIVERS
Passengers Asserting Their Rights
on the Cars.
THE DOOM OF OvERcRoWDING

In connection with the abuses in the management OF
the city railroad lines the views Of the conductors and
drivers engaged the may be considered pos
sessng interest and weight A reporter OF the
HERALD. with the object of obtaining SUCH passed
several Of the and into
ton with the employees mentioned. The substance OF
what passed between them is appended AS might be
expected they had considerable TO say relative 10 the
discomforts of their vocation and Of the insufficient
compensation they receive for their services but they
also freely admitted that oyercrowding a gross
abuse, and that the only remedy the addition Of
more to the number in service. It would ap-
pear that the conductors indisposed, probably in
accordance with Instructions refuse transportation
to passengers who object pay fares when seats
not be supplied; and that the plan OF providing out
side in the opinion Of would not work we'll
in consequence OF the great heat in summer and
treme cold in winter Some citizens have already
stood up their legal rights and declined TO pay be
they able TO obtain proper accommoda-
ton in tho vehicles. This is beginning in the right
direction.
on THIRD AVENUE
AT few minutes before six O'Clock in the evening
Third going up town taken at the corner
Of Canal street and the Bowery All the seats were
filed, and, in addition to the passage way which
choked with people who supported themselves by the
by passengers The conductor engaged in collect
Ing fares rapidly possible in order to return TO his
lookout in tho rear that he might gather in any 9TH
ers willing to undergo thorough packing process By
the time the reached the Cooper Institute he was
rewarded by several moro accessons to his load He
thcn seemed satisfied he bad fully performed his duty
The bells and punches well himself were about to
enjoy rest Some remarks made by gentlemen
outside to tho great inconvenience OF travelling in
such distressing and as TO the probability OF
rapid transit being at any time accomplished fact
The public 1t Observed deserved better treatment
and very strange that railroad companies did
not consider that they bound to furnish decent
accommodation instead of tho beastIy in
which passengers now served on the horse cars
Their profits very large and as they managed to
avoid paying the licenses required by law they could
certainly afford TO put and give seats TO
all who pay for them The conductor, young intel
lgent and well-cad man. here inerered and remarked
that persons in his position did not relish the system
OF overcrowding, for their duties would be much less
than they present If only the number OF
passengers the could received But their
orders to admit without limit so long as stand
ing spot could be found and the traveller could hold on
by any possible part of the vehicle The rules the
Third line relative to conductors were perhaps
moro exactng than on any other the city. Their
posed to all kinds of weather. and the insecurity by
which the tenure of their positions held, away
down to the starvation point and there earthly
hopes of Improvement or promotion, no matter how
honest or faithful they may provo in the The
newspapers in taking up the cudgcls for passengers
should not overlook
THE suFPERIsGs CONDUCTORS DRIVERS.
A gentleman here inquired If any instructions had
been recently given relative to collecting fares from
rrt..
conductor replied that the present discussion in the
HERALD on this point much canvassed at the
depots and among street railroad in general but
nothing in the nature direct orders had been issued
However, he added, 1t understood that If
passenger refused to pay fare when obliged TO stand
the to pursue was to pass the matter by quietly
course agreed upon by all the companies, for 1t was
supposed that very few would decline handing Eve
cents when once nee y the cars & gURg from % or 10 their
had nothing to do with the matter and that they
under system of espionage besides having to record
by mechanical device, every penny received and
also 10 account for the same She passengers, and par
tcuary the working classes he said submitted with less
complaint to the Inconvenience endured (though they
really the greatest sunerers than those In and
opulen circumstances. The latter frequently protest
against being Obliged to stand; speak of II as public
wrong that should not be tolerated and muer things
about legal proceedings, the abrogatlon OF charters
and the duty OF the press 'only last Friday young
man, when asked by me for his iare, declined paying
the ground that ho should lrstyet seat and this
was impossible all the seats occupied, nothing
further was said and this sckler for his rights
joyed free ride from Twenty third to Sixteth street.
The matter was mentioned at the depot and no notice
taken OF It, II is no part OF my contract with
the company 10 iorce passengers rom my car for re-
fusing TO pay If they are not accommodated as they
claim the law requires and thus get myself in trouble
do not know said this employe OF the Third Ave-
Railroad, "what others intend TO do. My place
Is not worth taking the consequences OF an unustih
on THE SIXTH AVENUE LINE
The Sixth avenue line receives large share Of pub
lie patronage, and Investments in its stock are re-
gaFdcd as judcious. The writer entered ono OF its
cars, which crowded at the time. The hour
shortly after In the morning. Standing the
platform he managed TO get into conversation with the
driver, who seemed to have his attention divided be-
tween the horses before him and the folks on both
sides of the street Evidently he was looking out for
people who desired to travel down town. Referring to
the uncomfortable situation of the passengers incud
ing women, who we're standing up and who were
pressed closely against the other, he said there
far as he could understand for the mat
ter The public had eyes and could sec when the
were full When any passenger got and knew the
all occupied. why he could get OF If he did
not like to stand, and would prevent him from
doing So But II no determined TO remain II was only
right that he should pay for his ride When II sug
gested that the railroad companies had in solemn
manner entered into a contract to furnish seats
for every passenger In reward for the privilege of
using the public Streets that the other franchises be-
slowed on the other railroads also Of great value
and further that by putting additional the
abuse could be corrected the placed his
wits ends for suitable reply He said however, the
himself II they were rreclaimably dishonest Their
lives fun of hardshps, and the public had little
sympathy for them. Ho had no objection to the rule
of ''No seat no farch and tf IL made binding
that II could DO broken without severe penalties he
would he glad OF II. There much talk about the
Legislature interfering, but he thought the roads
too strong At Albany TO allow any check to be put on
the rich placers they working As to having seats
overhead that would not do at all IN New York, where
the climate so cold In winter and intensely hot IN
summer. Think, said he, ''Of dozen passengers
seated on the roof in July August, when the Their
mOmetcr stood at ninety degrees beyond that figure
"The thing he repeated. would not do Hospitals for
sunsruck would have 10 be erected along the
routes every line the city under such circumstances
During certain portions OF the winter months II would
be impossible for people to remain exposed to the cold
In such elevated and unprotected position and,
again. when rain storm prevailed, no one, no matter
how hurried anxious TO pass from one part OF the
city to another would be content to endure thorough
soaking There nothing lett then, f every passenger
Is to be seated but TO supply THIS the
...Ll L. nrI car