Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-02-17
WORD FOR THE WHEELS.
Thinks Woman's Club Is Standing In
With Street Car Company.

salem, Or, Feb. 13, 1908.
Ed. Journal: After long. hard
days work yesterday I went down to
the opera house to the boosters
meeting. and was glad to see such
big crowd out, and so much inter-
est manifested in the welfare of our
town. One thing, however, to my
great surprise, was the antagonism
shown by the woman's club to the
ordinance permitting wheels on part
of the walks OF the town. I cannot
for the life of me see where there
will be any benefit derived or glory
gained by driving the wheels from
the walks. and can see where great
hardship, both physical and finan-
cial. will be engendered. beg OF
the woman's club TO Just stop and
think what this means. In many in
stances II means the giving up of po-
sitions, where the party went 10
and from work by wheel. and the dis
tance is too great to walk. Il means
anywhere from one to 200 cold
, lunches eaten six days out OF the
week, where warm dinners are now
the rule. II means long walks for
hundreds OF persons to reach the
car lines, to say nothing OF the car
fare. Taking into consideration that
Salem is scattered over a large terri
tory. and in many instances a long
tramp to the business part OF town,
or to the nearest car line, and a wait
OF 10 or 10 minutes for a car; also
that occasionally It Is raining in the
winter season. We have lived in Sa-
lem for three years, and either my
self or wife have the first time to be
inconyenienced in the slightest de.
gree by wheel riders. When we first
Travelled the streets Of Salem and
the little bells tlnkled too close at
our heels, II was somewhat startling.
but only for a few times. soon
found that the rider dreaded n coll
lision more than I did. and that II ]
was inclined TO be sulky and hog all
the walk even, he was not going to
run into me. My first impression was
that II was a great privilege. The
woman's club are enthusiastic over
a new library building. Public IL
brarles are designed more for the
working classes than otherwise, and
| will take the position that the ques-
tion. put TO vote. wheels VS.. H.
brary, that the wheels win. Car fare
six days a week. going and coming
will buy more books outright than
the average laborer finds time Il
read during the year. A large pei
cent of the male riders pay a road
poll tax. and a wheel, in most cases
Ia his only conveyance. The middle
OF the streets most all the year are
simply no good for a wheel. and II Is
on the walk or abandon the wheel
| presume the car company would
gladly donate a handsome little sum,
possibly a site for the new library to
have this ordinance repealed. Now,
Mr.. Journal Man. think this is the
sentiment OF all the wheel riders and
laboring people In this matter. and
| speak for them as body, when
beg OF you TO champion this cause
for us. and 10 show that no one Is
being imposed on or inconyenienced,
and that great good Is being daily
derived from this privilege, Make
the. ordinance strlek and the penal
~ swift and severe TO any who may
abuse IL, but do not rule the wheels
on the walk just because some nerv-
Gus wreck was out without his blind
bride on. CITIZEN.