The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-06-26
Cramped Passengers Denied
Fresh Air, Talk of Con
Certed Action.
MURMUR INCREASES
AS MERCURY RISES
Scores Packed Into Stuffy 'Pay-as-
You-Enters" on Several
City Lines.

Three sultry days have brought count
less muttered protests by those who are
compelled, through dictates Of the
companies. 10 use the closed cars now
IN operation mainly on the. Fourteenth
street, the @ street. and the Eleventh
street car lines Of the Capital
Sixty-three closely packed passengers
came down town this morning in a
closed car on the Fourteenth street
line OF the Capital Traction Company.
Twelve OF the lUckless ones stood upon
a back platform They were confront
ed with signs reading: ''Pav-ss-you-en-
ter" NO smoking allowed" and spit
ting forbidden" The liberty-circun-
scrioed ones comprised a member Of
Congress or so, quite a number OF Gov
erment clerks, a few ribbon counter
girls, and some others who had bust
ness down town
The seating capacity OF the car in
question was, at best. thirty-five pas
sengers. The strap-hangers were rec
onciIed TO q stand-up ride. They would
have preferred, however, al open car
and breath Of air
Seventy-one on Car
Late yesterday afternoon. when the
work in the departments was done. sew
enty-one tired toLeTs crowded into a
car upon this same Fourteenth street
line. Half OF them obtained seats. The
others stood packed In the aisles. tread
ing upon the toes Of those who sat
IL was q tOss-up between the man thO
occupied 1ramped position on the side
lines and the man who hung desperate
ly 10 strap
What has been said Of the Fourteenth
street lines Of the Capital Traction
Company applies 10 the Eleventh street
and AuacosLa lines OF the Washington
Railway and Electric Company The
New York Avenue line, 20 a limited
extent, also comes In for serious COM
plant by the riding public, and those
who go out Mt Pleasant way are SIM
iIarly Inconvenience.
These respective companies have
received indivldua kicks from those
who are compelled. through force OF
circumstance, 70 use these stuffy. III
suited closed cars IN daily and praC-
ticauy exclusive, Use upon these lines
i IS q question Of riding in the vehicles
furnished b. the publ C service COrpO-
rGIions or not at ail-snd. as pointed
out by q disgruntled one. this morn
Ing. nos every man Is able 20 hire
an automobile nor is the general pub
lie inclined TO walk
Attitude Of Company.
These complaints have been met b.
the statement from the companies
that they have no open cars 70 place
IN operation upon these lines In
other words. passengers may infer
from the attitude Of the companies
that they are very well satisfied with
the "pav-as-yOu- enter" cars properly
used during the winter. when warmth
and not fresh air and cooling breezeS
were essential 70 public welfare.
Especial complaint NAV be heard
from those who are forced TO use the
Fourteenth street car line This syS-
tenn serves one OF the most pOpulOus
tending from Eighth street northeast
70 DeCe tur street northwest
According 70 those who are com
PEELED To use this line. an open car Is
rarely seen upon K, and II one strays
slong il is by a matter Of chance. No
attempt whatever Is made 10 maintain
an open-car schedule upon this line,
and the company has let 4 be under
stood that the closed cars are 70 be
used during the entire summer
Anacostians Indignant.
Residents Of the Anacosria section
arc equally put out that the cars to
tHat suburb are mainly Of the closed
variety AID that one must ride upon
the platform IN order TO escape the
SUnOCatiug Influences within
The ordinary open car has q seating
capacity of-aboUt forty persons The
closed cars viii do well 10 put away
thirty 70 thirty-t1vO. The companies.
however. IL IS alleged, make the pay
as-ycu-enterS quite a profitable in
etituCiOn hV dlling the aiSlss and the
hack platforms
That most vigorous protest is soon
20 be MADE by those who are COM
PEELED 20 use the latter is evidenced
b. the caVstic comments which may
Ee heard 1T all hours OF the DAY bv
those WHO must 90 20 and from work
upon the closed vehicles That the
public service commission has not
taken action upon the matter proba-
bly, is due TO Tie fact that no specific
and concerted action has been taken