The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-12

hallway passenger facilities IN Rich-
mond arc behind those of any city in
this country OF Richmond's size, ac-
cordins to experienced travellers. In
point OF separation of the races. de-
cent toilet ARRANGEMENTS and manner
"f keeping. the local stations are fa.
behind hundreds Of neat small sta
tions in this State. operated b. the
Enme railroads at points which do not
develop one one -hundrcdth part OF the
freight and passenger business which
is secured in Richmond
70. some months there has been in
progress a rather leisurely discussion
between the railroads and the City.
Council. with some vague plans and no
definite proposals. in regard 20 a union
passenger terminal, suitable TO Rich
mond's location and size Chairman
pollock. OF the street Committee con-
cedes the right OF the Richmond Fred
"ricksburg and Potomac to run steam
trains al grade up and down Bclvidcre
and Broad Streets. an arrangement
'hat would not % permitted to-day IN
any other city In this country OF 5000
population.
Within the Law.
Although technically within the law
tn. present four railroad stations are
far from adequate or desirable AL
though their general condition is
known to iicarly every ono In the city
who travels, and their inadequacy and
objectionable features have been the
subject OF unfavorablc comment by
thousands OF visitors annually. In or
der TO compare the situatioh a re-
porter for The Times dispatch yester-
dav visited each OF the stations in
turn. making the following notes:
Main street station. at Fifteenth and
Main Streets is used jointly by the
thesa pcakc and Ohio and ScaboHrd
most expensivcly nd permanently con
structcd. most used and best located
station IN Richmond ON the first floor
IS large entrance lobby without
seats of which Is the ticket office and
baggage rooms. used prom.scuouslv
hy white and colorcd men and women.
y small inadequate alcove is labeled
for the use OF white women. and is in
charge OF natron.
Ill Kept and EVIL Smelling
Separate toilets for white and coll
orcd women are provided, that for
colored women being without outside
ventilation. a toilet marked for white
men Is used prom!scuously by white
and colored men. and is mainly usurped
by railway employees and bootblacks
In an alcove set apart as a lunch-oom
are a few tables. most OF the space
beng taken up by news stand
The whole station smells OF the dis
infectants and OF greasy soapy water
sloshed about with a vague idea of
cleaning. Years have passed since the
interior was painted and the pillars of
imitation marble. once very ornamen-
tai. now show a cheap dirty plaster
In the main waiting room yesterday V
afternoon at 80 o'clock, with no train
Que To arrive or depart for more than
Il half hour. there were siXty-siX peo-
pie some OF whom We're standing
rather than be crowded on benches with
negro men and women The crowd in
the general waiting room included ten
white women and seven colored women
as well rs a larger number OF colored
mon. Every seat in the small women's 8
alcove was taken. and four white wo-
men stood on the balcony for want of
some place TO go. The train shed and
plaza was clean and free from obstruc-
tons. and apparently adequate to the
normal needs of traffic but the waiting
room was inadequate in size for the
normal demands, mixed races and SEXES
indiscriminately. had an objectiona BILE
odor. and had been very negligentlv
cleaned.
BADLY Located.
Byrd Street Station. used jointly by
the Richmond. Frederick sburg and Po-
,"mac Norfolk and Western and At
lantic Coast Line Railroads. and be
longing to the latter. is the oldest large
station in Richmond. and in its day
was something of a model. II re-
minds one somewhat OF the old Penn
sylVania Station in Washington, which
was town down several years ago. The
large central waiting room was clean
and well ventilated Off of this was n
large women's waiting room, with n
matron in charge, but there is no sep
arate provision for either white or
oolored races. The dininE-room and
lunch counter appeared to be little
used There Is an inside toilet for col :
ored men, with bad ventilation. The
white mems toilet was ill-kept and neg
lected. and apparently had not been
swept for days The train shed is To-
Gated sideways to the station making
II often necessary to cross tracks TO
get to trains The station is located
IN freight district, surrounded by
shifting tracks. and without direct
street car connections
Hard to Reach.
Southern Station: traffic here is lipht
the Southern having persisted in con
sidering Richmond rs branch point
until the travelling public has come to
the same opinion with hut few trains
day, the station is perhaps adeoua @
for the needs but is badly located on
Fourteenth Street, below Cary. away
from all car lines. Passengers climb
over skids. crates of chickens and bar
Continued on Ninth pagc)