The Jersey City news., 1899-03-11
M|NKS' COMPLAINT.
Mayor Hoos Notifies City
Boards as to State of I
Traction Traffic.

A few days ago the Minkakwa Club
of Greenville, passed resolutions in refer
ence to the running of cars on the Green
vile and Bayonne lines, which arrange
mentsthey complained were inadequate to
the passenger traffic. The resolutions
were sent to Mayor Hoos.
This morning his Honor sent a letter to
the Board of Health and one to the Street
and Water Commissioners concerning
that subject. The letter to the Board of
Health was as follows
Honorable Board of Health:-
"Gentlemen-I most respectfully call
your attention to matter which seems
to me to merit serious thought and
should receive the utmost consideration
on your part. If | understand the au-
thority which has been conferred upon
you by law it is your duty to abate nui-
sances, to look after sanitary measures
is endangered. Undoubtedly you use and
necessarily are familiar with the condi-
tion of the cars furnished the travelling
public of this city by the trolley com
these cars are SO crowded that partlca-
larly women and children are in danger
of having their lives crushed out, to say
nothing of the personal distress and dis
comfort, the running of good clothes and
expensive dresses.
ssBut the most serious matter is the
have to enter such Noah's Arks, particu-
larly on days when the flood gates of the
heavens are opened upon US. The foul
air coming from hundreds of lungs which
one is compelled to breathe is certainly a
cause of disease. In these days when we
hear SO much about microbes, bacteria
and all kinds of germs, 1t certainly seems
to me that these human sardine boxes on
wheels are fruitful causes of disease.
Every passenger is entitled to seat,
but as we all know in ninety-nine cases
mt nf a hum ic mn cci
cure one. The only thing to do Is to stand
and grasp the strap, so thoughtfully pro-
vided by the companies, and hang on.
Many of these straps are ancient and
worn out by thousands of hands, but still
maintain much OF their original thickness
because of the layers of filth that have
cases no doubt are very healthy germ
collectors, and a most prolific cause of
the transmission of disease if there is any
thing in the contention of modern scien-
fists.
Now your Honorable Board has of late
made itself very prominent by criticising
compelling the city at great expense to
make sanitary repairs. which if neces-
sary should have been made years ago
instead OF allowing. things to go on for
years without solitary comment. All of
a sudden you awake and in your zeal
you compel the city to spend large
amounts of money. and by such action
further deprive children from going to
schools which for years were never
thought of as places likely to cause
disease.
at seems to me that you might very
profitably bestow your attention to the
unsanitary condition of our trolley cars,
to the prompt removal of dead animals
from streets and to prevent the dumping
of ashes and garbage in the sections of
the less wealthy. l earnestly request that
you will look into these matters, and by
so doing you will confer lasting benefit
upon our travelling public.
Very Respectfully,
EDWARD HOOS, Mayor.
The letter to the Street and Water Conn
missioners was as follows:-
Honorable Board of Street and Water
Commissioners
Enclosed please find copies of resolu--
tions passed by the Minkakwa CLUB and
handed to me by committee of citizens
ing gentlemen:-Rober Carey Reuben
Simpson, Alderman Fry Mr.. Goldberg and
others l earnestly request your Honor
able Board to take steps to abate this
nuisance. These complaints are we'll
founded and apply to other lines in this
city. take it that under the provisions
of the ordinance granted this company
your Board has authority to compel she
company to furnish suitable accommoda-
tions to the travelling public. Something
must be DONE and that Immediately, to
remedy this condition of affairs.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWARD HOOS,
MavOr