100 Years Ago This Week: Jan. 6-12

From The Indianapolis News, Friday, January 12: The first of twenty-five new steel street cars have been received from the Cincinnati Car Co and are now being readied for service at the Indianapolis Traction & Terminal Company’s shops on West Washington Street. The new cars are the “pay-as-you-enter” type with passengers entering from the rear vestibule and paying the conductor. Push buttons at convenient intervals allow passengers to ring the “jigger bell” to signal for a stop, and the motorman controls the doors at the front vestibule for passengers to exit. The interior is well lit with large light bulbs enclosed in white glass reflectors, and a powerful headlight is part of the equipment. There will be no smoking on these cars. An illuminated numeral will designate the destinations of the car instead of the street signs now in use.