Evening journal., 1891-07-22
LAST EDITION
PLAYING THE BABY fcT.

Wilmington City Electric Railway Com.
pany Charges Ful Fare for email
Children.
Since the five-cent fares went into
effect on the lines OF tue Wilmjngl on
City Railway Company, there has beeo
general complaint that the company has
been trying TO make up its deficiency
caused by The Donahoe amendments t.
the act passed by the late Legislature, by
charging full fare for children, no matter
how large or how small.
This unusual course has deferred many
fathers and mothers from taking their
children out With them, as they would
do, were it possible 10 get street car
transportation for them free or at half
rates.
On Sunday, July 12 Clarence Suther-
land, special clerk of the Pussy and
Jones Campany, took his years old son
out to the b & o station on the Della
ware avenue horse cars He dropped one
fare in the box That satisfied the
driver. He afterwards took an Eighth
street car, and the conductor charged
him full fare for the baby.
Not feeling satisfied he wrote the fol
lowing letter of inquiry to Captain
Charles II. smith, assistant superin-
tendent of the electric railway.
July 10, 1891
CAPTAIN CHARLES a. SMITH. Cashier
Wilmington City Electric Railway
Company, Wilmington, Del
DEAR SIR: Will you do me the
kindness to inform me, at your early
convenience whether your conductors al .
obeYing orders when they charge full
fare for twoyear old child2
Yesterday ] rode in the Delaware
avenue cars and no fare was asked for
my two-year old child, but on the Eighth
street car, which afterwards boarded.
No. 40, about 10 l5 a. m. bound out Eighth
the conductor demanded and was paid
full fair for the baby l told the said
conductor that / would and did take the
baby on my lap so that no one was de-
prived of seat on the lattets account
but the conductor stated that it would
not alter the case. Pray tell why 1t is
that on one car the fare Is charged
while on another, under the same man
agement, no fare is asked? If it is your
rule to charge for children of that age.
all right, have nothing further to say /:
but if it is matter dependent upon the
whims of your servants, then l beg
leave to protest against the manifest
unfairness of the thing. Your kind reply
will oblige yours truly,
CLARENCE SUTHERLAND "
To this letter he received reply two
days later The two days we're probably
spent in consulting with some of the
magnanimous capitalists who were going
to make a voluntary reduction of the
fares if the Legislature and Speaker
Donahoe would only keep hands off The
reply was as follows
'WnMINGToE, Del July 10. 1891.
MR.. CLARENCE SUTHERLAND, Care
The Pusey and Jones Company
Yours of 18th instant received, and
should have been answered sooner, but
press of business was cause OF my
neglect.
'In answer to your question. would
say. our conductors are obeying orders
when they charge full fare for
2-year-old child. The driver on Delaware
avenue car neglected his duty in not col
leeting fare for the child. and issuing a
transfer at Eighth street. The conductor
on Eighth street car was correct in hi :
statement that taking child on Lap would
net alter the case. The disobedience Of
orders by some Of our horse car men has
caused the same trouble / L other cases as
you had
Begging pardon for my neglect in not
answering sooner. remain. yours truly,
CHARLES a. SMITH,
Assistant Superinteudent