New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-11
SAVE AMSTERDAM AIENiE.

The public ordinarily has no Interest IN the
sduabblcs Of the two great surface street rail
way companies Of this city, but il may r"a-
sonably object TO being made IN" victim OF
these railway managers chickering's and I'M
Willingness to agree on anything. II Their" were
any good reason why both the Metropolitan
Traction and the Third Avenue lines should nave
separate tracks in AmSterdam-ayc. the dan
ger and annoyance nigh, be endured aS one OF
the necessary evils Of the transportation Situa-
lion. But when the duplication Of tracks i vi
,e-,y unnecessary. and all the traffic Of both
roads can be- handled over one set or TRACKS I'r
the companies 10 insist upon putting down Two
sets simply because their rivalry Is 100 hlti'r
for a friendly meeting and arrangement Tor
common occupancy is Ia display an inPul"ht
disregard Of public welfare which would ID"
astonishing had 1t not too frequently scrun'
characteristic.
II Is not sufficient for the companies To IAN
back on their present right To maintain Two
horScrar tracks each. The conditions with cleo
,rc-cars will he entirely different The old cars
went M n slow rate gave plenty OF notice 81
their presence. and everybody had nmpl" OPP
portuniiv 10 get ont OF their way. The horse
car tracks occupied the street AMI made II
unavailable FOR other traffic far less than would
electric lines which took mp the same space"
To turn a street like Amstertlam-aye Into an
electric railroad channel with a bare twelve feet
of roadway on either side OF the tracks would
be IN outrage upon public convenience when
no technical authority on the part OF lis per
petrators would in the least excuse. II would
be bad enough If the four tracks were neces-
sary. If they are put down, it will he sim
plv because the railroad companies are stohdIy
Indifferent TO anything but their own petty
we will not say interests. for there are appar-
emily no interests worthy OF the name involved
but their own petty jcalousies. The two roads
are rivals and 1t is believed that one seeks 10
break the other down in order To control II
chcaply Therefore they are AZ war and Will
ing 10 sacrifice all their patrons. II union ever
is brought about. two Of the tracks VIII he an
elephant on somebody's hands. If the lines re-
main independent. there is no reason why they
should not work together NJ this particular
pont Nothing but their unwillingncss TO nego-
,iatp seems 70 stand in the way.
The Board Of Aldermen has done all in lis
power To save the people Of Amstcrdam-aNe
from this nncton. The Board Of Education
secs in it a menace 10 the lives OF IN" school
children who are much more likely to get
frightened and hurt in crossing four tracks than
in crossing two The Fire Department com
plains that it's work will be made NOR" difficult
bv filling the roadway with unnecessary OBJ
s,ruc,ions. The people are aroused ana de
handing some relief. Certainly II would he
more becoming for the companies to heed these
apppals than To stand on the letter of the law
and say TO the people Of this city that they have
not the slightest care for their interests. and
confess that little business spite weighs more
with them than the welfare Of the city from
whoso concessions they draw rich revenues.