New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-27
THE LONG ISLAND R4ILROAD.

ONE OF RECEIVER sHARPS BEST FRIENDS TELLS
PLAINLY WHAT THE TROUBLE is.
To tie Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: The letters so frequently addressed to
tho press OF late deprecaoy OF the imperfect manage
men of one of the most important lines of suburban
travel the metropolis do but feehy utter the
deep and just sentiment of dissatisfaction 10 which they
essay expression. single train on the nearly
400 miles OF track controlled by Receiver Sharp has
been run terminus 10 terminus upon schedule time
within the last three months 1t would encourage the
fantug faith OF thousands to know as much, and to
read lis Official record IN PRINT. The quality lacking to
the administration is the quality of certainty There Is
lust enough Of uncertainty every to keep every
traveller anxious.
on July =, gentleman whose family summering
al Eastnampton wished know whether he could get
back 10 The city early the 5th. Tne General Passen-
ger Agent Lot know The Ma OF Transportation
did not know. special train was talked Of. On the
evening Of the Sd nouce sent along tie sag Iarbor
branch that SPECIAL train would be sent westward
early Monday, Business men hOcked 10 The stations
accordingly ana after wasting hours learned that
the programme had been changed
On an average least every ten days since the LIST OF
April We have been treated to euurely new time
table the changes often beng 20 lew and slight as
escape nouce until one had missed "A train III conse-
quenc, but always sufficient 10 keep every passenger
anxious aud iu OF unrest Not engagement business
or social be made Tor twenyfour hours III advance
with any certainty hat Inc Trans ahnOunceu lot Inc
day VIII be the morrow.
When a new tmecard printed II is never issued I'M
I'll the very day the day after takes erect and the
first few copies only the fulI edition COM
ing instalmeIls, three, four, five, or ten days
aIerward aud being freely circulated, usually just at
The The last proofs OF sun another card are be-
ing one card indeed was issued only to employees
ana fOr twelve days the entire road run without
any scnedIle which TIE public had access III any
form. The schedule published after TINS and dated
in mld-Iuly omit ed an entire division, ana when Mr.
Cannon was asked about IL he calmly explained that
there wasn't for the new card, and he would
print 1t later another card lie has given us TWO
new schedules that, but there seems sail TO be
room on the card and the "oher card has not yet APP
peared.
No regular starting place Is allowed 10 any train at
Hunters Point have been over the road twice daily,
with unmportant exceptions, for the last seven years.
but / should think of entering tram at Hun
ter's Point without careful inquiry than If were
stranger. My tram leaves sometimes from one
track, sometimes from another; sometimes from inside
the depot some times from the outside IHoed recently
that for five afternoons in succession the same train
was started from five different localities. AT Jamaica,
the hub Of the system from which three systems Of
trains run westward. and five eastward, and
where suppose not than 100 trains transfer pas
sengers daily, there is slightest special pro-
vision preventing confusion for aiding nquirers
saw 800 people the other evening ciambertug about
train OF eight ten coaches. and not even brakeman
could De found who knew the trans destination and
while scores clambering up at venture the en-
gineer moved his lever and the train pulled out.
An evening two since young man thoroughly ac-
custoined the road and the keenest lookout for
mishaps was at Long Beach and to prevent mistake
came early the station, with the latest pocket time
card open his hand Ills tram set down TO depart
al 5:1O. DISTRESSING ne card. matter OF course lie
questioned the conductors train after train lett nam
ing his destination They all replied: " Walt till $40"
AT BOO train to move which he OWNED WAS his,
but was again told: Your tram is $40" At $40 he
was Informed that the schedule had Just been changed.
and $40 had left at SOC, and that there would
be no other train for his station until the next day.
The shocking disaster at Morris Grove the other night
revealed to every railway man the utter lack of dIsc
pine to which alone it was due. There
cu,e for Lestranges train leaving Flatbushave.
minutes late than for Its leaving hour and
ten minutes late. Lesrange is admitted to
have had a lonS and blameless rocord-to have
shown himself as careful as any conductor the road.
when all the arrangements at the principal terminus
the road made as regularly TO hOd every
ducOr from five 10 fifteen minutes beyond his schedule
ume and TO start hm out win dead loss which Is as
regularly increased at Jamaica, when Ihte Tram
attracts notice OF the dispatcher and is run aDso-
lutey "wld" al the oes Judgment OF ITS conductor.
save only IN EXCEPTIONAL cases, why should Lestrdnge
and his dead engineer be made scaiegoats Every Ial
road man knows that under any proper discipline Les
TRANCE would no more have thought OF taking such
risk he did than he would have thought OF suicide.
The foreman capable of employing "a track hand dis
charged gross unntuess only day before,
his frst Job putting him In charge OF the principal
SWITCH at fldtOushavc Is capable or wondering that
collision results al that switch within Ory-egt hours
aferward. But can Colonel sharp wOnderl
You Will PRINT foot OF this. because
my Is of no importance 10 your readers at large
But Colonel Sharp knows who writes THIS and that IL II
one OF most true and stcadfas friendsOue whose
only interest is IN his aud who only prints this
10 help HIM. and not TO hinder hiIn No a
legitimate and large interest III the property Of Long
Island and he other than q cordial a1mirer and "a
stiunchfiIend of the man who has done Dve-fod
fD.n nv nIl IA. hay had
He is a faulfess gentleman and in capacity a wide
minded energetic lie disdains deiails
he plans ccp.ionally well Mr.. Cannon, his genial
lieutenant, exceptionally capable ana exceptionally
wise his cOurtesies Mr.. Lefin is credited with
when Mr. Spencer he'd the executive rcs the road
like "A single piece OF adjusted machinery.
am constrained to the beie that Mr. Sharps capital
error was in allowing Mr.. Spencer 10 20. lie would
have saved money II he had doubled or trebled his
salary an inducement TO this step IL j. certain that
the date OF his departure screws have everywhere
been working loose. until the road runs as II every
thing ratified.
think the lack of immediate executive OF proper
quality Is the only lack but that Is the lack OF key
stone in the arch. luconsderate criticism OF the
cever OF his assistants unjust More obigng,
have given wonderful Impetus every form OF pros
perty the Island aud the rpening OF their plans will
add 800 100000 10 s value In few The
simple fact Il tnat they are overwOrked and have do
med themselves O necessary associate.
1.-THE will choose for tho superintendency
man OF precision and capacity install him at once
lie will cure easily enough every existing ament I'm
til this done riding daily In peril Of our lives
Nsp- Yort Aug. ~, 1880.