The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-22
A CLEAR UNDER STANDING.

To EDITOR the HEHALD:-
Alter one trip on tho Fourth Avenue rapid transit
road well appreciate your persistent effort to
full and satisfactory understanding IRON tho
two companies now erecting elevated rapid transit
lines. This morning went TO the corner OF Eighty
sixth street anu FIRST avenue and bought ticket 10
Forty second street. for which paid cents then
l went down stairs waited n,ne minutes for
train There nothing seen there but SMOKE
winch filled the tunnel sudocation almost and SO
densely that could not see more than twenty feet
beyond mo. There are no lights 10 GUIDE passengers
AMI prevent them from walking OF the platform on TO
the tracks. There seats for the odatfon
OF waiting passengers as IN the underground railroads
vi London, whero none oil the inconvenienccs have
abundance OF light and where the locomotives are
compelled by legal lmens TO consume their own
steam and their smoke. Ii is true that at the
ioJt OF the stars leading 10 tho tunnel there u
lew benches, hut utterly inadequate 10 meet the
quircments of the waiting passcngers. Such The
condition OF things before the arrival Of the tram
When the train did al last arrive went Of
tue only to lind seats provided Tor the pas
scngers who, with myself, nad got In at station
III Eighty-sIxth street. People standing ia the
middle OF the car, without even the assistance OF
straps that are literally provided on the THIRD
avenue and other surface railroad routes, and conso-
quentIy led around like green passenger sea-
swaycd by tue motion oil tho from side To
the other until the Forty-secona Street Depot
reached.
Now, what does this all proven II proves, IN my
Judgment that you mot trust any OF these raj road
corporations, even when they are granted the most
liberal facilities OF tight OF way and of construction.
II also shows to mo that you can meyer bargain any
exchange oi these facilities or grants Tor privileges
or ACCOMMODATION IN the interest Of the pubic. 1
AIN informed That TINS Fourth rapid transit
ROAD which travelled this the city paid
at onchali the expense OF It's construction Tho
least they could have done under these
venture to think, would have beon furnisn SUN.
Gent suppiy OF carriages Tor tbeir passengers Not
only they do this, Dut the carriages thoy put
tho road are mIscrably constructed, with Iongi-
tudinaI seats, which obliso all tue passengers 10
be crowded ,ncvnvchioEtIy they are III the
cars oiitne surface railroads. IL Is this condition
OF l4eV that applaud your Efforts III Insisting that
thcq pould be Gear understanding fortified by leg
isu>5bh with those companies VINO building
elevated railroads ia THIS city; tbat IN exchange Tor
The great iaciIitics that nave been hberaIly
grauted 10 them W the city, they should provide
separate soats IN the cars the requcnt running vi
trans NJ night, thorough ventilation, both In cold aud
warm weather, and accom- iodatiOu Tor waiting passcn-
gers These, al least, should be Insisted upon, ana
tner provision made mandatory upon the COMPANIES.
Ii Tins Is not done ny the present companies II Will DO
doLe ny some rival associati.n, AMI, therefore II is
the tercsts oi these pan tho farn-
oil the HERALD and satisfy the pubic
by frank statement that tncr provisions viii be
pcd with. SHARP.