The New York herald., 1879-03-27
NEW YORK HERALD THURSDAY MARCH a. ls79-TRIPLE

ture the 100000 Brooklynites by going down to South
and Catharine streets still better route for them
would be through Nassau and Broad streets Where
set to with the sincere and honest intention to
avoid any difficulty they will certainly solve the
VICE PRESIDENT rAvARRo's IDEAS.
Vice President Jose +. Navarro was also requested
to give his views on this important subject.
on this subject" Mr.. Navarro replied. land we are
willing to adopt almost any of them. We should
level not because think it is especially danger
but because we like to avoid even an appearance
lis. then, tho crossing at Chatham square, as now
proposed. not decidedly dangerousr'
mo. think not. AS was pointed out in q COM
munication to the HERALD the other day, this Cross
ing of trains is successfully accomplished in Lon
don where nearly one thousand trains per day cross
each other at point and what is done there can.
am sure, be done here. do not think we Ameri-
cans are such nincompoops that we cannot do what
is done in England"
But that is done on . surface track. Mr.. Ma
varro."
lover two thousand crossings have been safely
effected on own IL" road every day at Rector
street, Fiftythird street and at our Fifty-eighth
street terminus and we have never had an accident
worth mentioning % % over Two @ nunarea % ea ana ntry
road since it has been in operation without an acci
dent having occurred.
'.But look at yesterdays accident at Fortysecond
street?''
''That collision never would have happened had
switching ana signal apparatus there" Mr.. Navarro
replied With some earnestness II dohot like to say
anything in criticism of our sister corporation. but
for the sake Of truth II must be told
Would not an accident at the proposed crossings
greatly jeopardze rapid transit and would it not be
better to avoid them altogether"
my dear sir, nobody can be more anxious on that
point than If there was accident we eshoud
be the ones to suffer Immediately and acutely. We
should be sued for heavy damages by every person
injured and lose thousands and tens Of thou
sands from the diminution Of our receipts. Even
supposng that as 'soulless' corporation we had no
regard for the safety of the public except that die
tated by our own selfish interests, are
personally as deeply concerned in this matter of
safety as anybody can possibly be. If we run our
road in unsafe manner we. the managers, Just
likely be killed injured the rest Of the pub
lie, for ride on 1t daily, constantly. Now, say
that while should much rather have crossings
at all on the same level yet if every door
1t could be avoided is closed to us. then we shall
have no option but to cross, and we shall do in
perfectly safe manner wish you would talk with
Mr. Baird, our general manager and chief engineer,
and he will convince you that our interlocking
switch and signal apparatus insures absolute
wish you would examine the system for yourself
MR. FIELDS PROPORTIONS.
in e4chanee for your Chatham street. and Chambcrs
street branches and saws it would be farer for
road to go down Catharne and South streets, whore
you may capture 00,000 Brookynites.
"Well to that can only reply that Mr.. Field is
very fond of Joking. In the nrst place. If this
Is 30 good why does not Mr.. Field take 1t himself
In the second place. how are we to get it :
1t may take us year. and then perhaps
we should fail in nth the end. while the
olize tho east side trac No. If the other company
is unwilling to come to fair and equitable agree
with every precaution which modern science en-
sbes us to take Let us see il it is dangerous
take 1T It. -''' '''' '' ''''' 80 ''''''
'.But he says that the New York L would then
"It could go ours" Mr.. Navarro replied. 'ust
as we shall Cross over their road at Thirtyfourth
been at this point to do everything in our power in
order TO avoid crossing and to give satisfaction to
evcrybody-we readily consented to over their
road at very inconvenient height Surely all the
concessions should not be on the one side.'
"But the New York Il will discontinue its own
crossings Mr. Field says, and establish their connec-
tions by means Of bridges over their tracks,
well. we can do that also.' Mr.. Navarro replied.
I'VE are perfectly willing to transfer our pas
cause Q delay of more than . minute every
time am sure the east side public would
up entirely SECOND avenue line, for which they
have so clamored. But you had better Mr. Baird,
our general manager dh Inn sure. from the extremely
body can say that he would lend himself for o mo-
mont to any unsa PLAN.
GENERAL MANAGER BAIRD sPxAKs OUT.
General Manager John Baird was very decided In
his conviction that with the appliance of the inter
locking switching and signal system the proposed
crossings and Of the joint track would be entirely
safe.
land, the New York Central, at the Grand Central
Depot ON our road and on many others, is SO ar
. switch for . train to cross the movement Of his
hand simultaneously raises great danger signal
IN every direction 80 that the track " entirely shut
Fortysecond street and Third avenue this system
not in use. although it not very expensive
one-I suppose It has not cost US. thus far. over
$4,000 for our entire line. There they only had
some primitive hand switches. and while one man
would move tho switch another would wave the flag
which 6uDDOsed to A the danger signal
and while they sometimes acted In concert, at
other times they were Just as likely not to act
that the recent accident the latter point
system on the New York L. which they might just
as well have done six months ago. If they
discontinue their own crossings and substitute
caution"
But even In the interlocking system an accident
might occur If the engineer disrcgarded the danger
signal, might II notr'
''Of course; but we have taken an additional pre-
which we adopted gave for tho danger signal
. disc of q particular color; but some
men are color-blind insisted upon changing the
signals. that besides color the position Of the
semsphore signal should strikingly indicate the
gard such signal, then such disregard should be
made State Prison offence assure you that II the
proper arrangements are made the proposed cross
''what do you think of the proposition that your
road should go down Catharinc and south streets,"
II think il Is very unjust and entirely out of place.
We had this Pearl street route entirely until the
managers of the New York IL induced the Rapid
Transit commissioners to grant them tho right of the
half Of It. and to crowd away from IL
altogether would certainly be piece Of great in
Justice
INTERVIEW WITH suPEnrxrKxpxSr oSpEnpowx
conversation with Superintendent Onderdonk in
regard to the accident revealed some interesting
features In response to the reporters question tho
Superintendent said that switchmen and hagmen
paid 81 per day and are oil on duty twelve hours.
those at Forty street even longer. but
licvcd for dinner.
'How long they or for dinner" the reporter
asked.
Some Of them long hour and half.
They all allowed time to go TO their homes. % was
the answer
''why was Davenport changed from down town to
Forty-sccond strcetr'
''He met with an accident which made switch duty
necessary for him. and Of course II he compe-
tent ut all he wns ~ competent for place
another"
"But was he competcntr' the reporter asked.
Most decidedly he Davenport is intelli-
..xft