A crowded park made for crowded trolleys. Railway cars were so packed that officials onboard the trolleys could not expect to collect a nickel from each traveler. To remedy this, the railway company organized the park's exits so that those returning home by trolley or boat purchased a ticket before leaving the resort. The few that chose to return home another way needed to leave from a special exit.

Unfortunately, this system was less-than-clear to many patrons. Most hopped in any exit line and were surprised when they reached the front to find an O.W.P. representative requesting money.

The confusion at the gates earned a lot of bad press for the O.W.P. and their amusement park. Many saw the situation as a sign that the railway was only out to make money at the expense of the public.

In fact, two individuals filed lawsuits against the railway claiming that they were humiliated and denied exit from the park unless they paid a ten-cent “exit fee.” One woman claimed she was “insulted, beaten and imprisoned in the presence of several hundred people, and her child was exposed to the cold.” Article

A local working-class clothing store called “The Hub” took interest in the issue and began including blurbs in their ads encouraging people to organize against the railway. People wrote into the newspapers about the issue.

Oaks management responded by running ads announcing their many exit gates and their frequent trolleys. A major department store, possibly with some coaxing from Oaks management, ran a promotion that included a free children’s admission ticket with any purchase over a dollar. The ad included an anecdote about a scatter-brained father who found it so easy to leave the park, he mistakenly led his family through the exit and had to pay to get back in.

The following year the railway company made a better attempt to address the public's concerns.

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