The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-12-17
STREET CAR SERVICE.

Transit Company officials would do we'll 10 heed
the meaning of the resolution passed by the House oi
Delegates. Their lawyers may tell them that there is
a doubt whether the Municipal Assembly has power
10 carry out the programme outlined in the House
resolution. Perhaps the Council may decline to com
init itself 10 Z programme of doubtful powers. Blu,
the sentiment that inspired the resolutions is the sen.
tiii.ent of The public in st. Louis. The street ear
service is inadequate And the demeanor of the of
hciais Is not that OF men who have properly mea SIRED
Their relations To 4 people one of whose most inn
portant daily requirements they have undertaken To
meet.
City records show that the Transit lines caused he
tween October. 1900 and October. 1901. seventy five
deaths. Between October. 1899. and October. 1900,
there We're thir1y-six fatalities: while on the same
Lines between October. 1895. and 1899. the year
preceding. consolidation. tie fatalities wera rwen,v.
seven.
This difference lays upon the company a grave re-
sponsibiiity. True, there have been extensions. \
larger territory is served. There are more peopIe in
st Louis. But the chief cause Of the greatcr dearh
ra'e Is the higher speed of the cars: and the chief
cause OF higher speed is that there are not enough
cars TO accommodate the traffic.
NE Du font says that on some lines there are
more cars than there were before consolidation. But
he must take into account the factor above NEIL
tioned-that there have been considerable extensions
WITCH nave called for more cars. The distances arc
greater and the patrons more numerous.
Some OF the officials have stated that the companv
would put on more cars if the electric power were suf-
Acieht' ana mat the new power-hOuses will be ready
next spring. They ask the people to be patient until
Tie new power supply enables the company to put
III more cars. The people properly ask why all the
Ola power-houses of the separate lines were not re-
aiiie In use until the new ones could be built; why
hef was such a haste to concentrate all the power
possible at vandeventer and Park avenues. The only
answer which the company can make is that the OBJ
Ject was to reduce the expense Of operation. For a
poplc compelled to endure long waits, to stand in
crowded cars and to observe at times headlon- and
dangerous speed this is no answer at all.
This same public is ready to acknowledge tbat the
transit Company has made some gratifying improve
ments. The tracks have been bettered. The cars are
comfortable and commOdious to a degree in agreeable
with the cars Of most of the old constituent
Inc transfer system is a useful and money |
saving addition to the facilities. But the public knows |
that, except the transfer system, these changes have
come as a calculation of railway economies and not as |
3 GIT from the company to its patrons. They stand
ZOE improved machinery and only as an incident for
public comfort.
The manner of the officials is as Irritating as the
Of the service. They do not seem to un-
that they are as much as the Mayor of st. |
louis bound to deal frankly and openly with the |
CUBIC. They give out information grudgingly and |
'esent questions as if they were operating a piece of
private property which could be stopped or started
Without regard to the opinions or interests of in
or the public. Nothing could be more I'M
wise, lot to speak Of proper regard for the feelings
a vast body of human beings undergoing serious
inconvenience. Whatever happens to the House
the public annoyance of which it is an ex-
PRESTON is a most tangible and, sooner or later, eff
nTfivn rnfnnar NJ 1-A. ri
Tould better learn, what the steam railroads learned
t heavy cost, that an American public may be patient
'nder imperfect returns for the franchises it has
but is not patient under constant disregard of
lain and possible duties and is quickly impatient I'M
Ter the mistake Of arrogant demeanor.