New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-27
TUF STORM AND ITS CHIEF LESSON.s

TUF STORM AND lis CHIEf LEooo''3
II reminded everybody OF the blizzard 4; not
bccause il was really ht to be compared with
that ritanic demonstration. but because at
times If appeared as if it might become so. ~
he sire the law of chances was against ltS at
tanning to such monumental dlstlncloh' Out
everybody was glad to renew his rccollecuohS
of that unparalleled performance OF the eie-
ments and to imagine more than was possible
And vet i: was no vulgar, commonplace SIorl''
II easily took and held place high up III inc
meteorological -Four Hundred. II came stealth
iIy though not unannounced. Shutters bang
inc in response to bowling blasts did not de
clare if, arrival in the dead Of night, but by
breaI,fast-time there was still gale blowing
the iIl-omened greennesS OF Christmas had us
onnoarcd and over his rolls and cofee-sllp-
posing that the rolls had made their appear
ancc-the average citizen was not astonlShcd 10
read in his ncwSpaper-in case the newspaper
had been dcliyercd-that vast extent OF coun-
try was blankc;cd in snow.
During Thursday night the mercury sank low
enough to suit the purposes OF any reaSohaplc
blizzard. but it did not stay long III close proA-
unity TO the bulb; so that citizens who vehtufeo
out 10 business at the usual hour despite AZ
fectionatc rcmonStranccS or because they were
not asked to stay at home, had no lear ol
freezing to death. But they did confidently
cynoct 10 find the elevated railroad service de
mnrajzcd. and that is where they were not de-
,civod ar taken unawarcS. Whether the re-
snonJbiltv for such impcdcd traffic as that
from which the whole city suffered Sc>uer"'3
* attributable 10 parSlmony or genera IhCohl-
pctcncc on the part of the management or 10
fundamental inadequacy ON the part oi INC
elevated system. does not much matter 10
million and a bali of people. And surely every
b,dy who made his way from Storm-SWept
,iationplatioim after long waiting mo d
crowded and rceking train, or kicked MS he'I>
on a street corner and listened Tor the thAie
Of 4 horSc-car he'll. or possibly chose the lc'>.
II several evil, and walked, was impressed
oucw with the discrcditabie and distressing idc'
that the problem OF rapid transit has not even
begun TO be solved.
Under such atmospheric conditions aS pre-
vailed Yesterday steam surface roads connect
inc the country with the metropolis must INV
,ahl, bee more or less disabled. and horSe-'ar
lines within the city are operated with extreme
difficulty A. rule. much Skill ana Cherry
are applied 10 the task OF keeping 'he>c "''"'
of communication open. and their managers are
mo-, complained of il they 10 their best. Nei'heI
would tho Manhattan Company be unSpanngN
condemned if il were equally fe" from lai'c
prctonccs. l. j. because thlS highly lavored
rornoraijon assumes manifold virtues when II
doe, not possess. mocks the people with claims
10 efficiency which the evidence OF their own
senses daily and hourly dlSproy'' taxes every
poS,iblc advantage of T., monopoly To Ih'"H'-
mode il, patrons. and seiShly bars the way
f. genuine rapid tI7ln>t--lt is because 81 these
shameless dclinquencieN and tins mpudent pol
lev ,b2t II is rghteouSly condemned. The loss
and Inconvenience inflicted toy such storm
are incaculablc. but they would be more th'h
rccnmpensod if they should aVail Z" P"''N'"
popnlar desire for an adequate system oi Trans
rort,,ion within thc city limits INTO an I'M
n,riou, dcmqnd which politicians here and AT
Albany would not dare 70 Withstand or perNcl'
10 factlpuIl uses