New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-03
RPOOELYN RAPID TRANSIT CHANGLS.

rho now transfer system on the Brooklyn
Ranid Transit lines went into force on Nedh's-
day. On the same day the price OF the com
nony's stock mt the Stock Exchange was III
creased nv several points Between the TWO
focts there was probably close connection. IL
seems To he generally agreed that the new sys-
tom will decrease the operating expenses or the
companv's lines. and that will naturally mean
an increase of net profits. He would he n poor
citizen who would not on general principles re-
ioice in the increasing prosperity Of so great an
industry. since its prosperity should conduce III
some degree 10 the general prosperity That IS
q rule that should hold good in the case OF every
legitimate business But If agreement be gen
cral as 10 the effect of the changes upon the
finances of the company II Is NOT so ID! any
means MS TO the effect upon the public comfort
7, ,vould no manifesty unjust 10 base final
Judgment of tho new system upon It's operation
for only n couple of days. We must. as Mr.
Rossjtcr we'll says, give it time to get TO work
inc smoothlv and for the public to get familiar
with If. He expresses confidence that theh IL
Will give better satisfaction than the Ola one
did We sincerely hope it will. And there IS
r,,,ch room for il 10 do So without even then
being by any means perfect. For the old sys-
tom ala NOT work in n manner satisfactory to
the public or creditable to the company hn'
r,o nor. svstom contains some obvious defects
against which complaint may properly be made
and which no smoothncss of running OF Ia'h'i-
,aritv on the part of the public will ever pallia'e
UapDilv they are. or most of them are. reW'o'"-
Bile without disturbing the general plan
1t IS. for example. n gratuitous hardShp io'
peoplc TO be compelled to climb long flights OF
\
resident Of one Of the outlying wards gets into
surface car and rides in as far as the TERMINUS
Of one Of the elevated roads. He Is then com
polcd 10 get ont and climb the stairs II lie wants
70 90 any further If he wants to come all the
way over 10 Manhattan OF even wen "oN"'o""
,r RroolIvn. no NAV be willing TO do so for the
sake of the more rapid progress presumably ~
lao ,,oda on tho elevated road. But II Is con
ccivablc that many who are III no particular
hurry would prefer spending n few more MN
utcs on the road TO climbing the SUITS 'o''
sid.r however. the ease of those who want 10
come only n little further. perhaps uo"c"
h,ocl,e To do so on the one fare they must
climb the long flight of stairs ana 'heh uo""
oaain If IS true that there u aiio'her S"'i'''
ear right there. owned 10y the same company
into which they cond get and be Drought Oh !"
thcir destination without any tlnlplhs' ''"' -
tbov do so they must pay their fares over again
The company will give them free transfer ~
lis elevated road, hut not to its surface TON"
oloncr the same street. That, we repeat. is III
unnecessary hardship upon the public ana
most serious one to those. and they are nhhaP
nuv NOT few. who are old or iniirm. ana VINO
cam climb stairs only with difficulty ana per-
hams with serious risk. The company shoud
transfers 10 the surface lines as well as W 'i'e
elevated roads or by putting mp passenger e'e-
votors NJ all such transfer stations.
If will also be a serious error II the huiilper Va
surface cars is reduced. as il has been lh''ha'cu
If will he No matter # mary of their patrons ale
transferred to the elevated roads, the surface
limos will still be crowded. There is no pre-
tencc that too many cars are now run LOT eon
voniencc on the streets. The same numper
! .hould then. be retained. even II there are
f,,var nassoncers To 90 otherwise would be 10
doc,,rc that the company does not care ior the
comfort Of its patrons but means to make 'hen
ride standing rather than run cars enough 10
civo thom seats And that is something we w
not wont 70 believe of the Brooklyn lelpd
Transit Company