New-York tribune., 1895-12-22
THE ANCIENT SYSTEM CLUNG TO ON THE
MANHATTAN.
BY REASON or IT'S DANGERS. ITS BAD LIGHTING
AND DIsAGREEABLE DOORS. LEADING RAIL
ROAD MEN HAVE DISCARDED 1T FOR
GAS LIGHTING


ROAD MEN HAVE DISCARDED 1T FOR
GAS LIGHTING
Desplte the continuous and systematic vlgor
with which the use of oil for lighting purposes
in railway cars has been condemned by the pu lie
and the authorities 1t has not been wholly aoan-
doned Only few days ago Joseph r. White, the
superintendent of the Railway Mail Service. pre-
sented an interesting array of facts ana hgures
concerning the continued use OF oil for hshths
the Interior OF For several years the fost-
Office authorities have pleaded win NohgresS u
adopt a measure forbidding the use or oils IN rail-
way cars In report after report the various super
intendents of the Railway Mail Service have called
attention to the immense losses caused the Gov
ernment by reason OF mail cars ana the coh'eh's
being burned up from explosions and overturhihS
of oil lamps when accidents have happened ALMOST
every week in part or another OF the country
such casualties occur. and as the reports OF these
accidents fully show the greater number or hrcs
which resulted from railway accidents were cause.
by the oil amps with which the cars were hghted'
and only in rare instances from the engine hres'
ANOTHER PHASE OF IT
While it is imperative that to this dangerous
phase attending the of oil lamps must be given
the strictest and closest attention IL Is eiuany
important that the various railway systems should
in the matter Of lighting. look also to the comfort
convenience and pleasure of their passengers Noth-
ing can add more to the monotony OF hight railway
travelling than insufiicency OF light but IL Is
satisfactory TO learn that without exception me
railway companies serving New-York have Uniform
" adopted improved methods for Illuminating tie
interiors of their cars. SO also have the leading
surface systems of this city There Is In fact only
one prominent and fragrant exception TO this gen
erally evinced desire on the part or the great tid
sit corporations to keep abreast OF the march oi
modern progress. 1t is hardly necessary 10 teii
New-Yorkers that the exception is the Manhattan
Elevated Railroad Company Deaf to the camor-
ngs of their patrons, unheeding the protests raised
In the press and defiant of an adverse puDhc oP'h-
ion George Gould and his co-directors or the hhe
Jog merrl,y along on the old beaten track OF
adherence to the antiquated, obJecuonape anu
dangerous o-lamp system. Only those VINO are
nv force OF necessity compelled to use the elevated
road car vel understand the tribulatlons entailed
upon the unfortunate passenger thereby.
THE DISMAL GLOOM.
The dismal gloom which pervades the cars OF 'hs
COMPANY the merest apology for an eillcieht Ilgh'
has become byword In the city. 1t has oeen
the means Of driving thousands or rather Millions
of passengers 10 seek other means OF conveyance
and the consequent reduction in revenue has been,
and is being seemingly watched by the authorities
of the road with almost incredible supineness. lms
consistent neglect OF the interest ana comforts OF
passengers must in the natural order OF thnss leau
to a continually increasing flight of people to otneF
routes where create. efforts are mace 10 cuitNa'e
their favor and study their ease
Americans are emnently a reading people. They
delight and wisely to use spare moments with
newspaper. But to read ordinary print III al
elevated railroad with anything ike fachlty
is a feat beyond the power Of the average eyesisht'
Watch a man at night endeavor to gather some
thing of the contents of his favore journal. Note
how he souirms and turns in effort 20 get his
paper in the direction OF direct ray or lght, ana
finally see settle his countenance look OF nh-
qualified disgust as he reinquishes the attempt.
Nothing could add more eloquent testimony to the
nadequacy of the bad lighting arrangements in use
by this company.
FOUL DOORS GIVEN OFF
Another of the many distinct evils Of the oil
system il the foul and disa greeable odor that is
emitted from the lamps. 1t is, indeed, somewhat
strange that progress in such an important detail
OF the passenger service should have been so long
delayed by this wealthy company 1t cannot be
that the directors dismayed al the cost or
changing their oil lamps for gas, the Illuminating
method that seems in the opinion Of the majority
of railway experts to best meet the requirements
of car-lighting.
From inquiries made by Tribune reporter 1t
was learned that to equip The l,of cars owned by
the Manhattan Elevated Railroad Company with
an efficient gas-lighting plant would require not
more than $4,000. The percentage Of the tax this
sum would represent on the s3D,W0Wo capital or the
company is too small to be reckoned as sub
stantlal consideration. Moreover. any small lessen
ing OF A single years dividend that might he neces-
sary to meet an expense would be amply repaid in
succeeding years by virtue Of increased receipts
resulting from additional traffic.
WHAT RAILROAD MEN SAY.
As tending to show the progress that has been
made on other lines as compared with the stand
still polcv OF the Manhattan Elevated, the follow
ing ouotatons from interviews obtained with lead
ing representative railway men will be source OF
interest
Vice-Presdent j. D. Laying. of the West Shore
Railroad said: I'VE have lighted our cars with gas
for the last twelve years SO far back as eight or
more years ago we made exhaustive examina-
ton OF the various methods of lighting. and from
the point Of view OF utility and cheapness we
discovered that an improved gas system Is In every
respect the most desirable for railway purposes.
We spent a great deal OF money IN introducing gas
into our cars but we have been fully repaid for
the outlay by subsequent saving OF money and the
knowledge that we had contributed to the comfort
OF our passengers. The use OF oil belongs to n
bygone age There is no argument that can justify
safer and more efficient methods. We were so
thoroughly imbued with this idea that even when
we were in the depth Of our financial struggles We
did not hesitate TO do away with oil lamps"
ALL EQUIPPED WITH GAS.
J. c. wager general superintendent of the Wagner
Car Company, said "All our modern cars are
fitted with approved gas-lghting plant. There
may be some few OF old cars that have oil
.amps stlll IN use Dut az soon as tHey are proush
to the repairing sheds gas .uninators are immedi
atey substituted. We make our own gas. and we
fird the principle simple and as feasible as the
filing and lighting of Oh amps.
J. s Merrill. general superintendent OF the Pull
man Palace Car Company said I'VE have used
gas in our cars as STANDARD method OF lighting
for the last five six years. While there are
severa systems in the market which We have tried.
there be no doubt that oil f. the worst, from
every point Of view. IL gives bad .ight there is
Objectionable smell, and the oil constantly drps
and spolls our carpets. OF course In some OF the
very long distance Journeys. we have resource
but to oil. But we long ago recognized the
necessity OF adopting better light. and now. by
compressing il in proper receptac.es carry
sufficient gas TO illuminate our cars for journey
occupying as long four nights"
GAS USED SINCE 1883
]. Olhausen general superinten OF the Central
Railroad OF New-Jersey. said: THE Pintsch gas
light has been IN this line since 1883 We