Evening star., 1901-04-10
Some Human Nuisances.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:

10 tne tdlior OF Inc Evening sthrs
Much has been said and written about
the ''end-seat hog" OF Washington, as
though he were peculiar to this city. where
as he is found wherever the cars have
seats extending across them. He Is the
product Of two factors, selfish regard 10
his own personal convenience and a desire
to have persons of the opposite sex climb
over him in taking or leaving the car.
Sometimes let il be said modestly but
firmly, the porcine specimen referred to
above is a female. though the distinguish
ing characteristics are the same in either
sex. The Metropolitan RailWa. Company
have done away with the nuisance to a
large extent by introducing the new cars.
in which each seat will hold but two per-
sons The first one in is alway glad to get
the seat next the window so as to escape
the danger of slipping off into the aisle
while rounding the square corners so COM
mon to that line. But the hog isn't in It
with the idiot who manipulates the swing
doors in public buildings to the great an
noyance of persons who follow him in or
out of those buildings. He pushes the door
open, steps through and then. without taxi
ing any notice of those behind him. lets
the door come back with a force sufficient
to knock one down unless on guard. Sew
eral times during the winter the writer mar
rowly escaped serious injury by the doors
of one of the public buildings of the city.
Let it be said to the credit OF the ladies,
who pass in and out so frequently, that
they uniformly exercise great care to see
that persons following are prepared to hold
the doors when they let go of them.
Ir~some cases thoughtlessness is at the
bottom of the practice, but in most cases
absolute disregard OF other peoples
safety prompts the act. 1t would seem that
any person who has the slightest regard
for the rights of others would take suit
able care to prevent possible injury TO
them and would simply hold the door until
the one following had control OF il. But
both of these nuisances pale into absolute
insgnificance before the sidewalk splitter.
who is at his best or worst, in Washington
He goes up and down the streets expec-
torating to the right ana to the left and In
front of him without the slightest regard
for the common decency which should and
does forbid such flthiness. Pennsylvania
avenue is the true home Of the splitter, ana
the north sidewalk of that beautiful street,
from the National Hotel to the Capitol, 10
frequently so filthy as to be unfit for
public promenade. 1t is to be expected
that certain classes will thus defile the
walks, as they have no possible regard for
decency in public or In private. The writer
has often been surprised at seeing prom
inent citizens taking part in this abom-
Unable business. A few days ago three
young men stood at the entrance to q
store in the Metropolitan block and Wed
with each other in seeing which could eject
the largest amount Of spitue on the walk
in front Of them.
They probably knew no better and are
doubtless accustomed to making the car
pet or floor at home answer the purposes
of a cuspidor. Not long since a handsome.
richly-dressed young woman walked up the
avenue. Her dress was carried in the
twentieth century fashion, displaying @
portion of an embroidered white skirt just
long enough to drag nicely on the walk
behind her. The skirt was snow white ex-
cept a few inches of the bottom part.
which had served as a street sweeper until
1t was filthy beyond description. While all
who saw her were either smiling or ex-
pressing their disgust In vigorous terms.
she walked on serenely unconscious Of OBJ
servation. She was only one of a great
number of ladies who drag their skirts
through the filth every time they pass I'D
or down that avenue. How any refined
woman can endure the wearing OF such O
filthy garment Is hard to understand OF
many ladies let 1t here be said that they
so carry their skirts as to save them from
such soiling. This practice of splitting on
the walks can be stopped by the authorf-
ties Let there be an ordinance passed for
bidding 1t, and let the police be instructed
to rigtdly enforce II, and it will be stopped.
Washington is beautiful city and tts
streets are the pride Of it's citizens Nov
let the people who love clean streets de-
mand Of the authorities an anti-spittine
ordinance and its rigid enforcement. A
fine or two imposed upon the persons
guilty OF dfsobedience would soon end the
practice. OBSERVER