New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-20
OFFICIAL ACTION TAKEN.
THE sIDE-DOOR TROLLEY CARS con-
DEMNED AT PUBLIC MEETING
local IMPROVEMENT BOARDS CALI. FOR An
ORDINANCE FoRBIDDING THEIR USE BE-
TWEEN OCTOBER AND MAY /
THE COMPANY PROMISES

TIL: COMPANY PROMISES
IMPROVEMENTS.
The first move was made yesterday a''ei"'V"
toward securing an ordinance prohp"'"e Wv
usc OF side-door combination uoiles
cold weather. After a public nearing III w
Rrooklvn Borough Hall the Boards or hoca,
improvements. which hsd inv' '''
the following resolutions 49,
..pesolved That the Board recomnehu ''''
.ho President prepare and present an oru''i"'''e
.. Tho N1nnicipal Assembly prohibiting inc use
-, ,hesc combination open cars between Oc'ooe'
/ and May euoa
rhs ola Common Council Chamber was nIieu
with urotestants from Bath Beach D''
hourne Lcffert's Park and other SUBURBS "'0S
the lines OF the Nassau system Eo"a'u ~.
circuit, President Of the Borough was III ','e
~..t- delegation was present from the
womans Health Protective Association con-
s,stinr Of Mrs James Scrmseour' MIS-. Cal''"
Dixie and Mrs. James Hart
At 1870 p m. Secretary stevenson ie"u
run,her OF protests that had been preseh'eu'
Then Henry Yonse. counsel to the Nassau oo','
panv. was allowed to present the raiiroao SUI
~ the case He said that the comoinauoh V"'
Was first suggested 10y the necessity loi ca
that could be quickly filed at the Park 10"
he said supplied that want. and did away WIN
the rushing and crowdng which accompanied
the use of the old style Of closed car.
In answer TO the complaint that half the pas
ssneers have 10 ride backward in the comoina-
,Ion car Mr. Yonge said that in the OLD style
q, car every passenger was obliged to rlde slue-
wise and with every Jolt of the car TO Jostle
against his ncighbor. He insisted that no az
vantage accrued to the company. because OF tne
,ac, that in the new car fifty passengers couio
no seated instead OF only twenty-four. IL SIM
nlv enabled people who formerly had TO s'anu
10 have seats. Mr. Yonge said that the sea'
ON the platforms were enjoyed by passengers
even in cool weather. especially by men WIZ
wished 10 smoke. and that several new ue'''Ve
had been introduced into the car thaI "ouN
disarr criticism that had been wei loulueN'
Ono If the objections he said. was that pas
seneers along the route had been Obliged 10
open the doors Of the cars themselves Inc
cor,nanv had found a device which enabled the
conductor standing on the platform 10 open an"
close each door leading to the several 'orhpa'V
rnonts The danger to fingers ny the suuue'1
closing II the heavy doors was 10 ne ooNla''"
~. tho nlacing Of rubber tubes against the door
lambs so that even if the door struck the mana
!, would not iniure it, As to the drippings oi
from
no prevented by the use Of cutters. The dill
Guilty about the location Of straps for ringing
nm transfers and stopping the car would be pre-
vented by placing additional straps and ropes
on tho outside of the car The company would
,,,oet an, possible criticism on the score OF I'M
nroper ventilation OF the cars by the introdu'-
tom NJ the usual style Of car ventilators Inc
rubber pads would also prevent the loud Dang
ing noise against which there was so much
complaint
Mr.. Yonee said that car completely equipped
with these new devices stood on sidetrack
near the Borough Hall He invited the fresl-
dent and members of the Municipal Assembly
n visit the car and the operation OF those
devices Mr. YonGe said that the steps or the
car were not higher than ordinary steps ana
we're Of the usual height OF the steps or sum-
NOR cars Mr. Grout expressed the opinion
that the steps were entirely too high. and a
number Of citizens present asserted that the
steps were too high for convenience or saieN'
II : Butler a signer Of one Of the petitions,
read letter from a Nassau Railroad con-
ductor. who was afraid TO attend for rear that
he would lose his place. In this letter 1t was
stated that at a secret meeting OF the con-
ductors II was decided 10 protest In the name
Of humanity against the use OF the cars. he
said that the men were injured at times ana
were often made III by exposure. Mr.. Butler
said that he had frequently examined cor
ductors and found them wet to the skin Mt
Yonge denied an ntimation In the communlca-
ton from the conductor TO the effect that they
were being inundated to keep quiet
Alderman Stewart made hopeless sort OF
address in which he stated that it was useless
70 pass ordinances. as the railroad companies
owned the city and declined to observe them
Alderman James J. Bridges rpade one OF his
impassoned Mrs Malaprop addresses. in Whlcn
he said that If the use Of these cars was con
tinued nearly the entire population would ne
taken down with ammonia"
Edward F. Linton attempted 10 defend the
Nassau road. He said the criticisms OF those
who We're denouncng the Nassau system were
the criticisms Of tn people who ride in coaches.
He thought the Nassau company had done a
whole lot for the city. and should be met hal'
way. Mr.. Lintons speech was long and Pres
idcnt Grout had to call him to order several
times for wandering from the subject in hand.
Several other people spoke. assailng the cars
with evident feeling. one Bath Beach man
said.
we prefer yellow fever to these cars"
Councilman Doyle said that he had got into
one Of the Al Fort Hamilton the night be-
fore. and found that four of the doors were
wide open. and he nearly froze. till he asked the
conductor &c close the doors. None OF the
Councllmen or Aldermen present had the hardi-
hood 10 vote against Alderman Doyle's resou-
tion except Councilman Comfy.