The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-29
GRAFT ON CITY CAR LINES.
Freight Traffic That Subways and Sur
face Lines Must Bear.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
Getting about town is hard enough with
every condition favorable. Its hardships
are greatly increased by the difficulties
that so many travellers try to throw In
the way of their fellow men. It is done,
of course, to save money
Take the case of the two girls from the
upper West Side They are going to
party in Mount Vernon. In the old days
they would have taken the train at One
Hundred and Twenty-fifth street. It's
easier now, however, to get on the ex-
press and go down to the Grand Central.
So they pack the two suit cases and set
out. A suit case, so long as it was the
property of man. was clumsy enough.
Now, in the hands of a woman, 1t is
twice as deadly 1t can trip up more
men and leave its mark on more shins
than ever seemed possible.
Mamie and Emma take the two side
seats in car, and on each side of the
marrow passageway suit case is deposit
ed. Mamie and Emma serenely see the car
fill up. They watch the crowding passen-
gers stumble over the bags. They hear
women protest and men swear, but they
are never disturbed.
Such nuisances on the subway are only
types of a class. Just as disturbing to the
nerves of overweight New Workers.. al
ways in a hurry, was an incident at the
Grand Central station yesterday after
noon. When the express pulled in the local
was already at the station. Passengers
In the last car of the express wanted
to run across the platform when the doors
opened.
The guard threw back the gate and the
there was a delay. On the front platform
of the car were two wooden boxes about
two feet square. Two passengers at Four
tenth street had put them there. The
two men lifted out the first box and then
the second. They did 1t as quickly as
they could but the boxes were so heavy
that the gates of the local train were
closed before 1t was possible to alight
from the express train.
There was much suppressed profanity
from some of the men and a great deal
that was frankly spoken. There would
have been more If all the passengers who
missed the train had known that the
two boxes contained porcelain tiles intend
ed for a new hotel. The managers could,
of course, have delivered the goods in
a wagon, but it only cost 10 cents on
the subway.
you can't get on this car, little GIRL
the conductor said sympathetically. Its
too crowded. You'll have to wait for the
next one"
She was a pale, tired looking slip of
child. almost hidden behind a package of
five boxes she carried. Each bore the
name "Maison Beatrice" which was as
good as an affidavit that the contents of
each box were worth at least $50 The
tiny messenger delivering $500 worth of
goods was sent out in this way because 1t
cost only cents to the firm. 1t was
the same spirit Of economy that sent the
little girls from the dressmakers TO de-
liver their goods from the Fifth avenue
stages. Goods that cost $400 were carried
by little girls getting SO a week in a stage
at an expense of 10 cents. This has re-
centlyl been stopped by the manager of
the line.
The other morning shortly after 9
o'clock, when the Broadway cars were full
up to the last square inch, a porter bear
ing on his cap the name of a large hotel
was helped on to the car by an assistant
from the same hostelry. Between them
they placed on the platform a leather hat
box, dress suit case. shirt box, two hand
bags and bunch of canes and umbrellas.
When the back platform was so crowded
that 1t could hold no more the front plat
form was called into requisition. The
space allotted to four passengers was oc-
cupied by this luggage. but there was no
protest beyond the refusal to let all the
luggage be piled on the back platform.
The sympathy of the conductor with the
man who must work often accounts for
the strange excess luggage that passen-
gers are sometimes allowed to carry It
must have been a large hearted con-
ductor who allowed painter on the FIJI
ty-ninth street car to carry his ladder
on the back platform. These cars are
always crowded at night. tits difficult
even to find standing room; but on the
rear platform were three buckets filled
with clothes. brushes and the usual para
phernalia of painter. The painter him
self stood close against the railing of the
car with each arm around ladder, so
long that it could not be kept under the
roof
And he had all this accommodation for
cents.