Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-02-05
NEAR" SIDE CAR
STOP A NUISANCE?
inconvenience Caused by the
Ordinance lnyeighed Against
by Newark Visitor.
BOARD MAY BE ASKED
TO AMEND THE NEW LAW
Hardship for Girls and Poorly
Protected Persons in Storm
and Siushy Streets.

Dissatisfaction at the "near-sde-
stop trolley ordinance has become so
great that the Board of Works and
the Common Council may be asked to
amend the new law.
Either the restoration of the old
system will be demanded or a pro-
vision that the entrance to the pay
as-you-enter cars shall be changed
from the rear to the front platform.
Thousands of Newarkers, who have
to wade morning, noon and night
through slush ankle-deep, fail to see
the benefit of the near-side stops.
Evils for Passengers.
A s-you-enter car is forty
six feet long. The new ordinance re-
auires the motorman to stop ten feet
from the crossing. This gives the
passenger a choice of two evils. They
can walk out along the crossing 10
the car tracks and then walk back,
parallel with the tracks, distance
of fifty-six feet, or they can walk
directly out from the sidewalk a t a
distance of fffty-six feet from the
crossing. Either plan necessitates, on
many winter days, wading through
the slush thrown from the car tracks
by the cars or through that cast out
into the street from the cutters.
Frederick Gade, of New Rochelle, N.
Y. who frequently visits this city on
business, is one of those who has
complained at the near-side stops.
Il know from what have seen and
heard he said, that there is wide
spread disapproval of the new rule.
~. .nf loo
of benefit to the community in gem
eral. If it is of benefit it has yet to
be shown to the public outside of the
fact that it is an aid to traffic regard
ing automobiles, trucks, wagons, etc.,
but there the advantage ends.
ION a slushy day, when the law
abiding citizens whose homes face on
a trolley line, clean their sidewalks,
the slush is thrown into the street.
Still holding the law in high regard,
the aforesaid citizens clean the slush
and mud from the cutters in front of
their homes, and this is also de-
posted in the path of the trolley
patrons who must founder through
the mass to board a car.
Where His Duty Ends.
zones imagination would have to
be highly developed to picture a citi-
zen whose sidewalk and gutter is
cleaned, as prescribed by the law,
also cleaning a pathway from the
curb to the car track for the con-
venience of his fellow men.
when the cars stopped on the far
side of the street the danger of re-
ceiving wet feet was less imminent.
One had the advantage of a COM
paratively dry cross-walk to stand
on.
MANY times | have watched work.
ing girls and others In poor circum-
stances. without the proper protec-
ton from wet feet, stand ankle deep
in water, slush and mud prior to
boarding a car. Wet feet for these
girls. who are confined in factories
during the day, ofttimes results in a
serious illness.
II would suggest that if the ordi-
nance has come to stay that the
miniature lakes of slush, etc, be
cleaned from the places where the
cars stop, either by the Public Serv-
Ice or the city. as soon as possible.
l have travelled extensively through
out this part of the country, visiting
cities and small towns on business,
but in no city or town have 1 ex-
perienced the disoomforts of travel
oy trolley line as I have in Newark"