The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-07-31
TOURISTS STIFLE
IN CROWDED CARS
Railroads Put Worst Upon
Their Patrons.
COMPLAINTS ARE CONSTANT
Giving War Shortage as Reason For
Poor Service. Railroads Are Reapina
Golden Harvest.

Washington, July 31.-COmp plants
from all parts o. The country are pour
ing "a upon the interstate commerce
commission against the war shortage
OF passenger cars and the rurtaMment
Of passenger schedules.
Specific instances OF hardships In.
fiicted upon the travelling public are
quoted and examples are given of the
indifference or stupidity of transport
heads in the mishandling of emer-
gencies
The express train on the Pennsylva.
MIA railroad listed as No. 1903 leaving
New York at seven o'clock Sunday
Street station at 1922 for Washington.
became a travelling succession OF
sweatbuXeS because of car shortages
In the first place. the train was almost
an hour late pulling ont OF Broad
street The parlor cars were filed
and enough persons were refused seats
to have filed two more chair cars. The
DAY coaches We're damned. as many
passengers standing as occupied seats
A few persons. noting the conditions
left the train to take the Atlantic
Coast l. inc express. scheduled 70 leave
West Philadelphia at 11.3S.
That train also was crowded. but
not to the torturing degree OF its pre-
decessor. Not a Pullman seat could
he had TIL the train arrived at vii,
mington and every day coach was
filled
Although the need was great. par
ticularly of day coaches none was add
ed. either because none was al hand
or because of strict adherence to the
announce policy of the roa!roals tC
cut d,wn the passenger coaches 10 the
minimum TIE experience on train
No 109 shows what can he accom-
pHshed by such economy. Fully as
many pasSen GERS stood as were in the
seats. The fact that all we're made
uncomfortable and some i'll by the or
deal does not detract from this --latest
triumph of railway efficiency.
Inquiry at the Offices Of the inter
state commerce commission here show
ed that these conditions are being
duplicated daily and nightly in al
parts of the country. Reservations OF
chairs must he made long in advance
OF departure. SO many trains have
been Topped off the schedules and sc
many cars have been taken off the re
NAMING trains that standing room
only" is becoming a rule. particularly
on trains in populOus communities
The hardships are greatest in wealth el
like that Of Monday and on long pas
senger haulage
In the meantime, the railroads ad
mittedTY are Teapfng a gUfdEnn harvest
from their sardine box passenger
trains Never have they known pas
senger traffic TO be so lucrative. II
the interstate commerce commission
now will only give them permission to
install straps for the stand-ups an6
running boards on the outside of the
coaches their stockholders will be Ell
abled soon to class themselves among
the fortunate possessOrs of lusty wal
babies
The need of rolling stock to move
crops and the shortage Of locomotives
and passenger coaches on the French
and Russian battle fronts have beer
assigned as reasons for the abnorm2'
overcrowding Of passengers. Up tt
date. however, there has been nc
transportation Of crops in passenger
coaches. no haulage of freight by
crack passenger locomotives and nc
appearance Of either American passen
ger coaches or locomotives on the
battle front.