New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-11
CITY TRAVEL ABUSES.

Conditions Of interurban transit have beyond
doubt greatly improved in the last few years.
The reduction Of fares, the multiplication of
transfers, the substitution Of mechanical for
horse traction and the construction of larger
and more comfortable cars make it possible to
get about town more cheaply, more rapidly and
more comfortably than Of old. Nevertheless,
there are still serious evils in the system some
Of which have persisted from earlier days and
some of which have originated in these later
days Of otherwise improved conditions Some
Of them are so bad that they should be deemed
intolerable. All of them might readily be rem
edied with little expense to the companies
operating the transportation lines
One evil conspicuous at this season of the
year is that of permitting people to stand up
between the seats in open cars These cars are
pleasanter than closed ones to travel in in warm
weather.. They are also more profitable to the
companies, since they carry more passengers
than the closed cars The seats In them are
placed so close together that the knees of pas
sengers sitting on one seat almost touch the
back of the next seat in front. This makes il
awkward for people to pass in or out past
others who remain seated. 1t makes it simply
! indecent and abominable for people to stand in
front Of those who are seated The degree
of physical contact thus necessitated would
properly be deemed indecent assault if perpe-
trated elsewhere. The legs Of those who stand
literally intertwined with the legs of those
who are seated; the backs OF their bodies are
placed close TO or actually pressed against the
faces Of the latter, and the forward parts of
their bodies are constantly pressed against the
shoulders and backs of heads Of those on the
next seat in front. 1t is practice so vile that
every day of its continuance is municipal dis
grace The Board OF Health ought to suppress
Il as a fragrant outrage upon common decency
Less offensive, yet still a grievous annoyance
TO many, and a needless one. is the practice of
permitting smoking IN all parts of open cars
Formerly smoking was permitted only on the
last three or four seats of each car, where OF
course, 1t gave annoyance to those seated
forward. no matter how susceptible they We're
TO the fumes of pipe or cigar Nor did this
cause the slightest hardship TO the smokers
since the rear seats were just as comfortable rs
those in front, and in fact were generally less
crowded. 1t would be hardship to exclude
smokers from the altogether. Of course
But II is a hardship 10 many non-smokers to
have no seat of car free from smoke. If neces-
sary 10 accommodate the smokers, let the rear
half or three-fourths Of each be reserved
for them. Or let all the car save the front seat
or the front two or three seats be given up 10
them. But there should be at least seat in a
car upon which man may place his wife with
an assurance that she will have the fumes
of a black pipe a brown paper cigarette
puffed into her face.
As for the splitting nuisance. there seems 10 be
little hope of complete reform Doubtless many
individual passengers now restrained from
splitting by the signs which are displayed. But