The Washington times., 1908-08-06
Fourteenth Street Patrons
Planning TO Hold Meeting
and Take Action.
MRS. FRED L. RANSOM
LEADS IN MOVEMENT
Steps of New Electrics Twenty-Five
Inches From Ground-Had Her
Husband Measure EN-.

Claiming that the steps to the new
Fourteenth street cars are entirely too
high for women patrons, a number OF
the women along the line have express
ed their intention 10 hold a meeting and
petition the proper authorities unless
conditions are soon remedied. At that
time the question whether or not the
steps are inimical 10 the comfort OF
women who ride. viii be thoroughly
gone into.
Mrs. Frederick L. Ransom. OF 1850 Bel
mont street, who yesterday filed a pro-
test with the street railway commit
tee named by the Interstate Commerce
Commission, is the leader in the move
ment and has enlisted a number Of
others who want a change.
LAS 7 have ridden down town on a
number Of occasions" said Mrs. Ran
som today. II have noted struggling
women attempting to get on and OF
the cars Immediately I would ask
them II they would come 10 meeting
to be called at some future date at
which time the women might take some
action with a view to having the steps
lowered They always gladly assented-
Rs soon as they caught their breath.
Proposes to Call Meeting.
am sun kdhlllS AdlAcSs anu you
might announce that would be glad to
have all those who feel like we do
about the matter send me their ad-
dresses. If sufficient interest is evoked
] would Ike to have a meeting Of the
women patrons of the Fourteenth street
car line IN the near future"
Mrs. Ransom exhibited a tablet con-
tanning the names Of a number Of the
indignant ones, whom she SAID mounted
6nd dismounted from the new cars with
the utmost difficulty. Some Of the steps
she said. were twenty-five inches high,
and a woman with STARTS, babies. and
bundles is almost helpless.
In her complaint sent 10 Chairman
Eddy, Of the railway committee, yes
terday, Mrs. Ransom, who inclosed q
score or more names of women who
were willing to make similar state
ments. said.
I'm our family Of six all but one suffer
Inconvenience discomfort and even
danger in mounting and dismOunttng
the platforms OF these cars. It seems
desirable to put the facts before the
proper authorities rather than suffer
In silence. Some Of US have used the
Fourteenth street line before childhood.
but car riding for pleasure VIII soon
be n thing of the past at the rate steps
Increase in height. We are grateful
when one Of the older cars appear"
Steps Are Twenty-Five Inches.
Mrs. Ransom relates several instances
where she has seen elderly women fall
because the steps were so high that
they could not obtain a proper foot
ing. Her husband measured the steps,
she says. when che expressed fears for
the future safety Of the family and
found some Of them to be twenty-five
inches from the ground. the height OF
dining room chair.
Now it would not be proper to take
such steps under ordinary circum-
stances" she continues, but the wo-
men zone half of the population are
now forced TO do this in public on the
street cars at the risk Of their lives.
Only the people who do not ride with
children and are skirt free, are safe.
Such were the makers Of the cars, hence
the trouble Of the women who ride. a
man has both hands TO Pull up by, q
woman only one, on account of her
skirts"
Mrs. Y. D. stockbridge. Of 2543 Thir-
teenth street. whom Mrs. Ransom says
she heard eXclaiming and grooming one
day while getting on one of the high
cars, said:
Another Woman Complains.
''Yes, I told Mrs. Ransom 7 was will
ing to help in any way possible 20 get
a change. There IS nothing to be said
in favor of these abominable steps.
Each time I ride 7 must kneeI upon
the step and then pull up to the next.
Ny husband who is old. has similar
trouble. A woman breads the ride and
I believe almost every woman who uses
the new high-step Fourteenth street line /
viii be ready to sign a protest I am.
and viii attend q meeting or do any
thing else to help the cause"
1T IS positively dangerous for anV
woman to ct on and on these cars"
said Mrs. William Haines. Of the Sher-
man apartments today. It don't think
you can find a woman along the line
who has not voiced Individual discOm-
fort and annoyance when patrOniZing
the new cars"
She Felt Awkward.
'''The high steps have been a constant
source Of Inconvenience to me ever
since the cars were put on" said Mrs.
Louise L1eutaud. Of 1872 COrcoran street.
II have never mounted them without
feeling awkward and uncomfortable 1
have heard numbers of other women
say the same thing
Mrs Stockbride says that when a |
relative was hurt some time ago she
interviewed President Hamilton who
told her that various plans had been
considered, but abandoned as frnnra ctf- /
step plan. but said the public would
object Just as strenuously to that The
other side OF the question is whether
the women would prefer temporary in |
convenience when mounting and ele-
giant new cars or easy mounting and
old cars. This is the question to be
threshed out IL action is taken. Chair
man Eddy said that the complaint in
regard 10 the high steps would come be-
fore the committee within a short time.