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The Sunday Car Question

About This Item

  • Title: The Sunday Car Question
  • Date: 12 May 1857
  • Creator(s): Walt Whitman
  • Whitman Archive ID: per.01456
  • Source: Brooklyn Daily Times, 12 May 1857: 3. Our transcription is based on a digital image of a microfilm scan of the original issue. Microfilm of original issue held at Pennsylvania State University Libraries. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the journalism, see our statement of editorial policy.
  • Editorial note: This piece is unsigned, as was the case for most of Whitman's journalism. However, this editorial is part of a series of texts that deal with a coherent theme that has been identified by the Whitman Archive journalism team as likely authored by Whitman. This decision is based on a combination of historical and (auto)biographical accounts, similarity to contemporary Whitman writings, a history of scholarly attribution, extant clippings retained by Whitman, computational stylometric analysis, and, in some cases, manuscript evidence in Whitman’s hand.
  • Contributors to digital file: Samantha Gilmore Kevin McMullen Karie Cobb
  • Cite this page: Whitman, Walt. "The Sunday Car Question." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 16 July 2024. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: per.01456.xml (TEI)
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THE SUNDAY CAR QUESTION.—

The Board of Directors of the City Railroad Company will probably take final action at their meeting this evening, in favor of or opposed to the running of the cars on Sundays. Knowing the deep interest felt in the question by the public, who have been hitherto deprived of their indubitable right of Sunday locomotion, we despatched a reporter last evening to make arrangements for reporting the result of to-night's debate. On applying at the counter, he was informed that Mr. Studwell, the President of the Company, was in an inner room with Mr. Betts, the Secretary. Opening the door, he inquired of the senior of the two—

Have I the honor of addressing Mr. Studwell, the President of the company?

President—That is my last name.

Reporter—I called to inquire whether reporters will be admitted to the meeting of the directors to-morrow evening.

Secretary.—We never have had reporters present at the meetings.

Reporter—The propriety of running the cars on Sundays will be under debate to-morrow, I understand, and the public feel a deep interest in that subject. The newspapers are certain to publish some account of what may be done, and it is for you to judge whether it is better for the company that our information should be authentic and reliable, or gathered from rumor at second-hand.

President—I believe the directors will not depart from what has been the custom. Reporters will not be admitted.

Reporter—Then shall we be able to learn, by calling at this office on the following day, what action has been taken?

President—Possibly you may, but the question may not even come up—I can't say.

Reporter—Good morning, gentlemen.

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