The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-02
O"VERCROWDED OPEN CARS
RESULTS OF HKAJTH INgPBOT0Rs'
INTERPOLATION.

l.56O gtanding PASSENGERS Counted IN Bread.
way Cars In 1--WE Houra-0B In . single Gar
ga standiuG Passengers In one Third Ave-
nue. Car - Open Cars Also Overcrowaea.
The public complaints Of the overcrowding
Of the open cars of the broadway and Third ave-
nue. cable lines caused the Health Board re-
Gently to institute an investigation Of tho evil.
1t was begun a fortnight ago by inspectors act
Ing under orders from President Wilson, and as
q result tho officials Of the roads win be asked
to confer with the health authorities with q
view Of adopting measures to lessen the evil and
remove the danger of injury to passengers,
which Ia a constant menace under the present
system.
Inspectors were stationed at the danger
points Of the Broadway, Columbus avenue, and
Lexington avenue lines. Those danger points
are Dead Mans Curve" at Fourteenth street:
broadway and Twenty. third street, where the
Lexington avenue and Broadway and Columbus
avenue lines intersect, and the curves at Fifty
third street and Seventh and Ninth avenues.
On the Third avenue line the points observed
were principally at Forty-second street. In
spectors also investigated the overcrowding Of
horse cars at Fifty ninth street and other points
fTesidcnt Wilson had, a big batch OF reports
fsat mn him ,G yesterday, Taon q, ne EN- maize dep pubic the
eating the overcrowding of street cars. The
inspectors all agreed that the worst point was
tho Lexington avenue and main lines OF the
Broadway road iptersect. On June 10, during
two hours when the traffic was greatest, the in.
spectors reported that 1850 passengers wcro
standing in 1875 north-bound open cars. There
were 90 passengers standing in one of these
Instance. Three. hundred and s~ixty-one passen.
gers were standing in SO cars that went north
day. Thirty more open cars that passed On
Sixth avenue at Twenty.third street during two
hours had 200 passengers standing. On the
cars passed with 66S passengers standing. Tho
most c,owded car had IS standing passengers.
At Eighth avenue and tffty-ninth street dur
ing two hours 20 open cars passed with 223 pas
sengers standing.
On June % a second count was made on
when 20 cars passed in a given time with $50
pasSengers standing. At the same time 80 cars
passengers hanging on to rails and the backs OF
seats. On the Third avenue line 70 open cars
packed standing between tho crowded seats.
Twenty-threo passengers were standing in one
passed Twenty. third street with 1877 pasecn.
gers standing; At the Eifty.ninlh street cross.
ing on Eighth avenue 20 cars passed with 1854
A third observation was taken ON June rs,
when lo4 cars swept around Dead Mans Curve
Twenty.t5ird street ioE PI cars vent A around The
Lexington avenue line curve, loaded with !. 100
standing passengers. Forty-seven cars rounded
the Fifty-third street curve with $50 passen-
gers standing, and on the Third avenue line AT
Forty-second street ~ cars passed on which
152 standing passengers were counted.
The inspectors reported that most of this over.
crowding arose from the fact that no definite
rules were observed as to the number OF pas
sengers permitted to board the cars. In the
open cars. OF course, there were no straps to
cling TO, unless the luckleSs passengers grabbed
the rope that rings the fare register, which
would have brought on a revolution. The in
speCtors found that IL. U~vcrcTowding could lie
controlled II the number OF passengers carried
were limited by the conductor.
The matter of the overcrowding will be dis
cussed in connection with the consultation as 10
the best means OF abating the dangers Of round
ing the curves OF tho cable roads. II was re-
ported yesterday that a suggestion might be
made that the companies cause straps to 70
placed IN the open care, 80 that passer gers who axe
Compelled to stand may have some means OF
saving thcir necks when travelling on the cars