The morning journal-courier., 1908-12-02
THE TOXIC TROLLEY
The Street Car Presents an In teresting Problem as Com
 pared With Jinrikisha,
THE LATTER IS TOO SLOW
Nobody Regrets the Delays When inc Electric System Gives
 Out.

Out.
 TO understand what street cars mean to a place like Tokio one needs to keep in mind that the capital city of Japan covers territory that IS said to be as large as that of London and has a population of about 2,000, 000, If you are at all dIsconcerted by tho number of miles as compared to the number of people your mind may be set at ease by the reflection that TCSio consists for the most part of onc-story and two-story houses 10 Che top of the first story of which you can often reach with your out stretched hand-so that by tho neces sity of the ease 1t requires great deal of room to store away A small number of people, says the Chicago News.
 If you are q stranger in Tokio, to whom the Japanese spoken language is unknown and the ideaograph signs on the ears are a mystery, and if you are dependent on your ilnrikIsha men properly Instructed by those who speak tho vernaenar. 10 go about, you will realize the magnificent dis tances of the island metropolis Your iinrilSlsha man will trot and trot until you wonder how strength can be left in his nmble legs and breath In his body, but you will seemingly be no nearer your destination than when yo started.
 After a while, your time being llm- | ited. you will hit on the expcdient of i having your directions written out for you in Japanese. These you will hand 10 the conductor of the trolley car and he will be as particular about putting you off at the right point as you arc afraid that he won't. Then, your car fare being about one-twenti- l eth of that of 2 linrIkisha and your saving in time very great you will be- | gin to appreciate what the intruduc- tlon of trolley ears meant to the peo- pie of Toldo.
 T. Isn't as picturesque a method of l locomotiou, by any manner or means. It's a little hard on the iinriliisha men, who naturally don't like 1t, since 1t throws them out of jobs It cuts down the charm of Toklo, allying It. self with the ugly European buildings and the stores in the modern style. still, you recognize and are rather grateful for the advance it marks in
 the life and convenience of the people
 Evidently the Japanese appreciate its
 advantages, for daily 100000 fares
 are collected on the 75O cars which rhn through the various parts of the
 city.
 There are foreigners who will tel
 yon, perhaps, in the cpndescendine
 and mockne spirit toward the Jap.
 anese which distinguishes them. thai
 the Japanese always will choose the
 longest way around in going bctWeer any two given points, using every possible transfer in order to get thei1
 moneys worth, If this be true it |
 little hard on the street car com | pany, but it goes 10 show that, dcspt, , all modern time-saving inbntons
 the commoudable spirit of leisure stil
 obtains in the orient
 If there is an accident or if tn,
 electric current leaves the wire, whicl
 seems to happen with strange reeu { larity every other hour or so. and tn { ears pile up for blocks around as ia
 as you can aee, nobody regrets the do
 lay very much. All inc male pas
 sengers if need be- are ready to glv g the aliEht conductor q helping hand 70 Being foreigner. and therefore, 1t 1 |, to be taken for granted, in 9 hurry S you will have to fall back, after all ! on one of the jinrikIshas, which ar y 10 be found at every corner, Whil \ you may inyegh against their com Q parative sloWness, you will highl l commend their sureness,
 5 If you are that rare and strang
 bird, a foreigner and not in q hurry Q and if you can possess your soul | - patience, you will find more than am s pie compensation for the delay in tn - opportunity given for a study of you - fellow passengers. There, beside vol n are the coolies in their neat uniform - of blue cotton, with the names of thei - guilds worked in large white letter f on the backs of their coats Ther are old men and women, carrying cd f little medicine boxes, from whic e they carefully abstract pills and the y slip them back in inc sleeves of thei - llim0nos These ancient ones hay
 seen many changes como over tn r face of Japan They were here lon O before the trolley, and perhaps the e regret the good old times when wall O ing was even cheaper than a two-cef e carfarc. There are groups of schoo |" girls, frequent patrons of the ear h dressed in kimonos and divided sllir k of scarlet, their books and paper
 tucked away in neat rcd bags, laugl
 Ing, chattering and, very likely nal 1t ing fun of your own odd appearance e And
 .- But your observations will bo inte Q rupted bt the inevitable young sch, n lar with his English book, anxious D. make hay while the car is off the tro ,- ley and improve his English by col
 yerslng with you