The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-11
RAPID TRANSIT.

INFLUENCE OF THE BAD WEATHER ON Travel
THE ELEVATED ROADS NOT SO WELL PATRON
IzED-REAsoNs FOR THE CHANGE.
The traflo on the Gilbert or Metropolitan Elevated
Railway yesterday was much hghtsr than during any
day Of the past week This was partly owing 70 the
RAIN which deferred people from walking to the sta
lions going out OF their way to take the elevated
road, and also to the fact That tue overcrewding
which prevailed during the previous week had rem
dersd rapid transit exceedingly uncomfortable to
many people II was not plea ant yesterday TO
be obliged 10 stand Cd the platform ana
have tho driving rain blown hard IN
your face, and yet many people know from
their experience during the previous week thar
this the tate to which they might have to submit
Il Is agreed among the officials Of the road that the
rainy weather will affect the frainc unisvoraby, as
tho mounting Of the wet, slippery stairs, and tho
waiting on the uncovered platforms Of the stations
must have deterrent effect upon the travelling pub
hc Tho Fourteenth street station Is thus far the
only one tho platform OF which il covered. II was
curious to yesterday during the busy hours be-
tween eight and half-past nine IN the morning and
five and seven in the evening perfect forest Of drip
ping, tapping umbrellas the station platforms, and
the spectacle ought to be reminder to the company
TO have the platforms covered at once.
wANrKD-A LITTLE SYSTEM.
Tho trains ran very irregularly yesterday-some-
times 1t Two. minute intervals sometimes AZ three,
sometimes al four aud sometimes at tive. Tho time
made was about twenty-five minutes. There appears
Is yot be system regularity me operation
OF the road Waiting during tho morning at Clinton
place station, with great crowd Of people, the
HERALD reporter four pass up town ut In
tclvas of two and three minutes and yet there Was
no down train. Whom the train came along II
so damned that il was next 10 impossible TO get
on board. People were blocking up the front and
rear platforms, although the rain drzxed rigat
against their tnces and there was reg uiar physical
contest between the conductor, who wanted TO keep
tho platform gates shut IN order to let IN more pa
s0nsers and the passengers. who would try 70 push
the gates open with all their might or Jump over
them on TO the platforms. There great complaint
among passengers at the failure OF the companyto
provide adequate accommodations al time when nearly
everybody going down town, and down trains ran
rare intervals while up trains were going up quite
frequently and almost empty. In reference 10 The
complaints IN yesterdays HERALD asto Tue binking
up OF Vast number OF cars near the northern ter
the road, careful investigation showed ihat
the Inconvenience caused oy these cars 70 the resi-
street view they enectuay shut out, could be easily
remediea. The cars could just as wei be kept down
town, where they are III nooodys way. lherc ~ no
need OF having the cars eArly in the morning
In order TO run the early trans down, for quite
large number OF cars could DO taken up early ~ the
space Of twenty minutes
EvASIoNs OF THE LAW.
Yesterday moruing the 1fst trains were started
from both ends OF thu roud ut hal-past six O'Clock.
Mcanw nile, however, number oil laborers aud WORK.
ing people had gathered at the uptown stations al half
past Two and six A. n. 10 rido down town. The law
compels the company 10 run cnoap trains from hall
past i've and the working people, who know It's pro-
VISIONS from he HERALD, grumbled at tins evasion OF
whole hour IL IL also 10 be remembered that no
agent has the right to exact more than i've
Van Brocknn, the Superintendent 0i the road,
asked yesterday whether the promise OF the company
Tho future At Intervals OF two minutes each
would be fulfilled He replied that
trains would DO run At TWO and three minute
intervals, instead OF three ana tive minuIcs ut
present, but no said the statement maze BY Dr. Gill
four would DO run instead OF three tor
every train twas not o1cal, 10 say tho least OF It,"
And yet would seem that, uoless The Intervals Of
running arc gfeatly shortened, this remedy an
nounced by DR.. Gilbert Is the ony to Relieve the
trtghtlul overcrowdtpg which, during the busiest
hours, prevailed again yesterday. Not only IS the
oscomort Of the passengers very great owing this
crowded condition oil the cars, but people may easily
tail IRON rear platforms whore there arc no solid
guard rails, ana whore slight chain 10 pretty much
I'LL the procctioc the standing passengers enjoy IL
would Do easy Tor man pushed by those oeh.nd him
slip this chain fall upon the track s
Ii almost miracle that no such accident has yet &C.
Cured.
THE coxPANY's sEcaEr.
II would be extremely Interesting to know the num-
Der OF passengers who travelled on The road lust week.
Tho New York Elevated Railway readily givos
press the 1gures OF every days traffic, 80 that tho
pubic IL in position 10 Judge whether the confidence
patrons Of the road increasing diminish
ing; yet the Gilbert Company keep these figures
profound secret. Neither Mr.. Van Brockn any or
The other officials of the road yeslerday would consent
state eveu approximately tho number vi passengers
who had travelled over the road. IL WAS thought b.
many inquirsrs, who were curious AS regards these
hsures that company afraid this traffic would
diminish ailer the first novelty Of tns road
or anu thnt II the continued publication oil the
SHOULD sn1n neir .0 Sonss sG Certain nar' ,n ns
many people roae curing the hsat days
harr aunin RAID cn0d M tha duvuv lima
yesterday afternoon, land think nearly all
who 1--we below Thrtich street Will be back In DAY
or two. rhcy tell me that By The time they have
walked TO and mounted station, waited for traiu,
descended another stauon and then walled to tho
block ~ which they wanted ~ get Oh they gain
scarcely any time, perhaps ave minutes lbs tho
novelty OF the thing; that's what makes tho rush
me elevated roaa why, am ions,nx myself 70 gs.
TO know Just how II ~. and know nearly every
have talked TO ieeIs just rs do. THIS
said that during the previous week hs lost
IRON third 10 fourth OF Its passengers, while yes
terday the loss was not over oneafh. According To
careful estimates the traffic on the Gilbert road yeste
day from ~, 600 to $4,000. During the previous
week II averaged nearly $4,000 per day. Al three
O'Clock r. NJ n train came down with only nine pas.
sengsrs
Tho officers OF the New Yors Elevated road ex-
pcctcd all along that tue Gilbert Elevated road would
take away large proportion OF thor passengers Mr.
Cyrus W. Field yesterday said that while many OF
their pairons living nearer 10 SIKH avenue than
Ninth had undoubtedly left them, tbor travel, upon
the whole, had nevertheless increased, owing the
opening OIL tnor second traCk unu tLo greater IRE.
quency OF their trains. Tho following the figures
givtpg the number OF passengers on the road the
DAYS ON whcn tue Gilbert WAS Ia operation CONF
pared Win the previous year when NO rival elevated
limo existed as yet on sixth avcnue:-
1877 1873.
Juue ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 9,54y 10,US3
June 6........ ................... S,4u4 S,9l2
June ................ S.5slx 1921
June .........................9 ., 5V4 III. Ill
jane g.. .........................y Y, VIZ III, 2b5
totals ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. .45.S31 81. 252
This gives an average increase Of $50 passengers
per day us Compared with last year. la coup oil