Can't Operate The Open Cars

Why the Ann Arbor Street Railway company has failed to put its open cars into operation this summer is a conundrum which many patrons of the line would like to have explained.

Sunday there were many severe criticisms heard because of the company's failure so far to put summer cars on its lines. One gentleman said:

"Here it is almost midsummer and the company are still running their winter cars. Some of my family would have liked to have taken a ride about the city today, but they don't want to have to sit in a closed up, stuffy, little car on a sweltering day like this."

A business man said: "The railway people are injuring themselves by not giving more attention to the wants of their patrons. Who wants to ride about in a closed street car on a day like this, except they absolutely have to? I know I don't and I am sure none of my family do. There is not a city in the country that I know of that has closed street cars running at this time of year, except perhaps some of these little jerk places which only run a car when they can get enough passengers to make the run pay."

These are samples of the criticisms that were heard from different people yesterday, all of whom were unanimous in condemning the management for its laxity in not giving the public an open car service.

One of the explanations of the company's failure to operate open cars is that the track is so rough that the cars would not remain on the rails owing to their light construction and the peculiar arrangement of the wheels which extend a considerable distance under the car from both sides.

The most feasible explanation, however, is perhaps that which points to the poor condition of the cars, they being said to be in such a dilapidated shape that their repairing would cost much money, more than the company wants to spend at this time.

The local superintendent, when asked why the open ears were not put into service said:

"Because we can't get repairs for them."

"How is that?" was asked.

"Well, we have had an order in for repairs since last March, but they are not forthcoming yet."

"Will any of the open cars be put on this summer?" inquired the reporter.

"I don't know," replied the superintendent. "We can't put them on except they are repaired."

It's a cinch, however, that those who are sweltering in the city during these torrid days, and who wish to ride about to get a breath of air, will not placidly accept the above excuses, if their opinions already expressed are any criterion of their feelings in the matter.