The Washington herald., 1909-03-19
Cases to Be Taken Into the
Police Court.
OVERCOMING OF THE CARS
Many Protests Against "Pay-as-yOu-
enter Cars-One Letter Defends
Companies, and Writer Declares
He Is Tired of Listening 20 Pro-
tests-Transfers on Transfers.

promulgated under the Interstate Com
merce Commission act OF May ., 1905.
Will be started within a few days. Sec
rotary Eddy. Of the District electric rail-
way commission. has received instruc-
tons to take cases into the Police Court
without further delay.
1t Is understood that five or six cases
will be prosecuted. pertaining, in the
main, to the condition Of equipment on
the lines. The act provides that all
equipment. such as brakes. tenders, bells,
wheels. lights. doors. and other para
phernalia shall be kept In good order.
This part Of the act is alleged 10 have
been violated.
Letters Referred.
A letter was read at the meeting of
the District electric railway commits
sion yesterday. from District Attorney
Daniel W. Baker. saying that papers
referred 10 him for an opinion as 10 the
possibility of prosecution Of the railway
companies for violation OF the rules OF
the commission had been referred 10 the
Department Of Justice for an opinion.
The letter was addressed 10 Commissioner
West. who presided as chairman OF the
commission
Overcrowding Of cars will not be agi-
tated until after the next meeting. not
withstandlng the many complaints re-
ceived daily by Secretary Eddy.
OF the complaints read before the COM
mission yesterday the majority were pro-
tests against the use OF the new ''pay-as-
you-enter" cars. In nearly every case
exception was taken to the seating ar
rangement Of the new cars and the means
/ Of entrance and exit
Defends Companies.
! Unique among the collection Of protests
was one lengthy letter defending the trae-
ton companies and ending with a deela-
ration that the writer rs tired OF rs
tenlrg to the knocking OF a class OF peo-
pie who have an automobile appetite and
a street car income"
| The writer declares himself regular
patron OF the Fourteenth street cars Of
the Capital Traction Company and can
speak intelligently on the subject He
/ says in part
The cars are by no means perfect but
| apparently the only real cause OF com
plant is that the vast majority OF the
/ people who use them are either too lazy.
too stupid, or too selfish 70 move 10 the
/ forward end Of the car when they first
get on. even after the conductor has re-
peatedly called 70 them 10 Move up
/ front This results IN blOCkading the
I entrance and delaying passengers getting
on and delaying the movement OF the car
I over the line. 7 have repeatedly seen cars
with not more than half the comfortable
standing room. taken which were packed
and damned az the rear end so that pas
4 sengers could not get on. AS one OF the
I local papers pointed out recently. as soon
as the travelling public learn that # is 20
their own interest 10 get up forward near
the door they have 10 use in alighting
they VIII DO so and remove the only valid
objection 10 the new cars.
Novelty Worn on.
The cars have now been on nearly
three weeks, and the novelty must have
about worn of. and yet instead OF being
avoided. they appear 10 me 10 be the most
popular cars In use. Personally, I do not
care for the longitudinal seats. but they
/ certainly give more room. both seating
and standing.
In regard to crowding. until the Amer
/ lean people change their very nature and
do not live in such a rush. or until street
cars can be operated on the endless chain
or moving platform principle. at some
hours OF the day cars will continue to be
overcrowded. Nine men out Of ten. and
30 per cent Of the women. would rather
crowd onto the first car which comes
along going their way than wait a minute
or so longer. and have more room, and
then the next morning write volumes
complaining Of the outrageously over
crowded cars. It's all very well 10 use
reports from Prague, Dresden, or any
other foreign city. but from what I can
gather the natives OF the countries in
which these cities are situated are not
noted for their hurry and hustle, which
we call energy, but which is usually
waste Of energy.
This may n0t be Of interest to you,
but I get tired Of listening to the knock
| ing Of a class OF people who have an au-
tomobile appetite and a street car income.
TO paraphrase a familiar saying"
One writer. protesting against the pay
as-you-enter' cars, said the cars were
built and put IN operation for the evi.
dent purpose Of saving expense in the
furnishing OF seats. This, declares the
writer. should be prohibited. He saws the
seats are narrow and the aisles wide, and
exit must be made by the front door
When the cars are crowded saws the
writer. il is almost impossible to get from
the rear end to the front door 10 alight.
A copy Of a letter sent 70 the president
OF the Capital Traction Company was
read The writer declares that the gov
eminent should regulate the number OF
people allowed to ride on any one street
car. and should provide for the use o.
gates TO prevent passengers being taken
on when the lawful number IS aboard.
Delay I'm Entering.
Delay in getting on correspondence
cars. especially in bad weather. is men
toned in one complaint. The writer de-
clares that in starting and stopping. pas
sengers slide from one end Of the car to
the other on the slippery side seats. Fur
thermore. declares the writer. the advan-
tages OF the new cars are all on the
company's side. as no fares escape the
! conductor and the greatest number Of
"strap-hangers' can he crowded in. The
correspondent suggests that a compromise
with the public might be effected by in
stalllng seats running crosswise. as the
/ company would then get their money and
/ the passengers the comfort for which they
pay.
One complaint was very lengthy. and
went into all phases OF the advantages
/ and disadvantages OF the new cars. one
! objection was that passengers are not
| allowed 10 ride on the platforms. and
/ that the cars are closed by patent doors
so that often, when crowded. the air is
sitting and foul. and tends 10 breed or
! foster tuberculosis
/ Time lost In getting on and off is
| mentioned. and the increase in standing
room and decrease IN seating room Is
L