The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-18
SERVICE POOR.
City Railway Makes Poor Effort
at Handling Crowds.
Five Thousand People Seek
SeclusiOn of YineWo0d.
TANNED IN THE CARS.
Suffered Much Discomfort Going
and Coming From Park.
Many Late Pilgrims Compelled
to Walk Home.
TANNED IN THE CARS.

A look advantage OF the nVe
cent fare to Vinewood park
Friday and it is probable that
more than that number were
at the park during the day.
There was more than the usual trouble
in handling the crowd and nearly every
one who made the trip to the park
complained of the service.
The crowd began going out early in
the morning and all day the traffic was
fairly heavy. At seven o'clock in the
evening the traffic on Eighth and Kan
sas avenues was impeded by the crowd
Of people who stood waiting their turn.
There was another crowd, though not
so large, at the corner of Seventh street
and Kansas avenue and they remained
later than did the one at the corner of
Eighth avenue as the cars were filed
at the first stopping place and most of
them did not stop at Seventh street.
The trailer on the train which left
the transfer station at nine O'Clock car
ried seyenty-two passengers though
there are seats in the car to accommo-
date but forty-eight and the remainder
crowded the aisles and platforms.
There was a shortage of cars and the
handling Of such crowd as the one
which visited the park may have been
impossible but it was poorly managed.
There was a much larger crowd at the
Grocers' and Butchers picnic and it
was handled in good shape when a
comparison IS made with the manage
ment of the hauling last night.
The crowd BEGAN to leave the park
at eight o'clock and the cars were
crowded from then until midnight
people standing in the aisles and plat
forms In their endeavor to reach the
city in something like reasonabl bed
time
The entrance to the park where it
was necessary to stand to get a chance
to board the trains bound for the city
f71d
ering lot Of people, many of whom
stood for an hour before they were able
to get on a car and get a chance to get
to the city even though they were will
ing to stand in the aisles.
At the park all of the walks and
room about the attractions were taken
by the mass of people who sought re-
lief from the heat by getting into the
country There were more people in
the park from seven until eleven
o'clock than there have ever been at
any one time before with the exception
of holidays or on special occasions.
On Thursday the figure eight sold
less than ten dollars worth of tickets
when they were sold at ten cents each.
Last night when the price was cut
to five cents, over one hundred dollars
was taken in by II O'Clock and there
was a crowd standing in line waiting
for their turn to ride. 'ETale's Tours
carried over fifteen hundred people
and on other week days less than one
tenth of that number of people visit
this attraction.
It is said that one of the officials
made the remark that the company
would much rather carry the crowds
to Garfield park for five cents than to
Vinewood for ten cents, even though
they are interested in the park.
Many OF the people who left the
park late were compelled to walk from
the transfer station to their homes or
hang on the straps in over crowded
cars. The asylum car which went out
West Sixth avenue. a little before mid
night. had something over eighty pas
sengers, though 1t will not seat over
half that number. as 1t was one of the
smaller cars OF the company
It was so crowded that the gates
could not be closed and the conduc-
tor in charge finally stopped the car
and announced that he would not start
It again until some Of the crowd got
off so that the gates could be closed.
A string OF perhaps one hundred peo-
pie walked out West Sixth avenue
about midnight because they were un-
able to get cars, their transfers of
course being useless. Among them
were two women with little children
who had hoped to get relief from the
oppressive heat.
The ride to Vinewood park Is not a
long one when compared with the
trips on street car lines in other cities
and in Kansas City most of the parks
are further removed from the center
of the business district than Is Vine
wood
The people of Topeka ask for bet
ter service and they must have it. The
company did not seem prepared for
the rush last night.