Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-05
FAULTS OF PASSENGERS
SOME DO NOT PRESS THE BELL
BUTTON SOON ENOUGH.

demanded a conductor Of a passenger on the
18th street line recently.
Because I wanted the motorman to stop
the car" responded the passenger. angrily,
and scowling at the irate faretaker. Il am
taken by this street frequently, as the mo-
tormen refuse to stop when I press the
electric button"
He didn't stop, did he?" queried the con-
ductor. as the car passed the desired cor
ner -.
|; mo. he didn't was the passengers re-
Spouse. and he alighted at the following
crossing, muttering something about the
trainmen hearing from me later
You see,i it Is this way, explained the
conductor TO Star reporter on the plat
form. There is an understood code of sig
mails by means of the bell-pull between the
conductor. and the motorman, and the latter
soon becomes so accustomed to the con-
ductor's individual way of ringing the bell
that he is not deceived into stopping by the
pulling of the bell-strap by passengers. If
you will care to note, you will observe that
when passenger pulls the ben the motor
man will in nine cases out of ten turn his
head to see who is pulling the strap. while
he seldom does SO at the conductors sig
nal.
LAS all car riders know. one pull at the
bell means to stop and two means to go
ahead, but three pulls means to stop any
where, at the crossings or between streets.
instantly. just as soon as the bell-strap is
jerked; it Is. in fact, sort Of danger sig
nal, which means to stop, and to stop
quickly and not ask questions as to why or
wherefor; 1t is something like the back at
full speed signal to the engineer from the
bridge of a steamboat, and we ring 1t often
in the instance of possible or actual acc-
dents. But the warning should be applied
only in cases of danger. The sudden appli-
cation of brakes wears the wheels and Is
likely to cause a fiat Wheel which makes a
car run with that annoying humping sound.
This mo.orman knew that did not ring
the signal so he did not stop. 1t was puile1
at a street crossing, and not in the middle
of the block and he knew it was done by
some passenger who understood the signal
who had been carried by the crossing, and
who did not want to go on to the further
crossing. Such stoppages as these how
ever. interfere with the time schedules
more or less, and the motorman will not
make them for passengers.
Didn't Ring Soon Enough.
LAS that passenger said, he had been lay
ing for this particular motorman-in all
probability the motorman had been laying
for the passenger as 1 think l can discern
the remnants of smile still playing around
the back of his neck We try the best that
our many different duties permit to obey
the beheStS of passengers as regards allght-
ing at the crossing desired; but if you will
also observe, there is certain proportion
alight only when the actual point of cross
ing is reached, and then they make plunge
at the electric button and a dive for the
door. and if the fails to stop blame it
upon the conductor or the motorman, or
usually upon both men.
Car riders should appreciate the fact
that it requires much physical exertion on
the part of the motormen to stop these big
new cars, as well as the cars with traflers
attached. even under ordinary conditions,
when a timely warning by pressing the but
ton has been given. thus enabling the mo-
torman to slacken speed gradually When
the car must be brought to a sudden and
abrupt halt, as at a three-bell pull. it makes
the strongest of EN- feel it, as the momen-
tum of crowded car, especially on. the
down grades of this any other line is
very great
When the Button Should Be Pressed.
Gould the car be stopped by electric
pressure, as elevator, it would be an
easy matter to bring 1t to a quick stand
still, but the car-riding public should re-
member that there is only flesh and blood
at the brake-arm Passengers may greatly
facilitate their exit and largely assist the
exertions of the motormen, which, repeated
time and again. all day, Is very wearing,
by being thoughtful enough to press the
convenient electric button not when the de-
sired crossing is reached. but shortly after
the next preceding is passed They will
find that the average motorman is respon-
sive to these accustomed warnings, and 1t
will be very infrequent that they will be
carried by their destination.
"On cold and windy days and nights espe-
cially, when the motormen are almost be-
numbed by the weather. it is almost a
cruelty to put it up to the motorman any
more than is absolutely necessary, and now
that the winter is here the passengers might
give a kindly. if only passing. thought to
the men who are out in front and who,
as general rule, try to do the best they can
to conserve the convenience and the safety
of the passengers intrusted to their care.
They get small pay and little thanks at
best, but 1t is not impossible, in the many
ways well known to car riders, to show at
times some slight consideration toward
these men. And the conductors? Well, we
don't expect any; but, as hard our lot is,
1t isn't as tough as that Of the man out
'front.'"