Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-20
= cuoxEp PLATFORMS.

,,s.r .h,s heading we do no'
."'. ~ n,oduct OF state or natioha'
,o,,,,ca, conventions. but to cus'o"
psna,,,o, mat il Irritating to many y,
the patrons OF the stree'-car ""S
Richmond. .,o shouts
,r,, ,rs,v-iunged conductor, VINO shoo''
.uovs up. plenty OF room IN iroh''
o,,,ost unknown here. When our "'''"
CONDUCTOR speaks. II Is not WIFI 'o
.,,rc vo,ce: but mildly and apoioseti
csIlv The consequence Is that niue ne
a. Maid 20 what he says. a iur'n'i ~
ooouence is that one Of our cars mag
soern "a be racked. when reaiiy '"e'e
.,,,,aont standing room IN the aiSie
rhoro ,s another evil attending inc
,,-n.o,o custom OF blocking and cnoh-
inc the platforms: It subjects iau'.S
,,a disagreeable necessity OF
.,...o,,,as through the crowd. at 'he
Id almost of having their wraps
.ar, from, their persons. our men are po-
,,.a enough in offering their seaS W
ladies-none more so-Dut '"e'
amazingly inconsiderate In congresa'inS
ohout the car doors. Many ladies' see'"e
the platform OF a street-car occup'eu ~
q o,oun Of men smoking and spitt'hs'
abandon their purpose to ride rather thu''
a,temnt 10 press through such crown
once within the car, they wouiu nav
seats offered them. but the prop'e"
of,er &c how 10 reach the interior oil the
car without danger to their clothing'
M course there are occasions wheh i
e. iusnaable 70 stand upon the platform
! When the interior of the car is as Il"e'
crowd.d as IT ought to be. then one mag
cccuny q place upon the platform Wi'"o'
,,i,et,ce TO any other person. But III
nlotform ought to be kept clear uhui al
,ho etording room inside Is taken.
If there is TO be change for the pe''e
here patrons Of the street-car lines ous"
70 show a willingness TO have ehloi's
tho "move-up" rule, which preVaiS u
net other cities. The conductors on IN
other hond. should practice themseNc
&, this command until their voiees-"'
developed enough to be heard from Oh
ond 10 the other end OF croWdeu cal
Narrower. they should be instructed
,,oir eune~ior officers not to start the ca
until the command. or request or VIVA
ever YOU may call It, has been observed
The Dispatch takes pride In no'lciii
how quick the average Richmond niau
60 rise and offer his seat to lady; b'
his pollteness ought not to stop 'heI
lie ought not TO spit upon the floor
ought not TO plant himself upon the pla
form and be an obstruction 10 o'her
If he can possibly avoid it.
The reform We need here Will sure
? come when street-car patrons recogm
the evils Of which we speak. we ma
been told that conductors are not DC
f., ordering the people to move up J.
cause there are many men VINO rese
such a thing. as a personal ahront
thom No doubt there are some such me
but not many, we trust And these wo'
soon he shamed out Of their self-impo
ance If the conductors were stron1
supported by public opinion.
Il The best interests of the pubic dema
=, that ingress and egress TO and fr
- street-cars be made as easy as pos
. HE The conductors, for their part, sho'
y he polite. firm, and sufficiently ASSERT
,s and patrons, for their part, should
~ nrompt to respect the rules. and rea
70 mako reasonable concessions for
general good.