The evening world., 1894-09-20
HERDED LIKE CATTLE.
Wet and Pedraggled Passengers
Had an Annoying Experience.
Some Accident to the Cable Made
an Aggravating Delay.
Many Got on the Street Cars aud
Walked or Took the l. Road.

The shameless imposition which is
practlsed by the cable companies upon
the public was never better illustrated
than during the rush hours last even
ing, when, added to the discomforts of
a pouring rain-storm and water-soaked
garments, travellers on the street car
lines were herded in like cattle and
subjected to the most aggravating de-
lays.
1t is doubtful whether, any passenger
on the Third avenue line. between the
hours of $50 and 7.3O last evening,
reached his or her home with an
unrufiled temper. II there was any such
person, his name is worthy of n place
In the calendar of saints for trip up
town during the interval mentioned
would have tried the patience of Job.
Those who regarded themselves as fof-
tuHate in getting seat petorH the theg
mistake later on, for there was pig
and thoroughly drenched crowd lying
in wait at the Brooklyn Bridge entrance,
came along, and was allowed to take up
every inch of available space, both in
the open and closed cars.
Those in the seats had the delight OF
feeling numerous rivuiets trickling down
their backs and saturating various other
portions of their clothing from the drip
ping umbrellas OF those VINO were Stdnu-
Ing in front or beside them, and all were
damned in SO tightly that a movement
in any direction was impossible.
Then there was something the mat
ter with the cable Uhere always seems
TO be something the matter with the
Third avenue cable) and the cars would
go ahead five or ten PAGES and then
there would be "A wait of five or ten
minutes before they would move again:
Almost a solid line OF cars was stand
ing at one time from the city Hall
away up to Grand street on the Bowery,
all packed with frantic and indignant
passengers.
1t took by actual timing with a stop
watch just 10 minutes 81 20 seconds to
move one car in that line from point
opposite the Pulitzer Building to East
broadway crossing at Chatham Square;
The language INDUCED in by many of
shocking to hear. and the conductors of
most of the cars got off and walked
about in the rain during the frequent
were heaped upon them by the in
dignant passengers. The gripmen were
less fortunate. for they had to stay
aboard ard watch their chance to go
What's the matter with this internal
road, Anyway" inquired one man who
was pinned in the centre Of the car, as
he caught glimpse of the conductor
busted again."
mo, it amt the cable yelled the
conductor. Iheres some trouble up at
the switch"
well. l don't care what it Is" re-
turned the irate passenger. I'VE are
being robbed and swindled, and for one
won't stand 1t any longer"
He got up on his feet and made a
frantic effort to get through the crowded
| aisle to the side of the car. but a
sudden lurch as the gripman caught the
| cable threw him down in a heap on two
| other passengers, and for several min
utes there seemed to be imminent dan
ger Of a riot in the car.
| At each 81" station along the Bow
| cry passengers abandoned the cable
| cars and took to the Elevated trains,
where they Jared only little better.
When the blockade was finally straight
| ened out somewhere up near Cooper
| Union hardly car was carrying Its
full complement of passengers. They
| soon filled up again, however. along
Third avenue, and the Company reaped
a double profit from every car that II
had in operation during the rush hours.
Here are some suggestions from
| Evening World" readers: