The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-11
DO SOMETHING, on STEP ASIDE.

DO SOMETHING, OR STEP AshDEs
 The Advertiser. believing that the To- cal officers were doing their best under adverse conditions and hoping that these officers would be authorized to effect insistent and needed reforms. has refrained from criticising the poor and inefficient service of the Montgomery Traction Company. To one more or less familiar with the officers of the company, 1t looked like hitting man when he was down. to tell the simple truth about the street car service of Montgomery.
 But there is a higher consideration than sympathy for the officers or the company. That consideration is the rights of the people of the city. The people of Montgomery have a right to better service than they are getting. The city of Montgomery has the right to say that its growth shall not be halted by what Is probably the poorest street car service in Alabama, If not In the South.
 The Traction Company is rendering the poorest service of any public serv- ice corporation of the city. The con trast between the efficient service giv- en the public by. other corporations de- pending upon public patronage, and that offered by the Traction Company, Is so great that 1t calls for no com ment. The company's track on Dexter avenue is a disgrace. not only to the company. but to the city. Much of the rolling stock is shaclxiy and dilapidat- ed. The passage of some of these cars can be heard, with ease half a mile away. Why they are not shaken en- tirely to pieces on the old rough anl knotty track on Dexter avenue is a mystery.
 :. The accident Monday was but an in- cident. With such an equipment ac- cidents of some kind must be expected. Serious accidents, due to the defective equipment, have been narrowly avert ed. The Company in this particular, cannot expect to be fortunate all the time.
 The Company's serivce has for years Jagged behind the growth of the city. Each year the situation grows more acute The rapid development of sev- eral splendid suburbs of Montgomery has drawn anew the criticism of the public. to the fact that the poor car service is a detriment to the city's de- velopnent. The service has. in fact. 'hampered the. growth and development of these suburbs. The car system in it's spresent condition, gives the visitors to the city their first and only unfavorable impression of Aiabama's Capital City.
 The people have been patient. under with silence the inadequacies of a street car service that Is ten years behind the growth and prosperity of Montgomery.
 The city of Montgomery has one pa- ramount rIght--one paramount interest in the present unfortunate condition and that is the right to car service adequate for it's people. It has the right to demand this. If the present street. ear company. under existing con- ditlons, cannot furnish 1t, let It step out of the way and stop blocking the city's progress. Let somebody or some oth- CT company try 1t.
 Nobody wants the company to lose its investment and there is no need for any sacrifice or loss. If the job of rendering an efficient service is too big for the company there are others who are willing to undertake it. and the property of the company will not have to be ,eonhscated.
 r. Montgomery must have an adequate service. The time for action has come.