The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-03
HEATED Cars IN DEMAND
Citizens Protest Against Rid
ing in Cold Storage.
VIOLATION OF TILE LAW
Physicians Contend That Grip and
Pulmonary Difficulties Result
From the Exposure - Uahcatcd
Vehicles on hRny Lines-A Prim-
eyai Method of Warming Feet.

A great protest has gone up from the
citizenry of the District of Columbia, and
the citizenry are these who are compelled
TO patronize the various lines OF street
cars which traverse the thickly populated
section Of the city.
The kick is made for warm cars on the
Capital Traction, Metropolitan Columbia
lexington Belt Line and other lines. At
present the majority of the cars on these
lines are like unto cold storage boxes. and
much misery has resulted because of a
lack of heating apparatus.
Some years ago Congress enacted a law
which provides that all street cars running
within the District be heated by some
method, and this law plainly states that
no transportation company may operate
any cars unless these cars are well heated
during cold weather. This law is still
upon the books. but the cars remain cold
and the people Of the District want to
know why the law is not enforced.
None of the trailers used by the Capital
Traction Company is heated and many
Of the motor cars are the old style cars
without any provision for heating pur-
poses. The Metropolitan line is running
open. or Summer, cars, even though the
temperature be near the zero point. The
Columbia road has made no provision to
heat its cars, and there are few, if any. of
planes.
The Chevy Chase or L Street line has
complied with the law and every car is
well heated This was the first line to
put in the underground electric system in
the District.
The people claim that the discomfort OF
a Geld ride is not the caly thing they
object to, but state that they are leopard
izing their health, If not their lives, by
riding in unheated cars during the Win
ter. Many CT the local physicians state
that the cold cars have been prominent
factor in causing the present epidemic of
the grip, and several deaths are said to
have resulted from long rides in freez-
ing. draughty, cars.
The people demand that the cars run
ming through the thickiy populated Sec
items CT the city be heated, and If this
is not done an attempt will be made 10
enforce the law and compel the companies
to supply warming devices. If the trai.eTs
cannot be heated BY electricity ii is de-
manded that mere motor cars be pur-
chased, or that the trailers be at once
equipped with the electric heating a9-
paratus.
The cable and horse cars should be heat
ed with stoves. as is done in nearly every
Northern city. The stove only occupies the
space taken by one passenger and has
proved a practical heating device.
The Columbia or cable line has gone back
TO the old primeyal method and has COW
cred the floors of the cars with straw, but
this is not heating the cars by a long
shot. say the people. and they have tired
Of being frozen and catching cold.
The Metropolitan line claims to run the
open trailers as smoking cars but il is
a fact according to some of the people
who have to use this line. that they have
a choice between riding in the open car
and walking, as the closed cars are always
crowded.
4 local physician states that the unheat-
ed cars used on the lines running through
the business portions of the city have
caused more illness than almost anything
else. Those with slight colds are presented
with lung trouble after a short ride, and
those who are at all sick get the grip and
its numerous legacies after a fifteen min
utes' ride.
The cars must be heated during the Win
ter months. This is the decision OF the
people and they mean what they say. II is
argued there is no railway corporation
penetrating the thickly populated portions
of the city that is TOO poor TO heat its
rolling stock at a slight expense, and If
there be any that cannot do so they should
cease operating cars or comply with the
law.
At present a ride of even ten squares is
a long round of misery, and the people who
enable the railways to exist are the suf
ferers- At times the air in some of the
cars is warmed a little By the energetic
swearing OF the blue-nosed male passen-
gers, but aside from this no attempt is
ever made to raise the temperature Of
many OF the cars which are in daily ser