The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-27
URGE COMPANY TO
RUN SMOkINGCARS.
Street Railway Passengers Sign
Petition for Main Line
Service.
BRINGS UP BIG PROBLEM
Segregation Law and Pay-as-
You-Enter Cars Hard on
Nicotine Army.

| business men were invited yesterday
| to sign a petition addressed 10 WI-
liam Northrop. president of tho Vir-
ginia Railway and Power Company,
| asking that some accommodations be
! provided on street cars for smokers
who are virtually denied that privi-
lege under present conditions. While
smokers generally declared that some
| space should be set aside for them
they admitted that under the segrega-
| tlon law. and With the new pay-as-
YOU enter cars. on which there is no
platform standing room, 1t might be
| difficult for the company TO grant their
request.
The petition calls attention TO the
fact that nowadays men cannot enjoy
q cigar unless they take roundabout
trip TO reach their place of business. ] t
is suggested that on the Main Street
the Broad and Main and other lines
every third car be designated as a
smoker during the morning. noon
and evening hours, and that persons
who object TO the odor of tobacco
might wait for the next car without
serious loss OF time.
Whit Smokers Ask.
The petition best sets forth the
claims and contention OF citizens, as
follows:
The undersigned. patrons OF your
company, hereby petition: That on Ger
tain cars now run. smoking be per-
nitted; these cars to be plainly mark
ed smoking cars" on t-csc cars the
same laws regarding separation Of
races being applicable.
We request that TO start with that
on the principal lines-Maln Street.
Rroad and Main and such other lines
as your Judgment suggests-that every
third car during the morning noon
ana evening hours be a smoking car
SO marked, and on these cars smok-
ing be permitted
These cars will accommodate many
of your patrons who desire to smoke
after meals, many of whom now walk
OF use transfers in order TO smoke
on rear platforms. and will at the
same time obviate the nuisance of real
platforms filed with smokers. on such
lines as II is permitted
This ratio, two non smoking and
one smoking car. is suggested TO start
with. the ratio being subject to change
either way as experience with the
travel shall indicate. No smoking to
be permitted on any car on line
and during hours that smoking cars
run at not exceeding ten minutes in
tervals. We believe this Will prove a
great accommodation to the public and
work no hardship on your company.
and will in time be extended to your
various lines when the same object
cannot be obtained by running trallers"
Not Received by Company
Omcers of the Virginia Railway and
Power Company said yesterday that
the petition had not yet been received
at headquarters. and that 1T presented
problem which would be difficult to
solve to the satisfaction OF the gem
eral public. Before court decision
required strict compliance with the
law that certain seats be set apart
for colored passengers, smokers on
the open cars did pretty much as they
pleased and enjoyed themselves with
out being molested. But now things
are different Persons are not per-
mitted to stand on the rear platform
of pay-as-you- cars. for reasons
which re obvious, and there are few
cars Of the old type on the main ave-
nues of heavy travel
We have given this question OF
smoking serious consideration for
some time" said an officer OF the com
pany. and with the efforts which we
must put forth to handle tramc during
rush hours don't see exactly what
can be done
Hardship on Women.
For Instance If a smoker should
pass certain point and working wo-
men barely had time to reach their
place OF employment, they would have
10 get aboard or else be late-and
possibly fined. Then, there are men
who object to smoke, and my own
idea that even II the experiment should
he tried somebody would rush in and
get an anti-smoking ordinance through
the city Council. In the heavy travel
parts of the day extra cars are put on
For instance, twelve ears are oper-
ated on the Hull Street line when the
company Is only required to operate
| three TO hold its franchise.
There is a strong desire to give
the smokers privilege which they
believe is reasonable. yet 1t is ex-
tremely difficult TO see just how this
can be arranged without nconveni-
ence to- the public as a whole"