The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-02-22
TH 3 a ASK i N LE TIE ri
THE I. JITNE " BUS
By Frederic ] HasISin.

III "a Z q 5l 4 Il. q 4, n
on March i an organized jitney
bus service YIN 20 into operation IN
the national capital. Already the
movement has attracted the attention
Of Congress in q spirited debate. and
upon the opening day all thespnblicc
officials viii be invited to ride. Spe-
fctal jithey. coins have been provi6-
ed for their use, and II Is said that
!. the coin used by President Wilson Or
mis- representative upon the first day
/ 81 this important public transporta-
ton experiment. is to be preserved in
the rational museum among the
coins having notable histories.
1t ts being generally conceded that
the jIIney bus service is progress
fsive Development in public transpor-
tation, and, properly handled, Will
solve many yexing problems.
The jltney bus movement bega n IN
the West less than year ago, and Is
rapidly spreading over the entire
country. The term rjitneyn is said
to have originated with the gamblers
of the Southwest and Is aicontraction
of two Mexican words meaning low
ese saiue y until recently the nickel
or nve cent plece. designated as a
ylnsy, was ;.ne smallest change In
S'r nun so1. - q! snat sI,tion.
, .ne ,ls, y,.ney: Dus - creaited TO
a -. Sa!il, Wnere az. enterprts-
ns so Sna, nan uIeye illuminated
sIsNpN " que " .tne nam tnor-
1usnlafes . lev. months ago. display
ns : va uan ssa an sa; axe you
say mnele lol Jitnsy anu STOP az
any soiner you . NE; = hundredss OF
peopie were IN tne naplts OF Walting
sMsnLs iru.eS OF more ZOE the car
Tuisn wouto .ahe SHell nsarest nome.
!. !. Wy wele slao % Day .ner 1itney
70 lne auto Wnlcn WOULD land them,
Upon snelr own doorsteps, ana take
mem directly from the curb without
I IN, rlsk .. Iiaktng stneir way through
tne D., croWoeastsee y 70 get on board.
me tremendous ana instantaneous
success Of the venture brought other
automoplles INTO tne neld the next.
Day. ana there seemed TO be business
enough TOT all. Within three months
Oakland was tnronged with autos Of
every SIZE. winch noated "jitnV"
signs. ana seemez to be running in
every possible direction to the seri-
GUS detriment OF the street car traf-,
nc.
MISS sarah Henderson, young
girl OF " VINO opened the jitney SER
vice IN Baltimore on February 1,
must be awarded the credit Tor intro
ducing the movement into the East.
Sne is ALREADY referred to. as the
sJltney Sirl. by newspapers through
out the country, and her auto service
rs .nignly appreciated IN her own city:
MISS henderson, decided that Balti-
more was IN need OF service which
nad PROVED. SO successful IN the West.
sne mas put her small fortune OF So
wy INTO the venture, engaged her
Drotner upon stated salary as bus
mess manager, and has resumed her
studies In a musical school confident
that her Investment VIII yield her a
good revenue me . itnegs Girl does
not plan TO compete with the street
tcar service, but 70 supplement It.
Her cars make snort run so quick
~ as TO pc greatly appreciated by
persons IN Q hurry. Under her pres
ent arrangement, they make four
round trips of twenty-five blocks
every hour.
While the first 1ttneys were indie
pendently controlled and directed.
the need for organization was soon
perceived. In order to give proper
service, public utility must guar
antee some protection to Its patrons.
and this an individual cannot do. The
passenger upon a privately operated
vehicle has no redress in case Of In
jury. No standard Is provided for
machines thus used, other than the
regulation governing the hack or taxi
service, and there is no prescribed
route. The Take you anywhere for
g jitney" sign appeals to the public at
first. but few weeks OF trial indi-
Gated the disadvantage OF this lack OF
system. The jitneys must be under
some restrictive regulations for nlu-
ltual benefit. as well as the protection
and welfare Of the public.
The jitney organizat ions are so few