Year: 1879

SHOCKING PRACTICE SAID TO BE COMMON


AMONG THE EMPLOYEES OF THE METRoPoIL-
TAN 'L-FEMININE coMPLAINTs.


occasionally complaints reach the HERALD of in
suits to ladies by the employees of the railroad
panes. Some time ago there such complaint
III regard to the Erie road but the publication OF
complainants letter led to such stringent measu
that the practice was completely broken up. Now
it is the metropolitan L that is complained Of as
Will be from the following letter received from
lady living Along the line OF the road As tins
epistle indicates qualities in the employees of the
company the cultivation of which is not to be en-
eouraged it is printed as it was received
To THE EDITOR HERALp;-


The practice or the engineers. fremen and con-
ductors. SO universal on the Metropolitan Elevated
Railroad, OF kissing their nands and bowling TO
almost every female who chances to be at the win
dow is one that the company should squeich as
soon possible. 1t is bad enough to nave this
railroad invading the privacy OF our apartments aud
compelling Us 10 keep our windows CLOSED during
this oppressive season to shut out the coal gas.
cnders and dust emanating from the passing trans
without the addition OF being lnsulted and annoyed
when we are Obliged to open them to clean. II the
company doubts the truth OF my assertion let them
station reliable man ut any given point and they
will be perfectly satisfied by halt an hours OBJ
servaton. Some few years since this vile practice
was in vogue or the most popular horse
lines In this city When 1t to the know ledge of
the managers OF that road they issued an order for
bidding the practice discharged every man who
violated the order and by this means soon broke 1t
up. VIII the metropolitan Company follow their
example9 LADY.


New YonK. July 10. 1879.


LADIES SAY.


In view of this complaint HERALD reporter was
sent along the line of the road to ascertain some
thing in regard to the prevalence of the practice
and the opinions Of the ladies' in Sixth avenue in re-
gard to it.


Nobody ever kissed his hand or bowed to me-"
said an ancient maiden lady living Tenth street.
II should like to OF them dare to do it,"


HE would be man of great courage" the reporter
answered. grasping for his hat.


few blocks further up the street he saw bright
little bit OF girl standing in doorway with her
hair lowing in the wind, which played with her
curls.


II am from the HERALD" he said, by way of in
PRODUCTION "Can you tell me If any OF the employees
on the Metropolitan u ever kiss their hands bow
to the ladies living in this street,"


"Youll write piece and put me in it il tell
YOU" she answered.


''Oh. no. certainly not" the reporter said.


well. then. there is nice looking little brake
man who seems to take great deal OF interest in
this nelghborhood l saw him bow to any
body kiss his hand exactly; but he sometimes
raises his arm and. II catching something kisses
the ups OF his hngers.


II uon't blame niin." said the reporter.


what do you mean?' asked the little miss pro-
vokingly shaking her curis. II won't talk to you
any more


marked, "fhe people on the trains wouldnt trouble
about bowling or kissing their hands to ladies who
didn I hrst bow or kiss their h2nds TO tAem'


Then you think the ladies more to blame
than the tram hands?" the reporter asked.


u know they are. You see some OF the brakemen
look very nice IN their uniforms, aud speak from
experience, young when you that it = aw-
fui hard TOR young girl to let something fly by
without some sign of Appreciation especially as the
3 is


"Oh, l perceive the reporter intorposed, the
kissing, then, ism confined 10 the train mon


"Of course not Wherever there are a,rls tbere IA
bound to be kissing OF somo sort, and wherever
there is kissing it Will be found to have At
traction"


"rhen why do you object?' the reporter asked Of
another lady who had made statements similar to


because the sooty fremen and engineers follow
the example OF the neat conductors and brakemen.
It may be pleasant enough to have KISS thrown to
you f you can't get 1t any other way but doesn't
dust"


1.-The practice is very annoying and it is almost uni
versal, said u lady living near Reservoir square.
Ladies' cannot sit ut their windows and escape
infection


vIKws OF SUPERINTENDENT VAN paocKLrS


With tins remark in his mind the reporter called
on superintendent Van Brocklin 1t his office in
Church street.


"The practice cannot be any thing like universal"
Mr. Van brocklin sad ''but that it exists proba-
ble The only thing to be done is to lind the offen-
ders Such conduct on the part of any Of the en-
ployes OF the road IS against the rules OF the
pany' ana we are determined TO punish any nfrac-
tion OF our rules Only last week engineer
laid oil Tor Locking down into the He seemed
so anxious to become acquainted with the locality
through which the road runs that thought we
would give him week to become familiar with it.
We have detectives the road constantly watch
ing the conduct of our employees. but NO complaint
OF bowling or kissing the hand to ladies along the
line has been made The only way to reach such
offenders will be for ladies who nsulted make
complaint to the company. 1t is easy take the
nunlt er OF the engine where the Offenders are
and by sanding to will be able deal inteli-
gently with the guilty persons. SO far we have had
no complaints of this kind from any source but
without knowledge will not be easy us to break
up the practice ii 1t exists. The young guilty
OF such Offences would naturally be very cunning
and sccretive, and must depend upon the per-
sons who are insuted for such information as will
lead to their detection