San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-06-14
WHY DO THEY JUMP
Why the Street Cars Cannot
be Kept On the Track.

| Dt htpt VII tIlt IEdIh'
Editor LIGHT:
| do not want to be too artistically
inquisitive, but would like TO get a
| few "pointers on the San Antonio
street-car system for general informa-
ton, as we'll as presume few shall
low hints.
Can reasons be given why the street
cars of this city bound from the
tracks so often in given distance
and space of time? L believe this
subject matter is public property and
of public interest, as it is from such
source that those enterprises are
maintained.
Having resided in several large
cities, | seldom saw car Off the track
when it left the car houses for duty.
| But of late / have noticed in this city
| how frequently street cars leave the
| tracks of the different lines and
meander over the streets, sometimes
colliding with the sidewalks, and it
is homely sight to behOld-because
| they look 80 much out of place.
Judging from their capers, the re is
| not the shadow of a doubt but that
the city council has given them
The right-of-way, and that they
propose to enjoy such privileges.
They leap from the tracks with the
greatest alacrity, and show no notice
able embarrassment or Partially as
to place or time land | believe this is
why the public complain, as they
cannot get onto the combination and
make calculations as to where they
will have to walk and what distance
l. - laj h inf c\
nor little regard as to how great
hurry the passengers are to reach
their destination at certain time.
If bound for the railroad depots, it
is not recorded they will get there at
train-time if they "held the fort" in
the car. But the redeeming features
of the majority of San AntoGians are,
they have unlimited patience and
never-give-up staying qualities, or
the street car companies would have
bankrupted long ago. 1t is conun-
drum to many people as to what
is the cause of such rail-jumping
antics, whether 1t be on account of
the tracks spreading, or caused by
the mules spreading capacities. 1t
may be that the engines are too light.
Anyway, they must be envied by
other street car companies, as it GEMS
to be an impossible feat elsewhere.
Some people who claim to be
natural-born geniuses and have no
fears of their patent being infringed
on or stolen, are so bold, defiant and
presuming as to assert that it is a
cute way the engineers have of
"killing" time when they run ahead
of the time card. | think their patent
is safe, because / don't believe they
have schedule time-cards or ever did
have here, and people guilty of
accusing them of running ahead of
time, ought to be reported to the
police and "shadowed y by them, and
whenever heard, or suspicioned of
trying to create that impression.
should be unceremoniously arrested
and thrown into what is termed the
" bat cave" and confined there fully
thirty Misunderstanding from the
notOriety the place has gained.
In closing my unpretentious re-
marks, would suggest for the benefit
of public safety, that when cars are
about to pass or passing each other
Il allude to double tracks only, that
the engineers should be compelled
to slack up, or down, which ever
suits their disposition, as case de-
mands, to slow walk, so that if the
cars do conclude to "fy the track"
and embrace each other after long
time meeting, they will not endanger
the lives of their valuable human
freight. Respectfully,
CASUAL OBSERVER.