The sun., 1902-12-21
NEWCOMERS ~ TOWN.
Mistakes That SHOW Their Lack OF the
New Workers Trained Sense.

New Workers Trained Sense.
young woman who was crossing from
New York to Jersey City the other morning
walked into the mems side OF the ferry
boat and sat down in entire calmness.
She was good looking, prettily dressed and
looked neither stupid nor the sort OF person
to enjoy being conspicuous. yet she sal
there among the men seemingly quite uii-
conscious OF the attention she excited.
After some minutes had passed q young
man who was sitting opposite constituted
himself champion. He crossed over and
spoke to her. And her burning blush and
dismayed expression told that her blundcr
in coming into the wrong part OF the boat
had been made known to her.
The young man offered to conduct her TO
the right quarters. He gathered up her
belongings and the two crossed the wagon
way TO the women's side.
The girl was a stranger to city ways and
to New York ways. She bad been used
when going about to being accompanied
by people who relieved her Of all responsi-
bilty Of looking out for herself. So she
did not notice the signs for passengers
guidance that would readily have saved
her embarrassment.
People unused to New York make such
mistakes constantly in going about.
This will take me uptown wont it,
a young fellow on an elevated station plat
form asked airily of the ticket chopper as
he dropped his ticket in the box.
Downtown" said the guard. uptown
trains stop on the other side OF the street.
Then as the boy looked taken aback, he
added kindly, Gross the street downstairs
nod over TO the ticket man on the other
| side that you have already paid your fare
81 do that sort Of thing . dosen tin,ee a
day said the ticket chopper. The signs
uptown and downtown are in plain sight
But strangers have 80 many things to look
out for in steering their way about that the
| simple signs escape them.
1t takes time for newcomers in town
| TO learn the ways OF the surface oars.
| corner OF the street to take cars. Parties
| of sightseers stand on bleak corners and
wave and motion for the cars 10 stor
| for them, getting all vexed and irritAted
| impertirence in ignoring them, until finally
| they discover that there are unwritten
regulations which they have not complied
| with
Am ! anywhere near Eleventh street
| Vest" a woman al the corner Of Twenty
| sixth street and Madison avenue asked Of
| another woman one day.
For answer the second woman pointed
| to the street sign on the lamppost directl.
| over their heads and the stranger apollo.
| Rired for troubling her, saying that although
she knew the streets were numbered she
never thought TO look at the signs. and
| when she came 10 public square lost track
of the direction altogether
Things that are plain a. daylight 10
New Workers are confusing TO ewcomers.
| said a woman resident. When l first
| came here and went into store or theatre
| ! never knew on coming out which direc.
| ton was uptown and which down, unless
| | asked somebody or walked to the corner
| TO see the street number
| Il would take Broadway car TO 20 up
| on the West Side and find myself away up
| Lexington avenue. Then l never could
as the guard called them out and would
frequently get carried past my destination
unless asked some passengers help In the
matter.
| The New Workers. senses are trained.
| His sight and hearing are always on the
against mishap, and he will take chanoca
IN crossing the street. running directly
under the poles of vehicles and riskin9
danger when the stranger unaccuetomed
To the rush and hustle stands back and gets
irrltated AT having to wait while q long
string of vehicles worms BY"
The elevated railroad guards, motormen,
policemen, the men AT the crossings, could
all tell of peoples mistakes in city travel,
were IT not that they get 40 ured to the
frequent blunders that the incidents make
little impression on them
Women make the most blunders. partic-
ularly those houSekeepers from the u,Iiet
suburban places whose family cares prevent
Them going about much. When they come
10 town Tor days shopping or sightseeing
me unfamiliar noise and huhbub confuse
thefn and they lose their steering capacity.