Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-16
WOMEN CROWD MEN OUT.

WVMEN ChUWD MEN Jul.
The Tables Have Turned ON the Pittsburs
and Lake Erie Railroad and the Ladies
Stand Up - An Amusing Incident on a
Street Car.
American women are wearing out their
conventional privileges in this country and
wearing them out rapidly, that is, so far as
courtesy on lines of public travel is con-
cerned. Any one who travels may notice
it and it is especially noticeable on one
train on the Pittsburg and Lake Erie Rail-
way, that which gets to this city
at II o'clock A. M, city time.
This train Is uniformly minus one
car necessary to comfortably seat
its patrons by the time it passes Montour
Junction. There is sometimes room in the
smoker, but women cannot well ride there
and some men are not partial to that apart
ment.
Formerly it came in the last 10 miles with
one to three dozen men standing up like
animated clothespins, fuming and fretting
at the company, but all gallant enough to
surrender their seats to women. Now, how
ever, it is different. You see during the
last three or four miles Of the trip about as
many women standing as men.
One who has ridden much in public con-
veyances cannot fail to understand the
reason. Women, as q rule, are monopoltsts
and most Of them want everything in sight
and when one goes into car unattended
she usually arranges to occupy whole seat
If possible As since crinoline went out
she cannot spread herself all over the seat,
she disposes her reticule and parcels on the
remainder and is oblivious to the fact that
men are standing, first on one leg and then
on the other, like 30 many tired chickens.
WHERE THERE ARE NO BOLD MEN.
He is bold brute or else very insinuat-
ing man who can secure seat beside q lone
woman without unpleasantness. In conse-
quence Of this painful experience men are
beginning to assert their rights to the seat
they pay for and women as well as men are
required to submit to the regulation ''First
come first served" and frown as she may a
woman is likely to be allowed the
Democratic privilege of standing up as
men do when seats are short. OF course,
the public at large deserves the punishment
more or less, as If people refused to ride
without being seated transportation compa-
nies would enlarge facilities, but people
crowd on, no matter if they must hang to
platform ratings.
A gentlemanly usher on the train men-
toned has his gallant soul vexed from day
to day trying to secure seats for women
The only relief he can accomplish
is the crowding of children into small COM
pass, but as they only pay half fare they
must submit to discomfort. And after he
has done all he can, lot of women are
usually left in a state of fermentation that
makes timid men who keep their seats un-
comfortable. 1t is amusing to see some
bashful young mems faces redden, conscious
that several pairs of flashing eyes are fixed
on them, expressing as plainly as
eyes can, "You are brute, but
of late they keep their seats and attempt to
make themselves believe thev are absorbed
in newspaper or in contemplation Of the
shifting panorama outside. Of course, If
they happen to be acquainted with any of
the irate women standing a surrender is in
eYitable.
EXTENSIVELY MoNoPoLIsTIC WOMEN.
Some women are more offensively
monopolistic in street cars than any
where else, and If not given
seat they are not Blow to express
dissatisfaction, and they there attempt to
occupy as much room as possible. An
amusing occurrence was noted In a street
car some time ago. The car was rather un-
comfortably packed, but all inside were
seateo, Wnen QuQe ana Quoess nalleo H.
A weary-looking hod-carrier moved un-
easily when the girl fixed her gaze on
him, and crowding as close the end
of the car as possible suggested
to his next neighbor to push
iu the opposite direction and make room
for the lady" But the hod-carrier's clothes
were covered with brick dust and the girl
tilted her nose with scorn sublime and re-
fused the place. Still the Unborn gallantry
of the hod-carrier pleaded for her and he
arose and offered his seat She took 1t with
out acknowledgment and then crowding
close to the end said to her partner, "Gawg
there's plenty Of room for you." This
angered the hod-carrier and he re-
marked, eff there's room for Gawg,
there's room for me-" and sat down
beside the girl who angrily sprang to
her feet and brushing her skirts made some
energetic remark to her partner. But he
had more sense than to get into an alterca-
tion with man able to do him up with one
hand, and the pair stood until seats were
vacated. There were some people In that
car who enjoyed the scene very much.
The average male American is chivalrous
and defers to women, but some men stipu-
late that feminine garb must not cover a
Misrepresentation.