The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-27
WOULD NOT BE HELD UP.
Prominent ST. Paul Citizens Ex-
IFSrience on the Street Cars.

AosfAHeht 81. Paul Citizens Elk
IESrience on the Street Cars.
To the Editor of the Globe:
Your editorial in yesterdays issue
on the methods of the street railway
company Is timely and to the point. The
lolowlng quotation therefrom is so clear
cut, incisive and true that 1 beg to
reproduce It. LAS it Is, their (the peo-
PIES wishes in the premises are a mere
secondary consideration. The pecuniary
interests of the street car corporation are
the whole thing. The park IS as good
as sub-let to that concern" And not only
IS the extortion and rapacity of the COM
pany boldly manifested in the matter to
which you refer, but In every detail of
their operations.
I wish to give three personal expert
ences I have had with this institution
within the last two or three months.
Ftrst-At Minneapolis 1 asked the
conductor for transfer tick
| ct, which he gave me. made
the change at the proper place
and time, but the new conductor refused
to accept 1t because it was not on the
right line, and demanded another fare.
I refused to pay it, and was instantly told
| that l mus do so or get off, I told
him I should do neither the one or the
other, because II there was any fault
| it was not mine He then said that If
I did not pay he would put me off
dared him to put finger upon me, and
after making sundry insulting remarks
he went about his business, and the
! street railway gang did not perpetrate a
robbery at that time.
! Second-A short time ago took a Como
! Interurban car at the Ryan hotel about
dark. 1 paid the first fare when the
! conductor called for 1t. Sometime after
wards he called for another fare, and I
| paid it. I did not at the time know
| where we were, it being dark and I was
/ engaged on an evening paper. 1t seems
! the second fare was paid before 1t was
| due, and after crossing the line a third
| fare was demanded. I explained 1 had
| already paid two fares. The conductor
! informed me that that made no differ
ence and that I must pay another fare
! after crossing the line. I refused, and
/ was instantly told he would put me off
! If | did not pay. l was very greatly
/ incensed at the time and arising 1 placed
my fist in close proximity to his nose
and informed him I would not pay an
| other fare, and he would not put me Oft
! He held his hand on the bell rope
! for a time, meanwhile making uncom-
| plimentary remarks, but finally left with
out putting me off. I am an old man,
and never was strong physically, but
| at that moment felt the strength Of
I
me I should have made jelly Of his
| countenance Just as sure as he had one.
| If I had been a woman or Weakling
| I should have been robbed in these two
| Instances SO far as money conSidera-
ton is concerned no man would be put
to such annoyance for hundred
! nickels and most people would and gen
orally do quietly submit to the thuggery
| Third-A few days ago I took car
| at Fourth and Minnesota for my home on
| the hill. intending shortly to go to Min
neapolis After being seated In the car
| I noticed on a glass In front the pam
words Merriam Park with some a6-
breviation Of letters
| It occurred TO me that being OH n Mef-
Ram Park car I might just as Well go
RI without stepping at my house. When
the car reached the tnd Of the short line
| n hacked onto tho side track. asked
! the conductor If this was not Merriam
Park car and he said it was not poflI-
| cd 10 the plaiii words on the glass, but he
! informed me that en- the eutside these
| words were painted off. Then ne told me
If I was going to Merriam PARK mus
get off. The sun was at that moment
| hlazing down with terrible ferocity, ard
told him I did not want to stand out
| there under 1t. and would ride back TO
meet the Merriam Park car. Tnen ne
! called for another fare. l told him that
under the circunns tanceS did not tnlpA
should pay another fare. Instantly l was
told in the autocratic language OF tn
gang that Il I did not pay he would put
me off. Now, in the two former cases
had no doubt I was legally right and in
NV Their frame OF mind nothing would
have suited Ine 50 well as to have had
them undertake to put me OF. But In tnis
last case, I bad some doubt about my
legal right ard told the nlinion [ would
oIkI 7 I,ntx TraITR f
doubt about their enforcing another fare
after deceiving me with the plair printed
words. and at any rate the employees OF
no other company or institution that !
have ever had anything to 90 with would
have suggested that further COMPENSATION
was due under the circumstances.
Now I profess to be man VINO would
lust as soon think of stealing from him
self as Of stealing n nickel from the street
railway company. I look upon the man
who would deliberately evade the pay
ment OF G. just nickel to the cCnpany iLS
almost as despicaOle as the gang who
runs the company. But when a man has
honestly paid his fare ard then to DC
subjected to such smuggling and abuse as
this. IS infaTr0us Eeyond comparison.
And the question Is how long shall we
submit to this demon of rapacity. A large
number of these who ride on the street
cars would much better walk when the
weather Is not inclement. The exercise
would be beneficial to their health ann
strength. They would not only be hap
pier while they live, but would live longer
for such exercise. If all such persons
would Withdraw their patronage except
when 1t is clearly to their interest to use
the cars, the autocrat would come to MS
scnses l have urged this course upon my
own family, and we will deplete their
Golfers q few dollars per ann1m at least
Every householder In this city should do
the same thing. Justice
St. Paul, Aug. %.