New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-13
THE BRIDGE DEFICIT.
RAILROAD PEOPLE SAY THAT 1T Is BE-
CAUSE ECONOMY Is NOT OBSERVED.
GREATLY REDUCED EXPENSES PREDICTED
WHEN ELEVATED CARS BEGIN TO CROSS
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. PEG
PILE WILLING TO TAKE THE
MANAGEMENT AND
MAKE MONEY


The growing dissatisfaction over the deficit OF
81 800 a day in the operation OF the Brooklyn Bridge
brought about by the crossing of the trolleys and
the consequent diversion Of nickes from the Bridge
10 the troleys' treasures has caused hnancial
condition which demands early action by the
proper authorities. The managers OF the trolley
companies seem TO realize this as well as any one.
and a Tribune reporter was told yesterday after
noon that the city could bring about change
whenever It saw ht While the publication OF the
name OF the official would be breach OF faith II
can he asserted truthfully that he represents the
controlling interest in the largest OF the trolley
systems What he said was this:
..It e perfectly true that the city is losing Sl5C
a dav on the Bridge at present, but when the
nroper officials get tired OF this growing defc!t oil
they have got to do is TO say so and the railroad
COMPANIES will relieve them Of their embarrass-
nent. The Bridge has not been economically man
aged and the railroad people are In position TO
demonstrate that as soon as they have chance
When the city gets tired Of its expensive Bridge
and saws so a company will he formed in twenty
four hours time which will make proposition TO
the city 10 take the Bridge or It's hands under
d proper lease. and so manage 1t that 1t snail not
be managed at loss
What II the officials in charge decide TO make
the railroad companies pay double tolls in order to
decrease the dehcit?' the official was asked.
"If such a thing was done without giving
compensatng offsets, the trolley people would take
their cars off the Bridge We are In the field 10
make money and willing 10 listen 10 reason.
but We are just much averse 10 a balance on
the wrong side Of the ledger as the city is. The
,resent terms on which the railroad companies
r,n their cars across the Bridge. that is. cents
II car for trolleys and 1919 cents for elevated cars
were agreed because they were regarded as fair
rate The trolley companies cannot afford to pay
more than this without being allowed 10 charge
The passengers more than the customary fare
hat he
,or ,ha trolleys 10 charge extra fare. but the
more the matter discussed the moro clearly
II was realized that free ride across the Bridge
would be a most popular arrangement That Is
what the people are getting al present and II
their free ride is taken away you will hear from
them
Secretary Beams estimate OF a yearly deficit OF
$500 OcO which was published in The Tribune and
other papers few days ago is grossly Inaccurate
Mr. Beam bases his figures upon present conditions
which will be radically changed as soon as the eIe-
waited cars get 70 running across the Bridge AT
,resen. the Bridge managers are compelled TO
ful quota Of trains the Bridge with greatly
reduced number OF passengers AS soon as Inc
elevated trains begin TO cross the Bridge they will
run 30 many cars in the busy parts OF the day that
the Bridge cars will be done away with entirely. In
The middle OF the day doubt the Bridge managers
will find II necessary 10 run few trains between
the elevated tran bat there will De no headway
room lor Bridge trains after the elevated trains
begin running in the rush hours. II is perfectly
easy TO see that soon a. this takes place the
Bridge can cut down IT'S exptn@e for manning and
operating trains at least rs per cent and. Instead
OF the deficit being 10000 (, vii! probably be less
than $3.50 go This sum does benefit the trolley
people but is distributed among thousands OF
Bridge patrons VINO used 10 pay an extra fare for
crossing the Bridge. but VINO now rae across vi
the troley-csrs free Of charge 49,.
The operation OF trolley-ears across the Btute
continues 10 be an Interesting spectacle 10 peoPIe
who have made study Of transportation on that
structure The trolley record was broken on !hui
day evening when in hour z5S cars Went over
ana oack making one for every fourteen see
onds The legal limit OF 10 feet between cads ss
disreearticd and the troileys ran as close as the
moormen cared 10 make them Inc brloxe . man,
arers DO not conceal their fear that on some ZOE
morning after the elevated cars get 10 running
scros. there viii be bad accidents BY the use OF