The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-31
STREET-CAR OBSERVATIONS.
A Few Notable Points About the Handling
of the Lines Yesterday.

This is not the Sunday paper, but q few
observations on the subject of street cars
and their management on Memorial day
are timely. They caused more %disappoint-
ment and profanity than even the rain.
Half the time they ran on O sort OF go-as-
you-please schedule. and part of the time
they didn't run ut all. IL was partly hard
luck, partly hard headedness and partly q
woeful lack of detail management.
The hard luck part of it lay in the fact
that the street-ear system is SO constructed
that it is the easiest thing in the world to
blockade it. Simply blockade the corner
of Washington AMI Illinois streets and
every street car In town will soon be tied
up as tight as a drum. Possibly
this had occurred TO those who
planned the Memorial day parade
and possibly 1t was purely &C
old entail. but certain it is that the street
cars did not move q whole lot while the pa
rade was in progress. Then there was an
unusual amount of hard luck. In the Way
of getting of the track and that sort of
thing. that won't to swell the volume of the
wrath OF patrons.
The ard-headedness came in when Mr..
Frenzel, with his usual facility for max
ing friends, got into O row with the Grand
hAbJ PNCPAos ooos v ohh - -
is not very material. but he succeeded in
offending them, and they did not trouble
themselves much to keep their procession
out of the way of his cars
The littl1 breaks in the detailed manage
ment OF the cars were too numerous to men
ton. Circus day and Memorial day. either
of which would have taxed the capacities
of the company. proved too much when
The total %inadequacy of the transfer-car
was thoroughly demonstrated yesterday
afternoon. 1t was filled with o seething
mass of sweltering humanity. Nobody
could get in and only the few who were
fortunate enough To- be near the doors,
could get out when their oars came. At
the same time employees of the company
had a dense crowd OF people cOrralled about
the car, and were making q desperate but
vain effort TO keep track OF who were en-
titled TO transfer privileges and who were
not.
Indianapolis has outgrOwn the transfer
car and the central point system of trans
fers. The long delays at this car and the
hourly blOckades there are entirely incOn-
sistent with the idea of rapid transit.
while the crowded car is q breeder of dis
ease. -
Last evening. between 6 and z o'clock, q
blockade occurred on Clifford avenue. The
storm was at n lull when q heavily loaded
car ran off the track Just at the switch
beyond the L.. T.. x w. tracks. The mules.
worn out with a hard days work, could not
bulge IL. Other cars came up behind and
another team was artched. but just then
the ram began TO fall in torrents and moth
ing further was lone until the storm
broke. In the meantime. those to whom
time was more precious than clothing aud
dry feet walked. -
Inasmuch rs the circus was to give two
performances. and the Grand Army but
one, President Frenzel apparently came to
the conclusion that there was more money
in handling the circus crowds and allowing
the crowds desiring to 20 10 Crown Hill to
take chances. The parade knocked out his
service for the afternoon performance, and
the rain knocked out the evening perform
auce.