Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-28
STREET RAILWAY COMMENTS
FROM THE PEOPLE
ABOUT VARIOUS ANNOYANCEs.

r of The Evening Star:

Reforms Needed.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
Permit me to thank your correspondent
* for his able presentation of the need
ed reforms in the present street railway
system. His several groupings Of the re-
ferns needed show that he has given the
subject careful study and that he keeps his
eyes open. 1 believe that his article has
the appreciation of all who have read 1t.
In addition to what he proposes 1 would
suggest that the large passenger cars be
abolished. as they are entirely too heavy
and cumbersome for street railway pur-
poses. Moreover in the large, closed cars
too much time is required for ingrcss and
egrCss of passengers. The through-car sys-
tenn, 1 think is bad one. Take the run
from Lincoln Park to Cabin John, for in
stance. and you will find in the afternoons
or evenings that the cars are filed one
after another by the time they arrive at
the Baltimore and Ohio station. After
leaving there passengers are permitted 10
stand between the seats and on the running
boards until the pleasure of those sitting is
entirely spoiled and comfort is destroyed.
1t is not only the lower classes who thus
stand up fairly in ones lap, but young per-
sons and elderly persons of both sexes, and
seemingly ladies and gentlemen. will force
themselves past those sitting and stand so
as to shut out all light and air. Not only
so. but they demand the space in front of
those sitting n matter of right, when.
as matter of fact. the sitter is clearly en-
titled 10 the air and light space in front
of his or her seat. Women apparently see
nothing immodcst in standing thus in front
OF and in close proximity to a man and
being constantly jerked into and out of his
lap or arms A bill was before Congress to
put a stop to this practice. and it would
certainly have passed but for assurances
that the practice would not be permitted
by the railway companies. The finest
street car service any city ever had was
that of the Metropolitan Company in this
city when the green cars and trailers and
the yellow cars only were employed. For
long time We had cars about two minutes
apart and very regular. which. with the old
set of polite and con.idcrate conductors
and motorInen. made riding a pleasure: but
under the present management great lum-
hering cars, large enough for steam rail
way service, cause StoDpage of travel when
ever they turn corner. and instead of q
regular time between cars they travel in
punches of from two TO n dozen or more.
practice has recently arisen OF diverting
the cars from the points to which the cards
state they are destined. For instance, you
wait at 9th and + streets for car billed
through to Lincoln Park and get on, thank
full that your weary wait is over. On
reaching the Baltimore and Ohio station
the card IS reversed and the legend
Through TO Georgetown etc, appears.
You are given a transfer and must get out
and wait for or take another car. This Is
obviously wrong and should not be per-
mitted E.
That Park on the Glen Echo Line.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
Kindly grant me the indulgence to pub
lish the following through the columns of
your very valuable paper. There has ap-
peared in the columns of The Star during
the past few days an argument between
parties signing themselves as Winston
Green" and Kari Rhider" relative to al
lowing passengers to board already crowd
ed cars returning from Cabin John Bridge
and Glen Echo at the District line. l do
most heartily coincide with the latter, and
think he voices the sentiment of the Wash
ington public, who are accustomed to TAX
ing these trips on hot summer evenings.
The picnic grounds in the neighborhood of
the District line Winston Green would
have us believe IS a strictly temperance
spot. and one to which only the most repu-
table persons can gain admission. Would
he kindly inform the public where the
crowd of cOlored people who board the cars
at the above place obtain their soda water
and other refreshments which at times
they find so hard to bring home with them?
On two successive evenings last week the
above mentioned pleasure park seemed to
have other drinks than soda water for
sale, for when the car stopped 1T was
mounted by crowd of colored people in
very hilarious condition. On Wednesday
evening Tor Thursday several intoxicated
colored women boarded the car which was
already crowded, and squeezed themselves
between two little children, who We're seat
ed several rows in front of their parents
and. much to the disgust of every one in
the car, became boisterous in the extreme
The father Of the children had the car
stopped and took them to the seat with
him. Now. If this is to continue I am sure
the people of Washington will soon be look
ing for another place to spend the summer
evenings in place Of these beautiful resorts
1t Is not my desire to dictate to the rail-
road company where they should stop their
cars or who they should let on. but why
should crowded cars stop at the District
line for passengers when they will not even
stop on some of the principal streets in the
city Whcn already filled? l. II. II.