Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-01-06

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49,. g. aU cf ..r. f.-.5sr. a..
tu'ry G:sy t.to Lr3;.o-. 1...
ga.m-aes tha- is i'm 81 ! .b,.. au :
ely lcro %.3 tt,re can ha iul.l Il
mn. sc. Tt.. b4ys man disccf4
..:.s, much .ue aLL 10! few
langers t. eac, uat'r. but tLty meet
lien all rhiios 3phically, ard IS =
class are reliable, hurdwoskipg sober
men, with more tLsn the average
amount OF courtesy, considering the
prov o,a.ions they meet with.
One thing they learn is to miud
their own business. The street car,
especially at night, is the harvest field
CT the pickpockst. The pit kpoohet IS
q gregarious animal. For offensive aud
defensive purposes he bands together
with his brother thief, and will go ex-
traordinarv lengths to assist or ayeuee
his associate. The car conductor
knows him and his business; yet he
lets him alone. He knows from, the
experience OF many conductors before
him that if he interieres with tie thief
he will be waylaid at night and stabbed
or otherwise maiireatel 50 that he will
"lose his job Accordingly there is IL
taclt understanding into which the con
ductor is forced against his will, and
according to which he purchases INN d.
nifty by his silence. Not only is be not
molested in person, but hia pockets are
sacred to the professionals"
But it is not only the pickpccket
whom the conductor meets in the way
of queer characters. There are the
night wcrkmen, pale and tired, from
the editorial rooms, the composing
rooms and tie press rooms of the
morning newspapers. from the saloons,
the theaters and the retail stores that
are open at night. There sre royster-
SAo tAat ho'O Wunucfcu jEOHl sdlOOu u
saloon until all are closed, and who go
home because they can go nowhere
else. There are belated excursioEista
who have chosen ths night for their
fun or who have missed their trains or
boats, and there are occasionals, ;" who
are called out at night on some unusu-
al errand, such as the quest for a doc
tor In cases OF sudden sickness. Among
other classes are the :ramps aud free
hooters OF the streets Of both sexes,
who, doubtless, have some reason for
travelling, but who seem to get on and
off the cars without any particular
reason.
Ranks arc marked with tolerable
clearness in street oars. OF the all
night lines the Sixth and Third avenue
cars carry class of people easily dis
tinguishable from the Second and
Eighth avenues. On the more central
lines travel the better dressed and
more-comfortable appearing citizens
though, OF course, the rule is ono with
many exceptions. 1t would bo posi-
bic, however, for the experienced trav
eler to tell which line he was on, foui
times out OF five. by studying the ap
pearsnce of bis fellow-passengers
without noticing the cars or knowing
where he had boarded them.
, Perhaps as Curious scene as is IL
be found in New York is presented Oh
ore of the Second or Third avenue Car
coming down town from Harlem On
summer night, or rather mornip 6
/ There are in the uptown private park
innumerable picnics given during thi
; season of the year. They are attende,
3 chit ay 10y Germans, though citizens 0
other foreign extraction are also givei
to this special form Of amusement
, Dancing and drinking being the favor
( ite occupations at these picn.cs. ant
. the fun being commonly kept up unti
D long past midnight, tho crowds tha
. board the cars after the picnics ar
' over are generally flushed, excited ant
o boisterous. They are mostly younI
men and women, doubtless Of decorou
Q habits 'nough on ordinary occasions
D but ats. b times given to loud an
disCordan singing, laughing AM
s shouting. Cars being scarce at tk
hour when they start for home they fl
+ them to overlooking. and seats. plat
y forms and steps are taxed to the utmos
It to accommodate the crowds.
Q Then has the conductor some of hi
b hardest work to do. Usually the picni
l. parties are peacesble enough, but the
Z. are often in that stage of inebriet
o when it seems funny to dispute wit
p the collector of fares and to indulge i
y wild threats of personal violence. Un
o less the conductor keeps cool he
It likely to fare badly. He must neve
b strive to preserve order according I
d the usual rules OF order, for the crow
II has either standard Of its own CIR
d ready to override all rules. The ca
q generally becomes the scene of an org
10 that is finished only whom the crow
e disperses, dropping of at various stree
Is corners down town, improprieties tbs
l. would shock the average citizen by da
+ are a laughing matter only on sue
Y occasions.
!, The dangers OF conductors lif
Is have been referred to. They are no
imaginary, but very real. The write
Q one night last week was on Secon
n avenue Car. the conductor Of whic
e stood on the step collecting fares. Sue
q denly he cried out with pain, at th
l. same time falling under the wheels of
y truck that stood SO close to the ca
r. track that the car grazed it. The drive