New-York tribune., 1901-09-01


a student Of mankind TO one Of the doormen at
the Long Island City station Of the Long Island
Railroad.
The doorman looked a trihe puzzled. Perhaps
4 was the first he had heard of environment and
its effect.
Hundreds OF commuters from different parts
,f the island pass through your hands every
day" continued the student. You have Won
aerful opportunity"
At the mention OF commuters the doorman's
face frightened He knew what commuters
were. He had the faces Of hundreds of them In
his mind and kept them there, that they might
lie spared the daily trouble of showing their
Communication tickets they passed through the
gate.
Commuters" he exclaimed. ''co'muters are all
alike. They're just comuters."
You're wrong George" said the depot mas
ter. who happened 10 be listening. There is a
difference. decided difference between COM
Inuters."
And so there IS. Long Island commuters can
be divided into three distinct classes. geograph-
zeal classes. If you please. The man whose home
is on the south shore Of the island is decidedly
different person from the who has cottage
on Long Island Sound The individual who lives
in the centre OF the island. and has his garden
plot is different from either Of the others
A man whose hobby it is TO study the other
men IN the world, and some Of the women. says
il is all matter OF environment. He knows
that surroundings have much 10 do with the
moulding OF a mans disposition. his character
his fashion OF dress his conversation. even. in
deed. his habit Of smoking He says to those
who are inclined TO scoff at his deductions:
Travel for a week or two among commuters
on the different railroads which connect New
York with the many suburban towns. and you
IN demand
further proof study the commuters the diff
ferent branches OF a single road-the Long ISL
and. for instance Keep close watch and open
your ears. There is no lack Of evidence"
There was a time and II was not so very long
ago either, when all stories about commuters
came from New-Jersey. and all facts regarding
the species were collected there. Now Long ISL
and has become the home Of thousands Of the
class who ride TO the city for business every
morning and ride home again at night. tickets
which are punched like meal tickets. In the
summer months, indeed, there are almost
many commuters carried the Long Island
Railroad as on any one Of the Jersey short
lines The number of real commuters. those who
live in the country every month in the year, is
rapidly growing and viii continue TO grow, for
years as there many square miles OF terri
tory yet TO be built up on Long Island.
Practically all Of the Long Island commuters
live within thirty miles OF the East River ferry
terminals. Most Of them are not than
twenty miles away. Oyster Bay, Babylon
HcksviIe and Hampstead the towns which
the frontier of the committing district
But there of committing towns be-
tween these points and Jamaica.
The line which has had the heaviest burden Of
commuters this year is that which runs 10
Rockaway across Jamaica Bay. II takes sew
eral long trains to carry the monthly ticket
holders. most Of whom living in the country
for the summer only. and viii return to the city
in October. Even the summer commuters how
ever have peculiar traits which due TO their
environment.
In whatever of these long trains one may
happen to be riding. il is noticeable that the
passengers talk in a louder than the ordinary
tone Of voice. Ask the conductor what the rea-
son is. and he will say:
I'VE have cross three miles of trestle every
trip. and the passengers talk loud TO make
themselves heard. They soon form the habit
and q stranger would think they worked in a
boiler factory had many relatives who
deaf
Almost before he is through with the explana-
ticn the train strikes the long trestle across
Jamaica Bay and the wheels begin their
clatter The loud tones which CRATE ones
in the comparative quiet OF a solid roadbed,
now sound low and natural
What did you say" howied one passenger to
his seat mate.
The man mumbled something other.
"Oh. write il out, write it out. 1 can't hear
you" said the comrnuter to whom the remark
was addressed He conveyed his meaning by
mCtioning with his finger. and the other man
took out pad and wrote.
The men in the car nearly all OF the type
peculiar TO the south shore OF the island. They
are prosperous looking. and they sunburned
the kind OF sunburn that comes from lying
on the sand after ones face has been irritated
By diving through the breakers. There are few
women commuters this train. but the few
arc sunburned like the men. These commuters
seldom carry bundles. for the city stores keep
up a delivery service in the prosperous towns
along the beach. Many Of them live in hotels
and have no need Of making personal importa-
tions from the city.
The first stop Of interest IS Arverne, fifteen
miles out and just beyond Jamaica Bay. Women
are planted along the track for a considerable
distance below the station. They are smiling
and expectant. The train pulls up slowly and
the commuters begin TO jump off. The stranger
wonders II the women are there &c serve as
signboards. for almost every man strikes the
ground a creature in skirts.
II these playing signboards they
are remarkably active ones. The men no s--aer
reach the ground than they are embraced and
embrace I'm return. Then come kisses which i'm
many cases can be heard above the scrape OF
the brakes upon the car wheels Some one has
likened IL to the rattle Of a rapid fire gun work
ing at half speed At the station where the
women are lined up by the score. the kissing
explosions are mingled into which is not