The Detroit times., 1914-01-17
PROSECUTOR SHEPHERD
CALLS ON COUNCIL
tooRtinued From Page onsI

he suggests. His letter to Aid. iIttlt'
! field follows.
I lion Sherman Llttleneld
Chairman Dommittec on ordinances
NV nsar SIR desire 10 call your at
tentlon 90 what j consider a serious
situation regarding the much worn
problem ol street railway traIhc IN
4 Detroit .,
/ Two things have transpired within
I tho past year relating 20 this problem
which have been for the good OF inc
4 conn unity In the nrst place, We nave
I gotten "a reduction OF fares, and IN
/ the second place, the men operating
/ "a, ears have been allowed reason
able wage with reasonable hours TO
work. but 20 seems that the pubic mas
had 10 pas dearly for these two un-
Questioned advantages, In that The
company has ceased TO provide even
10 d reasonable degree, "a sutncltnt
number Of cars 70 handle the tiafhc,
not only at che rush hours. mornings
and evenings but during the entire
day and night read IN the press
that "a representative of the company
states that there has not been 4 re-
duct.on in number and capacity 81
ears. II that is true. the trafnc has
undoubtedly doubled since the dhte on
which me men, were allow ed reason
able wages and reasonable hours. be-
cause since that date We have even
less than half the opportunity OF OBJ
tanning seats IN the car.
would call your attention parucu-
lnrIv t1 my own personal experience
land observations on the Jefferson ave.
line, which / use twice day nave
kept "a record for the last 20 days and
have been able 10 obtain q seat only
three times In 50 trips. one evening
when DC was raining l attempted 70
get n car at the corner OF Brush and
Jefferson. going east. az o;"o AFTER
seven minute wait four cars came
along tandem none OF which stopped;
for what seemed 10 be very good
reason. namely, that there was not an
unoccupled inch OF space Ia any one
81 the four ] then walked toward
Woodward. 10 Randolph. in the rain
and waited another four minutes
when TWO more cars came along so
loaded that 10 was useless to stop. /
chen walked farther down. 10 Bates
ST.. and waited seven minutes. when
a string of 1--we or SIX care came along
likewise $50 loaded that there was no
use 90 stop / then walked on down 10
woodward and finally wedged myself
into The little cage surrounding the
machine. and upon
consulting my watch when J arrived
home I found had consumed 20 min
utes In making "a distance that I fire.
Quentlv during favorable weather,
walk in minutes
Again just few DAYS ago was
riding as usual, occupying what seem
ed 10 me 10 be the last possible piece |
OF standing room in the car going
home ana when the car stopped at my |
street observed rather small old |
lady Juggling and pulling, trying 10
make her way toward the exit, and ] |
underworld 10 assist her hy making a |
way for her. and after some moments
of work somewhat similar 90 the rush !
ing ~ football team dragged her /
out ~ the car and when | turned to- |
ward my home / discovered that she |
was on tho verge Of fainbng and was /
unable 20 stand alone She recovered /
from this condition only after some |
mi I having led her To tho curb |
and found her - place 70 SIT down
have ALWAYS been Inclined 20 over
look the crowding OF cars AZ rush |
hours bur now II seems ~ have be- i
come tho fashion ~ MI times Of day. |
have made some INVESTIGATIONS IN |
this matter. and md that the condi- |
fions above described on the Jefferson
ave. lire are duplicated all over the |
city, and | ana convinced that the !
street railway company has reduced |
very largely the number Of cars In /
operation I'm this city because | hap /
ncn 20 know the traffic has not doub- |
led
As stated at the outset, the situa-
tion has become lntolerable. and | am
writing 20 YOU 90 urge you 20 nitro |
duce an ordinance in the honorable /
body Of which YOU are n member re- |
curing the street railway company 10 /
furnish sufficient number OF cars 20. |
At least reasonably accommodate the |
public ] might say further that !
have talked with quite a number or |
conductors on these cars and every \
one TO whom 7 have snoken feels that /
ne ~ doing double work. and ls sub !
Jeci to a great deal OF abuse from /
some members Of the public who do !
not realize that he is not 10 blame |
The common council undoubtedly. has |
full powers 10 remedy this unbearable !
situation. and ] appeal 10 you. as
chairman ~ the committee in charge |
or such matters. To start the proper |
legislation. as ] am very sure you VIII |
Receive the unanimous support OF the |
public Very truly yours
HUGH SHEPHERD
,g Prosecuting Attorney