New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-11
ELEVATED ROAD ECONOMIES.
HOW EXPENSES IN BROOKLYN ARE KEPT DOWN
TIcKET-sELLERs DOING DOUBLE DUTY

NOW EXPENSES IN BROOKLYN ARE KEPT DOWN
TICKET SELLERS DOING DOUBLE DUTY
POOR LIGHTS IN CARS AND STATIONS.
I.oo,onv e one of the strong points In the man.
agement Of the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad. This
accounts for the continued use of oil lamps In light
ing its stations. platforms and stairways. OIL ID
cheaper than gas and men to whom small wages
are paid can keep the lamps filled and in fair order.
II they go out and leave the stairways In dark
ness late at night. what matters IL? Ihere are
only few people travelling at that time. and they
ought to be thankful that all-night trains are
ming for their benefit without expecting luxuries
to be thrown In This seems to be the course OF
reasonng-if It can be called reasoning-through
which the officers OF the company go In determn-
ing their policy
70 the large use Of nertrack stations since by this
means one ticket attend to the wants OF
messengers going in both directions. But that Is
not all he has to do Formerly second man was
kept on duty at each station to attend to the Open
ing and closing OF the exit gate. IL was found.
however. that a few dollars could be saved by dis
pensng with his services and making the ticket
seller a gatekeeper as well. Accordingly. at many
Of the stations rope run into the ticket
sellers Office. the outer end being attached to the
gate The gate is balanced by means of a weight
and when the tcket-seller releases the rope the
gate slides open.
keep an eye out to see just when outgoing passen-
gers have made their way to the stairway, and also
to close the gate in time to prevent any wicked
persons from slipping through and getting ride
for nothing In the busy hours or the morning
however it is impossible for the man or woman in
side the railing, taking In money and making
change constantly, keep sharp lookout through
the door and prevent those so disposed from beat
ing the company 1t is safe to say that a con-
siderable number OF rides are stolen every day 1t
is an easy and comparatively safe thing to do. II
one watches his opportunity while the gate stands
wide open and no one is looking except perhaps
other passengers.
Resides at many OF the stations the gates do
not close tightly and small boys contrive to squeeze
through with little effort. BY crouching down they
can escape the observation OF the ticketseller and
as there is on guard on the PLATFORM they
run small risk Of detection. 1t is probable that the
company has not gained much by the brilliant
stroke OF economy which dispensed with the gate
men. - ,, -
The use Of the term tcketseler here Is mainly a
misnomer On the Brooklyn Elevated road tickets
are sold only at one two stations. Elsewhere
every passenger has to go through turnsue, OF
IT. se rs as HIMSELF This IS not
on the other eeva'ed sGad m OF s
transacted. and at number OF stations on that
road no moneysker Is kept on du,y saye aur ing
passengers fares are collected on the trains by
an official who comes around for that purpose.
terminus OF the road where there Is little business
except for a short time each day.
Speaking of the oil lamps used In the stations OF
the Brooklyn Elevated Company. 1t is recalled that
several wears ago the company said TO be lay
ing plans for lighting its stations with electricity
Certainly time enough has elapsed TO bring those
plans to- perfection by now. Why shouldn't cleo
tricy be used for this purpose. and why shouldn't
all the elevated railroad cars in fact, be lighted by
that means? In the OF the Kings County
Company whose road runs for miles directly above
the Fulton-st trolley line. would IL not be prac
tica Bile TO make connection with the trolley wire
so as supply electric lights in the cars by means
OF a secondary trolley wire hung over the cars for
that purpose?
The Bridge management have shown what sat
isfactory iluminant electricity is. The elevated rail-
ways ought supply better lights than are now
furnished. although, in point OF fact, these vary
a good deal some cars having really irst-class
lamps, while In others poor lamps are used. she'd
ding only light enough to make reading possible at
the expense of some strain on the eyes