The Washington herald., 1919-01-13
CONDUCTORS REFUTE
DISHONESTY CHARGE
Employe Calls Upon A. A. Osborne
to Apologize for Statement.

Conductors employed by the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company
are Up in arms against the assertion
made by A. A. Osborne, 2460 Ontario
road, that they are not accounting to
the company for all the fares collected
\George w. Grover. jr.. 1903 East
Capitol street, a conductor on the
eastern division of the railways lines.
has written a letter challenging Mr..
Osborne to prove his statements.
His letter follows:
Editor The Washington Herald:
II would be pleased II you would
print the following reply from me to
my friend. Mr.. A. A. Osborne, of 24sO
Ontario road, who no doubt knows me
as a conductor on the Mount Pleasant
line of the Washington Railway and
Electric Company.
Mr.. Osborne speaks very plain, but
wonder IL he would come out openly
and make the assertion. If he can
prove the facts I am sure the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company
officials would be pleased. as would all
other employees of the company. Let
MN NCAA his ana Ine time
and place where he boarded the car,
the number of car. and badge number
of the conductor he accuses. Also
does Mr.. Osborne know that there are
several transfer points where such a
case may prevail: where the cars may
carry 100 passengers or more and not
have any fares rung up on the regis
ter? Is 1t fair to the public? Is 1t
fair to the railway company? Is 1t
fair to the employees? Is it fair to the
character of Mr.. Osborne for him to
allow his poor judgment to make such
a broad statement without first pro-
ducing the facts? Is Mr.. Osborne not
aware of the fact that it is the public,
and not the Washington Railway and
Electric Company or its employees,
who disrupt the services of all street
car lines by not cooperating with the
conductors and motormen?
For instance, when a car is so full
that not another person can board il
they are not content to let it pass ana
wait for the next one so that the
schedule may be maintained but they
parley with the crew about the service
when all the time they are delaying
the car. and by the time said car has
started there are several more stand
ing In blockade.
1t also is a well-known fact that
the police officers on traffic duty at
heavy traffic points ignore the street
car or motorman for his more we'll
to-do friend with an automobile, and
loses sight of the fact that he ride.
free on the street cars. Does not all
this go a long way toward delaying
street car service. and cause the pub
lie to vent their anger on the railway
servants who are trying to please
them. Does not all thi~-show poor
judgment on the part of the public
and absolve the company and its en-
ployes from blame?
How many persons who make these
complaints actually understand the
working conditions of the operating
department of a street railway sys-
tenn? How many have had experience
In that line? If they have had none
let them try the game. either as a
motorman or a conductor. See how
long they will last.
And now. my friend, Mr., Osborne,
l will make affidavit to the effect that
every conductor on the Washington
Railway and Electric lines is honest.
and I ask you to publicly announce
your apology to every street car con-
ductor in the business.
Very respectfully.
GEORGE W. GROVER. Jr.
'lSS East CAPITOL street. conductor
5jI. Eastern Division"