Commuters Were Angry Back Then Too

ANGRY COMMUTER'S SUIT
Wants Damages Because Tardy Trains Made Him Late For Dinner

It's 1903. George Miller is angry that the train he regularly takes to go back home to Montclair, N.J., from downtown Manhattan is always delayed and "prevented him from having his dinner at the accustomed time." He sued the train company asking for $100, which taking into account inflation could be as much as $53,389.38 today. Not sure if he ever got his money but I hope so because it's not only his dinners that he was worried about but clearly the comfort of the "army of commuters" out there.

Some abstracts:

By the action Mr. Miller, himself a commuter of several years' standing, says he desires to spread before the world the manner in which soulless railroads conduct their commutation accomodations.
"By the reason of the failure of the said defendant to perform its agreements," he declares, "the plaintiff suffered annoyance, inconvenience, and excessive fatigue; was deprived of necessary rest and leisure, of the comfort and society of his family, that his necessary meals were delayed and their quality impaired, all ot the damage of $100."
Mr. Miller declares his is determined to press this action to a trial and says the "army of commuters" of this city is vitally interested in the result.