The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-26

lay. Six of these were women. Eight
thought the gates afforded protection,
but they. admitted the delay. Seven
were non-committal, or at least would
not answer the reporters interroga
tion.
On Plymouth and Bloomington car
No. 1880, going north, eighteen wanted
the gates removed, three wanted them
retained and nine were on-committal.
The vote on First avenue S and
Twentieth avenue n car No. 1918
stood: Against gates, 27; for gates,
5; non-committal, 10. ..3f
...... A Conductor S View.
The street. car conductors who were
asked to give opinions based on their
experiences asked to be excused as a
rule, naturally enough. One said: "If
you It give my name you can say.
that the gates are a good thing in ward
ing off shyster lawyers who urge peo-
pie to bring suits whether they are hurt
thru their own fault or not. The gates
give the motoneers some extra work,
but the men want them because they
prevent accidents. Our cars are higher
than those of most other cities and not
so easy to step on and. off, too, you
must remember. It's different propo
sition to jump on an electric car than a
horse car. There IS no question that the
gates take up lot Of time-no argu-
ment to it at ALL There s lots. of stops
for single passengers that we would
not have to make, only slow down.
There s no question, either, that having
the gates makes people slow about leav-
ing their seats. Having to take fares
when people go out is another cause
for delays, but that only occurs in cases
! of big crowds. People do not want to
get hurt and most Of them would get
off and on all right, but there s some
women that will always get off back
| ward, and there would be sure to be
more accidents without the gates.'':'' . -.
! Those Of the passengers who are
quoted as non -committal were for the
most part women. They did not seem
to comprehend why T e Journa
was anxious to learn their opinion
about the gates, and when it was .ex-
planned to them, generally wanted to
know "what the others said. -.
How the Gates Cause Delay.
A man who had made run for an in
terurban car at Fourth street and Sec
ord avenue S and had the gate slammed
in his face, just as he was about tt
board the car uttered am emphatic wisf
that the gates should come off. "Tht
car WASH It even in motion when I go1
to it, he roared, and the conductor
saw me coming-to thunder 2 will
thcm.'
This man voiced general complaint
against gates, that the conductors will
not wait, but take a delight in keeping
man FROM getting on if he happen.
I to be trife late.
Il b j ourn a reporter watched th'
cars at Third street and Hennepin av
enue for half hour and saw anothe
prevalent cause for complaint. For in
stance, Eighth Avenue and Columbi;
Heights car No. 973, going west, ap
preached Third street followed quit,
slowly by Kenwood and Eighth stree
car No. SAT. Just then a Riverside. ca
went north on Third street, and causet
a delay: The gate of the 3Eighth,EAve
nue. car was opened to, let the people .!ou
before crossing Third street, 3but TIL
gate of the Kenwood car remained shu
until the Riverside avenue and ith
Eighth Avenue cars had crossed Thir.
street. At the same time three car
close together going east were delaye'
by the Riverside car and presuma bl,