The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-09-07
MUST FILL The CARS.
Conductors Compelled to Obey the
Orders to 0vercrowd.
"The Evening World" Gets Letters
on This important Subject.
One Correspondent Suggests Munici-
pal Ownership as u Remedy.

The fight which "rhe Evening
World" has begun in behalf OF the
people for the purpose Of securing for
them better accommodations and
greater comfort upon the street-car lines
of the city is bringing out IA large corre-
spondence.
That Ii right. Readers OF THE Even
ing World" who have anything to say
upon the subject whatever in the way
Of suggesting Il remedy for the evil. or
the relating OF some incident which has
come within their own experience.
showing to what extent the abuse of
overcrowding the cars had been carried
on. and how they have been treated by
officials or employees of the companies.
are invited to contribute to the dis
cussion.
One correspondent seems to think that
The Evening World'' has cast the blame
for the overcrowding Of the cars upon
the conductors and drivers or griDmen,
who stop to allow passengers to get on
after the cars are already filed.
This. however, is "A mistake, as 1t was
not intended to create such an impress
sion. Those who are responsible for this
state of Affairs are the officers and
managers of the corporations. who In
their greed for excessive profits pay no
regard whatever to the wishes or feel
ings of the public.
They send spies and spoilers out upon
the cars to watch the conductors and
drivers, and " 1t Is found that the latter
do not stop for every passenger who halls
the car, or that the cunducto does not
squeeze aboard every one W, ran posi-
bly, obtain u foothold, he l. reported at
Headquarters as an incompetent man.
ard his ntarp tx gIInplipI Inv another
who will carry ont the ideas of the com
pany, or he is fined for ncglecting the
interests of his employers,
so far as his personal Feelings are con
ceruod the conductor has no interest In
filling the ear of which he has charge
to overlooking, as 1t only gives him
more work and greater responsibility,
But as his position depends. upon the
zeal which he manifests in helping TO
MI the Golfers OF the corporation he Is
compelled to corral every passenger In
sight. no matter how much discomfort
and annoyance may result
In return for this watchfulness for his
employers interest the conductor, driver
aud gripman do not even get the thanks
them. All they get Is their wages, to
which they are entitled, no matter
whether the car takes IN 81 or $l2 on the
trip.
Another correspondent suggests that
the only remedy for the existing state
of affairs Is to he found In the muniC-
ipal ownership OF the street-car sys-
tens
Under that SYSTEM" he says I'VE
could not only furnish all tine cars nee
essary. and seat for every passenger,
but we could also employ an immense
amount of labor, which is now in idle
ness by reducing the working time on
the street-car service to eight hours u
day for all employees"
Under the present system of private
ownership Of the railroads, the corpora
tons which control the lines are no
doubt enabled to conduct their business
without much direct supervision from
the public authorities. But this results
from the fact that the public is too
complaisant.
All these corporations derive their
power and rights from the State, and Il
Ia the State which ought to compel them
TO- exercise those rights with due CON
alteration for the interests Of the pub
lie which they are Intended to serve.