New-York tribune., 1895-10-19

over bridges in various countries must look with
dissatisfaction upon the mIserably inadequate
antiquated and worn0ut machinery by winch
people are taken over the Brooklyn Bridge. An
emphatc outcry Of disgust and condemnation
as to the mIsmanag cement Of the Bridge Is heard
on all sides. The cars are handled In manner
that might well be ridiculed By Mexicans or
Peruyans 80 far Is the system from meeting
the requirements Of New-York and Brooklyn
md so far from representing the foremost
achievements Of brilliant engineering ut TINS
date The chorus Of censure which Is going up
in both cities as to the awkward uncouth ana
obstructive terminal arrangements grows In vol
ume and in emphasis every day.
Some friends of the trolley lines have serious
IL proposed 10 turn over the Bridge Plaza to
those lines The Brooklyn Bridge Trustees
bought part Of the Plaza from the trolley com
panIes, and paid IN excessive price. Now II IS
suggested that this area which the Bridge 1rus
tees acquired from the trolley lines ought 10
be turned over TO the trolley corporations at Il
small rental. The impudcnce Of this scheme OF
plunder approaches anything which even the
Tammany rnscals ventured TO propose IN thls
town last year. Why were big sums taken from
the public funds and devoted to the purchase OF
the Plaza property II this property Is to De
ruined for the benefit Of the trolley lines! Some
weak minded apologists for this scheme OF rob
berry say that II H. extremely desirable that the
passengers who Use the trolley lines shall be
transferred from the Bridge trains to the troll
leys. or from the trolley to the Bridge trains
in the quickest and promptcst manner. What
sort Of an argument Is this for the sacrifice of the
Plaza? There is no doubt whatever that If the
whole Of Battery Park and the whole of Central
Park and the whole Of Mount Morris Park were
handed over as gift to the managers of the
elevated lines in New-York City the elevated
roads would be enabled to give much quicker
and more satisfactory service, and to transport
ew-Yorkers up and down Manhattan Island
with much more speed convenience and comfort
than can he found now on the elevated structures
But does any New-Yorker seriously propose to
give Central Park, Battery Park ana Mount
Morris Park to the elevated companies? Such a
proposition would be almost as sensible almost
as wise, almost as philosophical as the propo-
sition which Is now before the Brooklyn Bridge
Trustees to ruin the Plaza for the benefit Of the
trolley lines.
If the Brooklyn Bridge We're properly managed
1t would be vastly more useful to New-lork ana
to Brooklyn than ii Is now But even under the
best management that could he found anywhere
on earth it would be insufficient for the needs
of the people Of NewYork and Of the people OF
Long Island who wish to cross the East Kiver
in the shortest possible time. 1t Is to be hoped
that the Blackwell's Island Bridge will be pushed
forward to completion with all possible speed
The East River Bridge should be built as quick
" as possible. Other bridges should be thrown
over the arm Of the which washes the east
crn shore Of NewYork City. New-Iork must be
knit more closely to Long Island The present
condition Of affails is intolaable. The benefits
which would accrue to the people Of New-lork If
there were a halfdoZen bridges between this city
and Long Island would be almost incalculablc
Why should there be any obstruction! why
should there be any unreasonable delay? Are
New-York capitalists lacking in enterprise when
such opportunities are so obvious!