Streetcar Manners Fine

He was one of that class of men who sit, utterly regardless of the rights and comforts of others. His kind abound in all public places and especially in street cars and in railroad cars. One of his pleasures is to occupy seat space large, enough for two. Sprawling out and crossing his legs are little diversions of his. 

Bad Feet Manners

A Brooklyn magistrate has imposed a fine of $10.00 on a man for crossing his legs on a street car. He merits the honor of a modern Daniel. The culprit who faced the justice was merely typical of the large class of men. He was one of that class of men who sit, utterly regardless of the rights and comforts of others. His kind abound in all public places and especially in street cars and in railroad cars. One of his pleasures is to occupy seat space large, enough for two. Sprawling out and crossing his legs are little diversions of his. 

His brother is the end-seat hog who infested the old-fashioned open cars and his sister is the stony faced woman who permits her young hopeful for whom she has paid no fare, to occupy all of one seat, stand on it, wipe his sticky hands on the people in front of him and his feet against the clothes of all who happen to pass by the seat. In the case of the man in Brooklyn, a determined woman brought him to grief and incidentally before the magistrate, who assessed the fine against him. It is to be hoped there will be hundreds of other determined women who will take similar action and who will in the end be able to make these ill-mannered men conduct themselves rightly. – The Morning Union, 1912

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

Transit Etiquette of Two Cities

A United Railways of St. Louis, “Moonlight Car” from 1908.  The term “Moonlight Car” in St. Louis has been handed down since the company operated on pleasure trips and amusement park traffic. It was a special type of railroad car, constructed with a canvas roof, which could be rolled back. As the canvas was seldom ever rolled back, when 20 similarly constructed were later built, they were constructed with a permanent roof.

Street Railway Etiquette in Two Cities

In the St. Louis Post Dispatch one finds an instructive advertisement, filling a whole page and setting forth, to the accompaniment of attractive illustrations, the code of streetcar etiquette that should govern travel in that much favored city, as laid down by the United Railways of St. Louis. It is the unexpected that happens in St. Louis, for, strange to say, the etiquette of transportation there does not govern merely the unhappy passengers and straphangers, but includes likewise important rules which the advertising corporation feels bound to respect. “The first consideration of  a street railway,” says this astonishing advertisement, “should be the safety, comfort and convenience of its passengers.” 

Just think of that, and think what might happen in San Francisco should the United Railroads feel bound by the same rule. Passengers on the Sutter Street line would find themselves switched on to Market Street without transfer and would be delivered from the musty, fusty old horse-cars that constitute the reproach of our main thoroughfare. Apparently the etiquette of street railroading that governs the local corporation, is expressed and limited by the injunction; “If you don't like it, you can get off and walk.” It may be that the policy of the St. Louis company is wiser. It will not pay a public service, corporation, as a general thing to cultivate the hostility of a whole community by wanton outrage! – San Francisco Call, 1908

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia 

Etiquette And Class Divisions

In early 20th century America, clothes made the man and revealed his social class – “Collarless gentlemen must ride second class.”

Street Car Etiquette 

There are first and second class street cars. Collarless gentlemen must ride second class. Even when wearing a collar, if carrying a burden, one must ride second class. – San Bernardino Sun, 1923

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia