New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-07
SAFETY ON TROLLEY-CARS.
VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS FROM A CLOSE
OBSERVER OF THEIR OPERATION.

MoToRMEN ALsO-sREED NOT THE ONLY
THING TO he CoNsIDERED-A BELL.
TO RING CONSTANTLY SUGGESTED.
The question Of safety in the running of trolley
cars in Brooklyn has been attracting large amount
OF attention for several weeks but no satisfactory
solution has as yet been arrived at Ihis has not
hecn for want Of effort in that direction. The large
number of people killed and injured since the 'ro-
ley was put in operation about two years ago mas
aroused Pablo ndigna ton to high pitch and there
Is strong feeling that something must he done that
will insure the safe operation OF these vehicles
4 Drooklyn man who travels about the city a good
deal and observes closely all that goes on was
talking about the subject in general yesterday, ana
expressed the opinion that all the efforts OF 'he
Aldermen to regulate the troey-cars has been mis-
directed or at least that most of them had been
COZ course" said he in the course of long con-
versatIon '1 is all right restrict these cars to
u reasonable rate Of speed but II does not seem 10
me-and have taken pains to look into the matter
with some care-that It Is mainly a question Oh
speed regulation. 1t IS certain as anything can De
that when the people OF brooklyn agreed to let the
trolley system take the place Of horses they expected
to be carried faster than the horse-cars cdIfIeu
them. In fact. this one OF the Things pIoiii9''
The improvement in speed was generally regi'ueu
as an excellent thing and in consequence oil II
many people who had been In the habit OF gong Two
or three blocks further in order 10 take one OF me
elevated roads abandoned 1t and returned to the
surface cars finding that they could MAKE he''Iy ~
good time, well as save some waning anu '"'
climbing Of long flight Of stairs
THE speed was limited - ten miles an hour 'hS'
as | understand Il; was OF the conditions I'M
poscd by the state Railroad Commissioners When
they granted permission for the companies 10
make the change. II is not an unreasonape Spe"l
over most Of the city. and everybody KNOWS 'n''
there are regions in which twelve or h''oh H'''H
an hour can be run with safety
"Bu, to run at ten miles hour In safety requires
several things. In the first place thor" mus po
\ thoroughly competent man on the front PLATFORM
II is a serious question whether motornih mas 'o'
too many things to attend 10. A. MI '''"'S' ~ Wv
them all requires considerable ability ana NNi',
Not only must he understand his motor thorouE''S'
but he must be able to sound his gonE III "'' ''"'
time and keep constant lookout i'r pei 7o"S VI
things which may get the track In 'front.' 81 MN
.Noy +, is plain TO my mind that every mo'otrh'h
should submit t. examination At ''e "''''
certain city officials assigned 10 thht Hu'N IL '''
Ia corp.ucI to prove his fitness t. handle car Ju'
os much as the man who IS to take cN'rsr VI
,,,, hou.r And then. too he should impress
,boeo who examine him as a man not hkey 10 De
easily rallied OF course the most thorough 'N"''''
ln, hoard might be deceived but AZ any i"'' "'I
precautions would have been taken. ~" expense ="
,,,rtainin, such a board should be borne. IN pat'
o., lc,st by .he railroad companies. WOMB p'''"''
- 80 g., ,aka charge of - ar who had not GER
,tn.,.a showing that De- had passed an eNainiiA'o"
and proved that he was competent /" 40 W. "''''
rms seems - me 4 matter Of vital importance
ON the next place. would require oV'f} "'"'P
oar :, be urovldeI with a bell hat would ring con
,',,,lv while the car ls in motion It could easily
y. arranged hy aitachine % - an eccentric on '"e
,vl. Tn. rc,plr were accu-touci 20 IN" Dolls CIR
Rod bv horses l. was 10" bells on wh.'h my -
uoI "a give them warning - ID" approach ~ " car
in the Old times. though, Il course. me '''"' 90
Elm. horses feet could be heard q, a considerable
1t..,,,e The bells you viii remember. w"r" n'i
allowed on sunday. ana every one g'!ng 20 t'H' "
car VIII remember how on SUNDAY D" MISSED '''
familiar sound. 900
"a iirei.ng hcn on each troiey-c'r "'H.I nm
doub..Ilv prove helpful 90 people "n ih' s'''''S
vher. these cars are IN use. aud the e'mi'n''s
shouI be required - supply IL pf course 'h'y
VIII ray that this extra noise VII "hF am ~ '"'
confusion and that at times car Fly" on me '''''
when the brake Is on. and that thcn me ''" "''''
.. =, s,unI Bat really the amount - noise
woul be- diminished. for with tines" h"hH 'h''' WIN
he FAR less nccl for the gong than at pf"se" III ''
3, y,oiI have - be used Inly In eWers"n'i'-' "l'
IN. r,otorman would De- relieved TO that extent
..t,vervhoIv knows that a. times the trolley -'iF'
NOV. along almost silently }ou Only Nno" "' '''"
o,or,ach when they are close AZ hand am "imS
II IN. opinion that good many ACCIDENTS i"'S"'
hovo hcen prevented ~ the adoption ~ this simple
d.,,ce Tho sudden sound OF the g7ng ~ Hk'y -
startle and confuse, Ia" steady ringing "' " N'''
bell would produce the contrary '''''' am '''''
TO-, the rapidly OF the ringing "'H'I "' " '"'''
., ,hc reIcs,rian as 10 the speed AZ which car Is
approaching ,,,
..rben there E. another rreclution which. think
:, v.,,l be VEL 10 adopt; ~ present IN" gates on
the LEFT -hand side OF the platforms AZ" ''""'''H
closed This has been REGARDED ~ 4 measure W
IN. interest Of safety. but II Is doubtful "h''h''
10 g, Several accidents OF serious character nave
occurred 1 know. bccau". p~1 ole have sirpi'I %"
o,r and fasscd around IN the rear of u 10 cross
IN. street when they were run down hy car
unseen ana unh-arl approaching on the "'"'' "1'N.
II the finland gate had been open. ana th'y h'n
bsl chance - look out and zee whether the track
was clear they certainly wou.d not have stepped
of in from, ~ the other car. but they would hay"
aughted on the right hand side. AMI waited unii'
the tracks were clear before crossing. 'hr Oh U''
recent accidents occurred IN just this way. II -
true that such a bell as hay" already ep'N'h 81
would give a I.eclcl warning ia such cases h"t
am inclined 10 think that danger wond be .'.-'n''
rather than Increased by keeping the ici,-hanl gates
open.
AT the same time. I would keep all passengers
off the front PLATFORM While doing TINS "on'' h''
hermit smokers t. stand the rear platform ana
ruff smoke into me faces Of al who enter while me
Odor OF cigars Cigarette ana I,p'' c'lJ ,,uur
every time the dO1r Was pp'I'i "yurr' ''''''
prhaps Won think have forgotten the subiec, OF
fcnders Vol | have not and have reserved That
i'm order TO give II special emphasis ne Pi.ScHt
tenders in brooklyn are prtcilca'y u''" ,r,y ~
the name but Of them makes boast NAT u mas
every car equipped with Il fender, thit ms LHl'T
Is th, best one be had anywhere. ana that II hts
sueut a .arge sum in the Interest 81 the pupH' ~
g. Gained that these tenders cost 50 apiece ~
The company paid AZ much As mat. IL was Simply
throwing its money away. thInk J'rsc HiiiII"h
Arrangements could be put the carH Tor ahout one
tenth OF that sum. Anyhow they are 81 niue use,
and I'm come cases they have been the dlTc't cause
OF mangling and maimlng . -,
"Wavor Schcren Was well impressed with the
fender which he IN IN Baltimore, Mhlch ~ 4
doublc arrangement protecting both the front OF the
car and also wheels. ana apparently tiioctuity
preventing any person struck ana thrown down from
being run over. The brooklyn tenders could not
possibly pick up any one thrown down Wh'h Struck
hy one of them They are hung too high. y prop
eT,y adjusted fender should not Dc more thdn TWO
so arranged as 10 remain constantly IN that position
The ears long and heavy and osciAatr vioehtIy
with every oscillation the fender H. thrown up "A
foot or morn In me air. Perhaps 4 rcarrAnEcIncnt