The times., 1898-12-12
genuine ROUGH RIDING
AcrObatic Scenes on Capital
Traction Company Cars.
THE JOLT THAT UPSETs
Everyday Experiences of Trans
portntion Patrons-yncomrIim
ary Conversations Overheard-Thc
Views Of the Fair sex-Wherein
the Motormen Are Experts.

Scens, anywhere in Pennsylvania
| Avenue Green or yellow car running in
either direction. Time, between 6 a. m.
and midnight, any day in the week.
Stout gentleman boards car at corner of
street Car starts with terrible jerk. Stout
gentleman is thrown violently against con
ductor. Conductor swears Stout gem
tleman apologies and enters car.
Small man boards car at next corner.
Car starts with terrible jerk. Small man
is thrown upon his knees. Grasps wildly
at platform and hangs on. Carefully gets
up and enters car.
Old lady boards car at next corner. Car
starts with vicious jerk. Lady is thrown
backward through gateway on platform
Man on trailer saves her and pushes her
into car.
Young man boards car. Car starts with
30. .0oo-pound jerk. Young man is thrown
from step. Catches handle on car and
drags for half a square. Car stops. Young
man climbs on platform and clines to rail-
ing desperately Chorus of passengers as
car starts with violent jerk: "Ouch.''
Two young ladies hail car at next cor
ner Car stops. Young ladies board car.
One on platform, the other on platform
step. Car starts with sudden jerk. Young
ladies are thrown backward Conductor
drags them into safety. Young ladies very
nervous
First young lady: My. this is the rough
est cable car have ever ridden on
Second young lady: why, this is not a
cable car. This is underground trolley
First Y. L.: We'll, / prefer overhead
trolley or even horse power
Second Y. L.: ''Oh. the Georgetown and
ed motormen. They are experts in the
knack OF starting car rapidly"
Tough young man boards car jauniiiy.
Car starts with jerk and gives tough
young man some exercise.
Tough young man TO conductor: Say,
does the lad in front think he's drivin'
coal wagon?'
Conductor: Hes runnin' the car the
same as the rest of the motormen"
Both young ladies' in chorus, MY, how
dreadful
Tough young man: I'D like to know
why they can't let the juice on easy on
this line. They can ON other lines"
Conductor: TRANSFERS. All take trans
fers and transfer
The motorpen on the Georgetown and
Fourteenth Street cars have, after long
ana careful practice, managed to attain
a wonderful degree OF perfection in start
ing car with II sudden and vicious jerk
In two cases out of every three the cars
on these lines will start OFF suddenly as
though the power could not be applied
gradually.
This jerking at each start has become n
source of great danger and annoyance 10
those who use these lines and so far pro-
test has proven useless. Even the old
style cable grip cars start Off with a mo-
ton which is a glide In comparison with
the cars of the present electric system
Each day numbers of lives are endan-
gered under the present system OF yank-
ing, and for a full minute after boarding
car passenger suffers misery from the
shock of starting the car ~ E
Ii has been demonstrated that ears fitted
with the underground electric system can
be started so gently and gradually. as 10
make the start almost imperceptible In
view of this fact the great mass of suf-
ferfng citizenry who use the cars on the
lines referred to pray that the sudden jerk
business be toned down at least TO some
slight degree of comfort