The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-30
HTFOR THECARS
CROWDS AT WILDWOOD ON sun
DAY HAD EXCITING EX-
PERIENCES
HUNDREDS WERE DRENCHED
Break at Power House Said to Have
Been Responsible for Poor
Service-Many Left
behind.

It is safe to say that the $500 or more
people who spent the day at Wildwood.
Sunday, will inform themselves as to the
condition of the Wildwood street car
service before they again venture out to
that resort.
Wet bedraggled and hoIlow-eyed, a
Wildwood car brought into St Paul yes
terday and transferred to a car for the
Mill City, as sorry a looking crowd as
ever went picnicking. They We're the
remnants Of the many who had spent the
day at Wildwood the day previous.
Smothered profanity, which only the
prese nee of a number of bedraggled
women kept from rising in roar that
would nave compelled the suave con-
ductor and motorman to desert their
posts, left little room for doubt as to
the cause, while the hard luck stories
that dozen or more heads of families
on the ground anXiously looking for
missing hedglings. were compelled to
listen to, told the story
A scorched generator at the Wildwood
power house was the trouble, said the
car officials, but the people who YEARLY
pulled their tired forms aboard the car
for Minneapolis, said something strong
er under their breaths, which the Of
fcials prudently failed to answer.
While Mill City picnickers caught the
wood car line Sunday night, st. Paulites
were by no means in the minority and
the maledictions being heaped on the
company today in consequence are by no
means few.
The break down occurred about 8
o'clock Sunday II ght, just as the crowds
were leaving, and the rush for cars.
those who were present say, beggars
description. 1t was just at the time that
the sky took on a dark look and rain be-
gan to fall in torrents. Said one of the
picnickers in telling mis- troubles yester-
day:
Just think of it, two cars at a time,
these running only every half hour, and
about 500 people crowded on the small
depot platform and each one doing his
best to get inside. Only one car was
opened at a time, and entrance through
the gates was only secured by slugging
and tramping on those in front of you.
Women and children were given no
favors, except occasionally when some
big brawny fellow would take one under
his protection and vigorously strike out
in order to protect her from the screech-
ing crowds that tried to tread her under
foot. t>f.-
SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST.
at was a case of the survival of the
to the car did so only by force. One car
had crowded into it's confines 1872 people,
the men holding above their heads little
children in order to keep them from be-
ing crushed. Six cars in all, I think,
We're run from 10 o'clock until the time
of closing, 11:30, and those who failed
to get a car remained on the grounds
and got shelter as best they could. A
few managed to get standing room in the
Saltwater cars, but they. too, were
crowded and hundreds were left. The
trip in for those who were fortunate
enough to get car was as eventful as
when /, with hundreds of others, fought
for a car at the little platform. The
rain came through many of the windows
which had not been closed and ran in q
stream over the floor Women all over
the car were bewailing ruined dresses.
while one woman handled what at one
time had been a handsome piece of head
gear, and the next moment, in fit of
anger and with eyes trimming with
tears, tossed it out the window.
cit is my last trip to Wildwood"
While those who braVed the rush and
secured a car, knew that they were doing
so at their own risk, the greatest COM
plant comes from those left behind who
say that no provision was made to run
cars after the break was repaired, or
even TO run extra cars with the power
reduced. At Silver lake and along the
line of the road hundreds of parties were
caught in the rain, the few cars run
ming beng compelled to pass them with
out stopping, owing to their crowded
condition.
From Minneapolis also comes a COM
plant, those who managed to reach st.
Paul claiming that no cars were here to
take them through. They were COM
PEELED to spend the night in ST Paul
The street car officials lay the blame on
the power station at Wildwood. saying
that it was impossible to run their cars
otherwise owing to the lack of electricity.