New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-18
POOR ELETITED ROAD SERTICE

Il
In the last few months especially il must have
been made clear 10 the Rapid Transit Commits
sloncrS that the people Of Ncw-lorl have little
or nothing 70 hope from any rapid transit plan
which IS allied with or dependent upon the
present elevated system. The managers OF the
Manhattan road have never shown DISPOSE
ton 10 give the people anything like Il fair
rccompcnsc for the great benefits which il en-
joys Much less have they recently tried to
meet the demands Of the public There has
never been n time in the history of elevated
roads in this city when their inctiiccncy has
been more clearly demonstrated than recently.
! There has never been 4 time when less regard
was shown for the needs Of the people. when
they were subjected 10 more discomforts ana
annoyanccs. and when the Indifference OF The
Manhattan officials was more plainly expressed
During the holiday shopping period no effort
has been made. far one can see 10 ac-
commodatc the increased traffic New Workers
have so long been used to being herl'l like eat
tie by the elevated road in the morning ana
evening hours that they have about ceased 10
complain They have accepted the assurance
that IL was not possible to run more trains III
those hours hut IL would he extremely dim
cult for friends II the elevated system Ia prove
that enough trains could not bc put OH in the
early afternoon 10 accommodate the thousands
Of women who are doing their Christmas shop
ping. The simple truth Of the matter IL that
the officials do not care jot about the people
They know that the women weary with their
shopping burlcncd many of them with pack
ages and bundles. must get home They VIII
submit 10 being forced into Il crowded ear with
hydraulic pressure. or they will stand on The
station platform Indignant bui helpless letting
trains pass until one comes along In when
they have slight chance Of not being damned
into pulp.
Tile busy men Of this city and the great ma
iority Of Ncw-Yorks citizens are busy are con
stanfly robbed Of their time 10y an Irregular
service Between some trains there are inter
walls Of several minutes and This always means
not only delay but misery. after one gets into
train. for it Is because the trains are over
crowded that they get so far behind time and
when they finally come along after long de-
Law there Is often not chance 10 enter car,
while II one succeeds In forcing his way inside
he Is lucky 10 find CONSTRUCTED standing room.
Because there Is an insuflicicncy Of trains there
can be no perfect schedule of running time 1t
takes long time 10 drive fifty or a hundred
passcngcrs through solid mass Of humanity
at one station. While this Is being done an
other large crowd Is gathering ~ the station
beyond Here the battcring ram operation must
be repeated "Oncc behind time. always behind
time" Is n good motto for the crest Of the clc-
waited system.
II the people Of NcwY York expect better things
Of the Manhattan managers, their optimism
s,Irposscs understanding With these officials 1t |
is Il simple matter OF calculation. So many
people want 10 90. must CO. uptown and down |
town. Al so much n head there Is so much |
money in carrying them as they should be car
ricd. If twenty more people can be squeezed |
into n car than ought to be there, the profits |
are increased. The passengers are helpless.
They cannot force the managers OF the road To |
give them better service: compuslon Is ont of
the question. for the company II beautifully |
protected by It's privileges. Pleadings and pro-
tests are useless The Manhattan Company has
a monopoly and it snaps its fingers In the face
IF the public New-York does not want any
system Of rapid transit which Is In any way
kin 10 the present elevated roads