New-York tribune., 1901-06-02
CAR CR0WDING PROBLEM
WIDESPREAD EXISTENCE OF
THE EVIL IN GREAT CITIES.
SUGGESTION OF BOSTON PLAN OF HAv.
ING SEATS OF OPEN CARS
CLOSER TOGETHER. "a

The practice of overcrowding the open street.
cars in this city has become such a nuisance that
the complaints of travellers are heard constant
Iy. Most of the complaints directed against
the railway companies, the ground that IL the
companies ran more cars there would be no need
for overcrOwding any OF them. The persons who
do the most complaining those who have
seats in the and made uncomfortable
by the others who crowd in and stand I'D be-
tween the seats. Women frequently the
great~st sufferers on the cars. Their dresses
are often torn or soiled by unmannerly men, who
force their way between the seats Of the cars
and sway about every time the starts sud-
denly There many men boorish enough to
stand in front of women and children in the
crowded cars and continue smoking, dropping
ashes and sparks from cigars or cigarettes oc-
casionally on the clothing Of the helpless pas
sengers behind them.
The Municipal Assembly Is considering pro-
posed ordinance to prevent the overcrowding Of
cars The ordinance would place upon con-
dUctors Of the cars the duty of keeping addi-
tionaI passengers off the cars when all the seats
are occupied. H. H. VreeIand, the president OF
the Metropolitan Street Railway Company. has
declared that his conductors would be mobbed
if they tried to eject passengers who want to
ride standing He has been reminded that the
conductors are not mobbed when they turn
seated people out Of cars and make them walk
to cars which already crowded whenever
the company wants to turn back on the
line. He has been reminded also. that the
conductors and mOtormen have no difficulty in
keeping passengers from riding the front
platforms of the cars. even when the cars are
crowded.
Many New-Yorkers have declared that an or
dinance to prevent standing between the seats
of the open cars would result in the running Of
a sufficient number of cars to accommodate the
travelling public and give seats for all who
want to ride. The company it is declared.
would not want TO lose fares. and would use
all the cars needed. Some New-Yorkers have
offered suggestions for abating the overcrOwd-
ing nuisance by constructing the open cars so
that nobody can stand between the seats One
writer Of a letter to The Tribune makes the
suggestion in the following way;
The solution of the problem of preventing pas
sengers from standing In open lies in the
construction OF the cars. In Boston the seats
close together that. while allowing for
the ingress and egress Of passengers II is impOs-
Sible for Of passengers TO stand in front
Of those seated In this city the cars are ap-
parently constructed especially with a view
this; the distance between the seats being much
in excess of what would otherwise be required.
passage in or out OF the car, as they are useds
for with passengers standing up II is necessary
for most Of them To get out upon the step TO
allow one sitting at the interior of the seat to
get out. A car constructed with the seats at the
same distance apart as in Boston. would accom-
modate more passengers seated than do the
present ones. but not many at present, In
Guiding those who stand.
Mr. VreeIand has done much IN the dfrec-
tiOn OF improving the service of the roads and
accommodating the public that it is surprising
difficulty has not heretofore occurred-or been
suggested-to him.