New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-23
STANDING IN OPEN CARS.

Benjamin Foster, who was knocked OIL the
running board of Brooklyn trolley car on Sun
day and killed. was victim or the ralrodo
companys habit of forcing people to stand IN
open cars. So was Adrian Ferre, who few
days before gave his seat in an Amsterdam
ave car to q woman, and while leaning against
the guard rail- was struck by a car going IN the
opposite direction. Foster, of course, had no
business on the footboard, but the company al
lowed its cars to be overcrowded TO the extent
of letting him hang there, and it doubtless ac-
cepted his fare when it could give him no other
place to ride Ferre also was careless in resting
on the rail and letting his body project outside
the car but he should not have been put in the
way of doing so. or allowed to do When the
seats are filled in the open and persons are
allowed to stand in the narrow space between
them, without secure footing and without any
hold above-not even a strap-to steady them
selves, travel is rendered excessively tiresome
and even dangerous. Every temptation is held
out TO the standing passenger TO perch On the
rail or brace himself wherever he can, not
merely for his own comfort but also for the
sake OF his fellow passengers, in whose races
his body will otherwise be swaying, and against
whom he may at any moment be violently pro-
jected. Ferre did the most natural thing in the
world when he sat on the rail after the com
pany had allowed the to be damned and
compeIled him to see woman standing and
swaying in front of him, or surrender his seat
and stow himself away where best he could.
The streetcar companies pretend that they
cannot prevent the overcrowding OF open cars
Did they ever try? The elevated railroad does
so with perfect success The iawless crowds
who it is said would mob a conductor who told
them there was no room stand like lambs on
the elevated platforms and obey the slightest
word of the guard warning them from full open
cars Sometimes few persons will crowd IN,
but the mere notice that no standing is allowed
is always sufficient to make them get OFF ana
take another car, or, if need be, another train
People will stand in open cars as long as they
are encouraged to do so by the companies
There might be some friction for the first few
DAYS in putting new rule in force and teaching
people accustomed to crowding that 1t was no
longer allowed. But after that there would be
no trouble The open cars carry many more
people seated than the closed cars, and II run
with proper frequency could accommodate the
traffic at least for the greater part OF the day
Even if it is necessary to make concessions IN
the rush hours" there is no reason why the
"no standing room rule should not be enforced
at other times, except the desire of the COM
NAMES to collect fares without giving seats.
Some of the new open cars in Brooklyn have
heen described as specially constructed to offer
large standing room space. This is shameful
II NAV he hoped that the time will come when
nublic authority will forbid standing in open
cars It is an imposition seated passengers
a hardship to- standing ones, and it is also
dangerous custom.