These 1901 articles, from The Washington Bee, describe unusual situations involving Chicago cable cars.
From The Washington Bee / Saturday, May 18, 1901. Page 3.
SLEPT ON CAR FENDER.
Michael Nolan,a Sleepy Chicagoan, Makes Odd and Expensive Choice.
The Chicago Chronicle is probably right when it says that Michael Nolan was tired and sleepy as he strolled along Madison street at midnight. He had seen things which dazed him and he yearned for a nice, soft spot on which to rest his weary weary bones. He was not particular where he rested himself or the kind of a bed he chose so long as it had proper springs.
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| ESPIED BY A CITIZEN. March, 2008 Picture of the Month |
A Madison street cable car stopped at Desplaines street. Nolan promptly lay down on the fender. It proved such a comfortable place that he immediately fell into slumber and dreamed that he was traveling through space. At Halsted street he was espied by citizens, who shouted to the gripman. Considerable excitement followed, as it was believed the man had been struck by the car. Nolan felt indignant at being disturbed and threatened to leave the "boarding house." He offered vigorous objections to accompanying a policeman to the Desplaines street station, but in Justice Doyle's court next day he had little to say. His honor reminded the prisoner of the impropriety of mistaking a street car fender for his bed and imposed a fine of five dollars and costs.
From The Washington Bee / Saturday, November 16, 1901. Page 6.
ROMANCE IN LOST BUNDLE.
It Leads to Courtship and Final Elopement of Street Car Conductor and a Girl.
A State street cable car, a lost package and the red brick barn on Thirty-ninth street, where the Chicago city railway rolling stock is housed at night, form the background of a romance between a downtown salesgirl and a young man who until the othe other day collected nickels from patrons of the car line. The principals in the romance, which is said to have culminated in an elopement, are Miss Hazel Gardner, of 4225 Wabash avenue, who has been employed in a downtown department store and Edward J Douglas, a conductor on the State street line.
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It was after the girl's recovery of a lost package, in which the conductor had inserted a note to the owner, that the two became acquainted. Douglas became a regular caller at 4225 Wabash avenue on his night off. The young man's attentions were objected to by Mrs. Estelle Daily, mother of the girl. She forbade Douglas to call, but, it is said the couple found frequent opportunity for meetings on his street car. Then there were clandestine meetings at the car barns at Thirty-ninth and State streets.
After this Mrs. Daily caused the arrest of Douglas. The young man was was served with a notice to appear before Justice Rhodes. Afterward, relenting Mrs. Daily agreed to sign a bond bond for his release.
When the case was called, Douglas was not present. His sweetheart was not on hand either, and inquiry developed the fact that they had been seen going downtown together early in the day and that Miss Gardner had confided to one of her girl friends that they intended to elope.
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