The New York herald., 1876-01-27
Remedies for Car Overcrowding.

The long suffering people Of New York are
arousing themselves to the necessity of ac-
ton in reference to the disgraceful over
crowding practised on the horse cars. We
print elsewhere few letters out of num-
Der we have received on this topic, showing
that plans of relief spring full armed from
the public brain Indeed they have re-
mained there long enough to give the public
q headache, like that which Jupiter COM
planned of until his skull was split open
with an axe, allowing Minerva chance to
enter the world. Some of these plans
evince the bestowal of thought upon the
subject; some are mere makeshifts; some
again are Utopian, and few are dubious.
All confess the necessity of reform and all
but one would make it thorough The gen.
tleman who describes his car that will carry
seventy passengers shows conclusively
that there is no difficulty in providing
seats for the public, although seventy-seven
is the number the Third avenue company's
directors like to see on each car of the present
construction. Still his business is with the
companies. The correspondent who wishes
to see two classes of cars, one for the richer
and the other for those who would ''take
their chance for seats, puts case which
would be singularly to the taste of the COM
panies, but which does not solve the prob
lem at all. Nothing would suit the compa-
nies better than to put on first class cars,
and by reducing the second class cars to the
level of hogpens make it undesirable for any
but the poorest to use them. The thing first
to be assured is that all who pay fares shall
get seats the question of first and second
class cars and all such notifications to be
decided afterward. The reform by cheapen-
ing the price of cabs is good one in its way
and is worthy of attention, but the workman
on his way to and from labor, and the work
ing girl going and returning from her shop
could not take advantage of cabs, even if
fares were as low as twenty-five cents. The
ideas of making the fares paid by those who
do not obtain seat 60 as one correspondent
desires, to the city. and as another proposes
to the city's poor, are impracticable and
Utopian. In the very objections which one
correspondent urges to his plan there is q
CONFESSION InAV IL cOulu not Oe enforced.
Weare glad to see the advocates of these plans
admit that merely limiting the companies
to collecting fares from those who obtained
seats would lead the pickpockets and those
who now crowd helpless women indelicately
TO select the packed cars as free" field for
their operations. Aal these earnest plans
prove that the reform, TO be effectual, must be
radical. Health, dooency and comfort alike
demand law compelling the companies to
give seat for fare. and to make overcrowd-
ing on any plea a punishable offence. A
law passed to-day and TO take effect in
month would find the companies prepared,
for they know the value of their franchises
too well 10 let them lapse by the inadequacy
of accommodation. No sympathy need be
wasted on them, for they are well able to take
care Of themselves and have never considered
the public any more than they we're abso-
lutely forced TO.
The CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE CARIIsTs is
being pushed with fair show of vigor. The
Alfonsist Generals are carrying out long
prepared plan, but the counter movements
of the Carlists do not appear 70 have taken
q decisive shape as vet.