New-York tribune., 1900-04-27


new, clean and comfortable stages running on
various routes at a fair rate of speed Will be
agreeable to a multitude of citizens Of New
York, and especially to women Of moderate
means and refined feelings, TO whom the neces-
sity Of using the streetcars Is distressing IL Is
absurd to say that it Is foolish pride or vanity
which makes those cOnveyances offensive 10
many persons. The characteristics by which
they excite just complaint, or. If not just
complaint. natural aversion, are the crowd
ing, the contact with uncean and unman-
nerly persons the consequent injury to
clothing. and the half excusable tyranny Of con-
ductOTs who have more to do than they can do
properly. The growth of the city and the far
greater artificial growth Of traffic caused by
the multiplication Of facilities for riding rapidly
for single fare all over town have inevitably
made the use of streetcars n source of physical
and mental torture to a great number of per-
sons who are compelled to use them. 1t Is, we
suppose, by the patronage of such persons that
the BUSINESS Of the old Fifth Avenue Stage Line
has been kept alive. or dead and alive, all these
years At intervals when they have had ample
time at their disposal and a destination not too
remote from the avenue. they have found the
decrepit vehicles which traverse it at a snairs
pace once In a while blessed refuge from mis-
cries which they are too often compelled to en-
dure. If the managers OF the reorganized COM
pany-''the nheritors OF unfnlflled renOwn'-
keep the cheerful promises which they are sup
posed to be making 1t Is pretty safe to predict
that they will secure satisfactory number OF
supporters who will not care a rap whether they
have possessed themselves of an odlous monop
oily or not.
The first spokesmen for the company say that
they intend to exercise their right OF charging
ton pts a ri1 for ha at lpoS
cause a careful consideration of the problem
they have attacked and some experimental oper
ations have shown that the business cannot be
conducted on five-cent basis, though they will
probably give transfers to their Metropolitan
trolley lines. Well. ten-cent fare does seem
like going back TO a primitive period in the
transportation industry, but we are not pre-
pared to say that it will not be hailed by
large proportion of those for whose patronage
the company will bid as welcome means Of
deliverance from evils which thus far they have
sought in vain to escape In the days when the
immortal "trip slips of divers colors Of the old
Fourth-ave. line were punched In the presence
of the passengaire' the extra price which di-
verted certain classes of traffic to other routes
caused no complaint but much contentment on
the part of those to whom it preserved cond-
tions Of decPncy and comfort
One thing we sincerely hope the Fifth Avenue
company viii do when il gets its ten-cent
automobile stages running. seat for fare
ought TO be its motto. 1t has long been doubted
whether that rule could be enforced on streetcar
lines without producing. If not state of riot
more i'll will. at least. than satisfaction. 1t sp
pears to us that the new enterprise will start
under conditions extremely favorable TO the
cess Of such an innovation, and that the expert
ment ought to be undertaken with a firm pur-
pose to make it successful.