The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-24
TROLLEY PARTIES.
How Young Philadelphians Find Enter
tainment for Their Best Girls.
New York World.

Z yin ffOita
The trolley party is the latest fad in
Philadelphia. 1t came to be the fad almost
Immediately after the introduction of the
trolley on the uptown streets, and it has
grown to be so general a craze that the
railway companies are pushed to supply
the demands. The trolley party was ex-
elusive when it started, but now it has
been taken up all over the town and the
fashionable set in Philadelphia have largely
surrendered their amusement to the bigger
and more democratic crowd, which initiates
whatever the fashionable set initiates.
The trolley party is cheap and noisy and
gives plenty Of opportunity for fun. 1t
needs no preparation. The only require
ments is a trolley car. a lot OF colgenial
young people. a brass band, barrel organ
or mouth organ and a general disposition
to see fun in everything. The Philadelphia
young men and women have gradually de-
veloped the trolley party until to-day a
properly conducted one calls for a supper
at the end of the ride and a collection of
fireworks. more or less brilliant, as the re-
sources of the party permit. The expenses
Of such a party seldom exceeds a dollar a
head. Fifty cents a head is more common.
and for this amount a great deal of en-
joyment is had.
GcTIlaltOWu, WHICH hes dDOuI Settn
miles from the city's center, is a pretty
place in which many of Philadelphia's
rich men have houses. 1t was there the
trolley party originated. When the Peo-
pies Traction Company completed it's line
out Fourth street and Germantown avenue
there was a great rush to try the new
form of transportation. The cars were
ovid for several nights SO that stand
ing room was at a premium
Some of those who rode on the CARS found
1T such a novelty that they made UP par
ties to take the ride from one end of the
line to the other and return. Then, to
make more of a lark of 1t, they chartered
cars for their exclusive use. in two days
stitution. In another it became a fad.
To-day, though there are eighty open cars
running continuously on this system, il is
with difficulty that the trolley parties are
supplied with cars without regular traffic
having to suffer.
A few evenings ago fifty parties were out
at once. Thursday night seventy-1ve par
ties, occupying a total of thirty-two cars,
were made up and spent the evening rid
ing from Germantown to the southern ter
minus OF the line and back again. A num-
Der of those who applied for cars had to
be refused for lack OF accommodation. The
trolley party always occurs at night; Then
the cars are brilliantly lighted with cleo
tricity. and may be run at a faster rate
than in the daytime, as travei Of other
kinds is practically at a standstill after s
apiece for the round trip. The contract
reads: Car chartered to fifty Passengers
or to blow horns" This enables every one
to have a seat and does away with tie
danger which arises from passengers who,
rather than miss the ride, at first stood OF
the footboards which run along either side
OF the car, and were in risk of being
brushed off. Big tin horns were originally
an accompaniment of these parties, but
they made such a racket and SO disturbed
the rest of the quiet citizens who retire at
the authorities brought out an order that
horns were to be left at home or the par
ties abandoned.
Forty is the customary number of par
ucipants. The start Is mad about s
O'Clock. The girls come in white dresses
and E Without hats: the men in duck breech-
now. since the horns were abolished. The
band is put aboard, usually forward. Then
off, too, SO that particular friends are
next to each other.
The conductor rings the gong. the car
starts, and a shout goes up from the party
as the car flies down the street. Many
of the men are smoking. On a trolley
when the band plays such popular airs
as Sweet Marie" washington Post" and
Molly and 1 and the Baby the party
chorusses of c-ongratulation TO every other
party 1T meets spinning by in the opposite
AT the end of the line there is a supper
waiting. The swell parties have a caterer
serve a hot supper at some convenient
place. Mostly, though. the parties content
themselves with a lunch brought along in
the car and helped down with hot coffee,
Stag parties have a stock of beer made
ready for them, but these are few in num-
Der. The presence of the girls seems es-
sential to the enjoyment of the trip.
The cars are customarily decorated with
bunting, fastened in festoons along the
sides and draped in front and rear.
Up to this time the fad shows signs OF
becoming almost a craze, and the railway
companies are thinking of raising their
rates. "Trolleyosis' may be said to be
increasing its victims at the rate of hun
dreds a day.