The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-11-29
THE CROWDED CAR NUISANCE
Complaint Is General and Conditions Seem to
Warrant All That Has Been Said.

Patience not on a monument but cling
ing to a swaying strap
In any Minneapolis street car the de-
sirability Of the monument as against the
strap becomes plainly apparent. Also the
greater forbearance of the patience that
submits to the strap is strongly accen-
tuated.
For months the people of Minneapolis
have quietly accepted street car conditions
which entailed discomfort, inconvenience,
delays and in some cases positive physical
suffering. Here and there there have
been mutterings in regard to the crowded
cars, in some cases there have been neigh
borhood meetings, and also in some cases
there has been some remedial action on
the part OF the company. But for the
most part the mutterings have been in
dividual and the improvement of the serv-
ice has been inadequate.
On a majority of the Minneapolis street
car lines it is safe to say that during Ger
tain hours the service given fails to pro-
vide adequate accommodation for from 20
to so per cent Of the traffic. This is not
guess work. Careful observations have
been made and in some cars it has been
found that there are practically as many
passengers on the straps as there are in
the seats. For a smaller number of people
the present service might be excellent. AS
it is, the Twin City Rapid Transit COM
pany seems to be endangering its we'll
known reputation for being considerate of
its patrons and up to date in it's methods.
Complaint 81 General.
Residents of the Eighth ward who.
through their aldermen, have voiced a
formal protest against the crowded condi-
tion of street cars during the rush hours
Of travel, are not alone in their griev-
ance against the Twin City Rapid Transit
management. There is not a line in the
city on which an adequate service is
maintained either during the early morn
ing hours or during the evening rush.
On most lines the cars leaving downtown
p. m. carry as many passengers standing
as sitting.
The reason for this is easy of explana-
tion; the excuse for its being permitted
is more difficult
For the past few years Twin City Rapid
Transit stock has climbed steadily until
now it is above par. It's earnings have
grown and its dividends have increased.
where eight years ago there were no
dividends. These dividends are paid by
strap holders by men and women who
pay the company's conductor a nickel for
the privilege of being pushed, jammed and
crowded into space designed originally
to accommodate only a fraction of their
number; who pay a nickel for the privi-
lege Of being called upon to ''step up in
front and to "crowd up in the aisle,
please" until cars that have a seating ca
pacity of about fifty are loaded down with
twice that number.
Not Only at Evening.
Moreover, on many lines this condition
exists not only during the evening rush.
when more or less crowding is unavoid-
able even by the best management. but
also at noon and in the morning Natur-
ally fewer cars mean less expense to
the company, and as the people must get
to their homes they crowd into the cars
supplied and seem to take malicious de-
light in tramping on the feet Of their fell
low unfortunates, a proceeding which is