New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-03-16
STREET LINES CRITICISED
REPORT BY COMMISSIONER PECK
HE ATTACKS THE CORPORATIONS AND STATES TT,


ALBANY, March 1j.--Mr. Peck Conroi.-
soner OF Statistics OF Labor in his report 10 the -
latnre says: IAN Investigation OF something oye, g.,
hundred different trades made last year Grior
greater or less degree have been found In ev.
in n large majority Of them, and serious az they nv
been demonstrated to be in numerous cases. am con,
strained to say that in trade occupation at witch
men labor for a livelihood do I believe there ,rt,
grievances approximate in the sshtest degre. N
number and gravity those resulting from the gepe,
management Of the street railroads Of this STATE r,
many Instances these grievances are more than ornary
/ abuses-thsy amount to downright oItrages They A.,
uuwarranted by any existing circumstances. and min,
thabie from any stand point that ayarce and
that love OF tyranny and general nhumanty preyeu.
and Characteristic OF large corporations, The .yst q,
street railroad management in Buffalo, Rochester Al
bany Troy and other smaller cities Of the state IL ccr
taDiy bad and open to criticism, but what shan
DC said OF that prevailing 10 NcwYork city where tho
| hours are longer, the rules numeron,
and oxactng, and the petty tyrannies OF pc,ty
Aud yet undisputed evidence the conclusion
that I'm Brooklyn with all its churches. its boosted re-
hnement and culture, the system OF street railroad
mana cement Is worse. that OF in particular
c. the Richardson management, calling for the most
bitter condemnation IIsa significant fact that nearly
every conductor and driver testlyiug, complaints TO
make or the abuses existing the several line, opera Ell
by and under the management or the Atlantic Avenue
Railroad Company, OF Brooklyn. II the testimony Of
these men is to bc believed, aud certainly their mte.
gence ana genemanly appearance enttlo them to tho
fullest credence h few II any grievances existing
any OF the sxty-hvo roads tho State that are not
found to exist to equal greater tho
roads operated under the supervision Of the company
referred to-"
great amount OF testimony is given under the heads
OF sixty odd abuses Ia the report Af.er detailing
the amount Of testimony bearing upon the general man,
Avenue
already suDmttei II Is proper 70 sat hat no es man
Ia New-IOrk and Brooklyn, most OF them with an expo
rlencc OF from twenty to thry years. ~ reply 10 tuo
question. Iu your Judgment ani from your kiowelte
railrOldmg, which line Of street surface RAILROADS IN
New York or BrooGlyn il tho most Liberal unjust al
tyranulcal IN IT'S management answered. i"n kicI-
arIsOns II H. perhaps Just and proper To Stao that o.
the whole number OF Witnesses sworn IN ms entire H.
Ncstgaon not one oi the 100 ornoe eIhced tht earn
est and really touching desire TO tel the uith the
whole truth and nothing but the truth chara'erzn;
the witness stand IN flC-, the gentleman took OCCASION
impress np1G me ms utter horror ana d'''oH o.
Alter referring the testimony OF Mr.. Richardson amt
his SON til. report Urrusal OF
% t y vrI. R,,,r,sI e.ta.s's mn. fi fb15
than fifteen dist MT and inpO Mt puin,s the
NV tie evidence of no less Than six wiincs.,,
There Is ample testimony prove That there Is no
ceSity for the unustnhble penalties which exist on
MANI roads for failure 10 rccorI properly every pass
cn1er Wnen the crowded condition OF the great thor
oughfarcs OF The Largo crs or the state moro especially
in the early hours ~ the morning AID the lite h0lrSOt
the afternoon, is taken into consideration, the complete
ness with which It l. performed certainly Temarka9e.
corporations become hearte's unreasOha0io and I'M
The general RUE seems to be that the companies
must under any circumstances lose anything soWo
oo1drcTors Who make these very natural mistakes ;
harsh unnatural and hesitate not 10 say thar thry
really set premium upon dishonesty They Start OuO
with the assumption that every conduct0rls thiei or
willing to be. The slightest mistake Is placed IN tho
hack to the world from which lie has been practically
Isolated during enforced with the brand ~
An flp 10 n1 "a lH zoe a.
ny coii,r lions @ Generally nI in detrsrat,oa bv
the public. this pGdctee OF dscnarSnZ men AID placing
them unIcr suspicion would be of such serious nature
rs 10 iusti;y The unfortunate redress
action al law. Crrtainy wOuld rest under sUch
iuputaOn II II was IN ode by private business coA'
Another abuse complained of was the practice Of
compelling conductor 70 ring up fare before concc
ing n. This custom Is sure IN the ohs run 70 Gauss
hardship to the enpoye' because IN re i Always
percentage 3I VIVA, one Oh inc Un,'ias ie.H' .,
travelling IN large ties BESIDES we 'tuHAen .li va"
uraly vicious prone To Orgetuness I'D matters OF
TINS kni shl the cinploSe IA Oiuer T., aN 'o'
practice should be- discontinued discovered during
the investigation IN Brooklyn that the Atlantic Avenue
TEN Of counting the returns OF It's conductors when
whatever In deciding whether they are correct or not
1t is the practice Of the conductors on this road 70
turn in the amount of the earnings Of tho
each evening with the record OF tho
dial attachment which has counted them.
But the money not counted then not unr the next
morning and when II is not done in tn presence 81 the
conductor. what snail said Of such system What
protection has be against the possible mistakes Of tho
machinery Of the Indicator What guarantee has tho
poor conductor that he Wi not he cheated and deauici
by dishonest clerk Moreover, 10 Is temptation TO
uIscrupulOus clerks to levy Tribute upJ every con-
ductOr the rad The duOcTa of the Office can COM
p.l subsery.eucy or force fayOrs. II dishonest no
can enter into cOluSioH with dishonest conductors.
PccuitIOn amt undoubtedly does exist to soue de-
gree conductors aHI drivers but mat Il IS carried
any considerable extent do not believe" AMI even
in where II u found an lncllnct 10 tho
opinion IT but the legitimate result Of the OF
pressve and pcrnlcOus system prevailing on many 81
the roads OF NcW-l0r bar moro especially that or the
Atlantic Avenue road OF Brooklyn.
non the other hand, made source o. revenue
and into the treasury OF the road, ia tie way OF
cash deposits sum of money ageregatnS thOu ms ~
dollars for which they receive Il" interest olt whether
The CORPORATION does not j. question left 10 the lulS'
meut }. the public. THIS system OF deposit when the
testimony shows exist 10 such remarkable extent
in connection with the unjust fines imposed, mas re-
suited practically Onling the employees To inSur" the
pruucIty OF these greedy uufccug and raptcOus cor
porltiDus and that such cruel system can be uStN'I
upon any ground except AZ thr sacrifice OF common
Justice equity ami humanity without saylH- lno
whole surface railroad system Of mana cement WIN
few except ions I'm force ia this state Is an open gr go
aud call, for Immediate ana heroic treatment az tho
hands OF the legislature.