New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-30
HE THINKS 1T WILL BE FUNNY
A BROOKLYN MAN WHO is sKEPTICAL
ABOUT THE BRIDGE SCHEME.
THE RENO TRAVELLING SIDEWALK AN ARRANdE-
MENr WITH LOTS OF PossIBILLTIEs-THE

THE RENO TRAVELLING SIDEWALK AN ARRANGE
MENT WITH LOTS OF PossIBILITIEs-THE
COMPANY GOING AHEAD
While the Reno inclined elevator sidewalk has
received the official sanction Of the Bridge trus-
tees for trial purposes only. there are many sKep
tIcal people who believe that the new-iangieu
labor-saving arrangement Will cause trouble
when II Is built 1t is not expected 10 result III
fatalities but the complications to when IL may
give RISE such tipping people of their equi-
librium at unexpected times, and causing hur's
and other things. to say nothing OF other causes
for profanity during rush hours. are FEATURES Oh
Bridge travel which will have to be taken into
consideration. But the company Is soi"s iis"'
ahead and time will tell.
The company has not yet filed It's $4,000 indem-
nifty bond. but is expected to do so in few days.
and will begin work soon afterward. Inc posi-
bility Of accidents is a question which apparently
does not bother either Engineer Martin OF the
Bridge or President Reno Of the company build
ing the new arrangement
The plan is all right" Mr.. Reno said yester-
day. by exercising ordinary care no one need
have any sort OF a mishap. One can just step on
and then step of al the top without the slightest
trouble It's all very simple"
so II is that the sidewalk Is commended by Its
simplicity That is what everybody says who Is
at all interested in the scheme. But there Is at
least one old man in town who thinks he can
get fun from the early trials OF the sidewalk
than the circus can furnish in week AS ex-
planned In The Tribune yesterday, the sidewalk
Is an inclined corrugated surface working on
rollers and propelled by an electric motor placed
underneath the middle Of the stairway. Railings
will be erected for the passengers to steady then-
selves during the ascent. The stairway VIII
move slowly, of course. and when II reaches the
level II disappears underneath on the return trip
and the passenger steps off, providing he does
not forget himself
That's Just where the difficulty comes In" said
the unbeeving old man. IF you are not GRIP
pie or don't forget yourself. you're all right
Suppose said l to Mr. Martin. that cripple
gets on during the evening push. say ne wears
crutches and cannot move fast enough lie
teaches the top His feet stop. and the mo-
mentum carries the upper part of him onward
Where will he find himself? on his face.
What did Mr. Martin say to that was asked
'He said that would be the crippe's lookout
But he might get hurt and bring SUIT .
Then that will be the companys AFFAIR, saiu
Mr.. Martin.
well was the reply. serious accidents might
happen: people might get crushed.
How? was asked.
We'll said the old man, and MIR. Martin be-
came Interested men and women are forgetlu.
Suppose two or three OF them should step on az
the bottom and get TO talling-forget all ABOUT
when II get OF The sidewalk disappears the
crowd Is pushing Ike mad from behind. and Ike
the cripple down they 90 in heap. The posi-
bnties ore not pleasant. Two Or three a ,Sp,.,
and those coming up from below fall over therl
out Of sheer inability 10 keep their feet or get
out OF the way. Result: You have bulwark
OF writing humanity. men and women kicking
and screaming and still others coming up ana
pitching over the mass like water over Niagara
Falls Why sir II would be funny In some cases.
and some people would see display euch as
they had never seen before; but there would be
damage suits galore. ~--
did Mr. Martin see II that way?
ibid not seem TO-" the answer. lie
grinned a saturnine grin. and said the Reno
company would look out for that But let me-
tell you that sidewalk. when II comes. VIII be
one Of the sights Of NewYork. And n they
should erect n grand stand on the platform
above seats would sell at a high premium until
the novelty wore of. Then most people would
walk up just for the exercise.