Evening journal., 1915-12-10
TROLLEY CO. ANXIOUS
TO improve service
Officers Doubt Wisdom Of
Prohibiting Smoking on
the Local Cars
WILL EXTEND WORK
OF FUMIGATION

Resolutions passed by City Council
last evening relative to the cleaning
OF cars. prohibiting smoking on troll
ley cars and the improvement OF the
service of the Wilmington and Phila-
delphia Traction Company, drew
statement today from Thomas w.
Wilson, vice-p president and general
manager OF the traction company. He
said the company was willing at all
times to cooperate with the city au-
thOrities and the public for the better
ment OF the trolley service.
Mr.. Wilson said: "lf the Public
Utilities Commissioners desire to
stop the habit of smoking on trolley
cars here and pass a resolution TO
that effect, we will see that it is en-.
forced
It was admitted by officials Of the
company that the riding public
would not like such a rule, as smok-
ing has been allowed here since the
service was instituted In Philadel-
phia, and in fact throughout Penn
sylvania, smoking is prohibited on
all trolleys.
e Relative to the statement that the
cars in use here are dirty, Mr.. Will
son and William A. Heinle, manager
, Of the local division, both agreed that
as the company maintained force
of cleaners at the car barns here
who swept all cars each day before
' they left the barns as well as fuml-
eating them, the condition Of the cars
rested in a great measure on the pub
lie. In speaking OF this portion OF
the complaint embodied in the resolu-
tions presented last night by City
Councilman Draper, Mr.. Wilson said;
=. "I have conferred with J. Austin hlli-
son, secretary of the Board of Health,
and we have agreed to do additional
disinfecting in the cars.
q When the attention of Mr.. Wilson
was called to the statements that the
new cars ordered by the company were
\, to be used elsewhere and old cars
brought here for service, he said that
OF the thirty-one cars now being con-
structed, more than one-half Of them
will be placed in service here. The
others are to be used in Chester, Pa.
While speaking of the improvement OF
the service. Mr.. Wilson said that at
the present time the improvements
under way at the Delaware avenue car
barns we're interfering with the oper-
lation of the road to a certain extent,
but that when completed the improve
ment would enable the company to
have a barn modern in every respect.
lie also pointed out the fact that, fol-
lowing a conference with several
members Of the Utilities Board. he
had added an additional car to the
Delaware avenue line and like addi-
ton would be placed on the Washing
ton street line as soon as the turn
over at rwenty-second and Washing
ton streets and the switch at Thif-
teenth and Market streets are finished
The first named work will be started
on Monday. and the switch at Thir-
teenth and Market streets has been
ordered for three weeks. The switch
mt Thirteenth and Washington streets
was installed this week
As a result of the increased traffic OF
The West Eighth street line, another cai
was added to it some time ago. aud ad
ditional cars have been placed on tn,
Bellefonte line in the morning and even
ing. This additional car was placed il
operation for the first time last Satur
day. In addition to these improve
ments, there has been placed in opera
tion large number of extra tripperi
for the benefit of workingmen.
That some Of the delays met with by
the crews Of the trolleys are not tn,
fault of the company was shown yes
terday, when four cars bound for Shell
pot Park were tier up at Fifteenth an,
Market streets by the bottom of a dunn
cart allowing load Of dirt to fall ol
The tracks The driver of the team ha'
but one shovel, and the crew was com
PEELED 10 stand by and watch him shove
the dirt away before they could RESUME