The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-02
JAM AT THE STATION
OVER I'VE THOUSAND EXCURSION
lists LEAVE FOR CHICAGO.
vania Company Sells 4,S35 Tick
ets-SOme of the incidents.
Last night the Union Station presented

Last night the Union Station presented
an appearance that reminded one very
much Of the week Of the encampment last
September. The cause of 1t was the mad
rush of the people to taxi advantage Of
the 81 rate to Chicago and return. While
there were not so many people in the de-
pot at any one time as there were during
the ncampment week, on account of the
lack Of preparation and the slow move
ment of the trains. the jam was far
greater. One of the gatemen, who says he
has been employed in the depot for twelve
years, said that he had never seen the
time when the crush was so great. The
Pennsylvania Company did not anticipate
such a large sale of tickets and had not
made arrangement TO haul the crowd.
with the result that several thousand peo-
pie crowded the depot from 9 o'clock until
nearly L O'Clock this morning. The COM
pany expected to take out about thirty or
possibly thirty-ive coaches, but when the
evening sales of tickets began it was soon
apparent that nearly twice that number
could be used, with only thirty-three
coaches that were available. Negotiations
were entered into with the Big Four Com
pany, and fifteen more were secured and
four more from other roads. With all of
these coaches, a total Of ffty-three, made
up into five trains, besides eleven coaches
on the train that left at moan yesterday, it
was necessary to stop the sale of tickets
before the third train left the depot, and
even then quite a number who had tickets
did not leave the city, preferring 10 lose
their money rather than to travel in such
uncomfortably crowded coaches. Mr.. Brun-
ner said that the Pennsylvania Company
had sold 1856 tickets.
With the l.. Z. & w. railroad it was
quite different. 1t stopped the sale of
tickets here at 9 o'clock yesterday morning
because all had been sold at that time
that could be accommodated on the steamer
Sioux City. Nine cars We're taken out
from here by that road, and they were not
near full. probably not over 425 people going
from here by that route. but enough tickets
tax the capacity of the steamer. 1t was
undoubtedly the largest excursion ever
~seventy-ive coaches in all, and most OF
them carried nearly as many people stand
ing as Were seated. Every Platform was
filled as we'll as all the available inside
space. The scene at the depot was one
of the utmost confusion for about four
hours. While women and babies were not
in the majority, the lusty walls of the lat
ter convinced the crowd that even though
in the, minority they we're not an unimpor,
ldHl GU VI III party. ~
women. too, were there is no small num-
bers, but~by far the most conspicuous class
were the colored damsels and their beaux.
For more than three hours the majority
of the GROVE were held behind the closed
gates waiting for the Pennsylvania Com-
the depot. but with all i this
inconvenience very little i'll temper
was shown. For the most part the peor.e
seemed to rather enjoy the novelty Of the
jam. Eight policemen and the full detective
force. besides the regular depot officers
were on duty to see that the ladies who
carry their pocketbooks in a tempting man.
ner were not disturbed.
A large number of the passengers We're
of the rougher element Of the city and two
or three knock-down fights occurred on
the trains before they left the depot. In
one case the knock-down was a much de-
served rebuke for an insult offered a lady.
As a.young man was passing through an
already crowded car with a lady in a vain
endeavor TO find her a seat, a young fell
low jumped up and said: Here. honey.
you may have this seat" 1t did not take
her escort ten seconds TO knock the Young
man down and drag HIM to the door, where.
with a couple OF parting kicks. he was
dumped onto the platform and advised not
TO enter that car again if he did not wish
even worse treatment than he had re-
ceived. The other fights were for the came
cause. and in all cases the defesders of tSe
ladies' received the hearty approval of an
the witnesses OF the affairs. With the ex-
cension OF these Few difficulties. for which
no arrests were made, the crowd main
tanned the best o. order.
Several enterprising young men did a
land once business IN s~calping tickets. No
couDt they oought a few with the expecta-
ton that the crowd would be so great that
the company would be compelled 10 SOB
the sale. but the most money was made
by buying tickets from people who bonrht
their tickets during the day. bur after
seeing the crowded condition OF the cars
preferred TO sacrifice their tickets rather
than to suffer the inconvenience OF SUCH =
trip A large number of such tickets we-a
bought for prices ranging from cost down
TO % cents and sold again for $50 to So
The boy who did not have the money
necessary Tor a venture In ticket specula-
ton was there also with a scheme 10 make
a llttie money. The cars were all locked
many cases the open windows furnished an
entrance Tor the small boy. They wound
ana IS soon as the car was filled. which
woulo De only . few moments, they would
oner % sell their seats for sums Ranging