New-York tribune., 1899-12-31
PRAISE FOR B. R. T.
RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS REPORT ON
BROOKLYN COMPLAINTS.
OPERATING THE LONGEST AND MOST COM
PI.EX SYSTEM OF STREET RAILWAYS
IN THE WORLD"-SOME CHANGES

PIEN SYSTEM OF STREET RAILWAYS
IN THE woRLD"-soME CHANGES
SUGGESTED
Albany Dec 30-The State Board Of Rail-
road Commissioners to-day made its report
in the matter of the complaints lodged against
the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company by
ISOLATED bodies and citizens Of South Brooklyn,
together with miscellaneous grievances regard
ing the operation OF the system. The COM
plants which deal with the affairs Of Flushing
Corona and adjacent places not considered
in this report which says in part:
At the outset il is not improper to say that
the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company Is en-
gagged in the herculean and difficult task OF
operating the longest and most complex system
OF street railways in the world. covering total
length of j0I miles The geography Of the ter
ritory and the peculiar convergence of almost
every one of the car lines. surface or elevated,
toward the common centre OF the borough and
10 the Brooklyn Bridge add greatly to what
would be normal perplexties of any equally ex-
tcnsive system. but even these are added to by
the contiguity OF the vast borough OF Manhat
tan formerly the old city of New-York. No
perfect and satisfactory system Of operation
and accommodation, either TO the public or the
TRANSFORMATION company, can be devised and
most certainly no permanent relief afforded to
the public until some Of the projected new
tunnels or bridges between the two boroughs
are constructed. The people will best and most
efeCtually aid themselves to this end by lend
ing their earnest influence to the prosecution OF
these projects. In respect to these complaints
Of insufficient cars, IT may be said and II is the
fact. that there is not. and not likely TO he in
Manhattan Borough and Brooklyn for many
Years. a time when all cars will be otherwise
than overcrowded during the morning and
evening hours II real rapid transit is required
AZ the same time. II there were fewer cars
running the rapid movement OF all would be
facilitated.
EQUIPMENT IN GOOD CONDITION.
As to the complaints of uncIean cars the COM
pany sweeps out each car at the end Of each
irlD and washes out each when II Is run on
AZ night. Concerning the unclean or nsanitary
condition Of the stations, the Board of Health Of
BROOKLYN recently examined and reported on
this subject and found such complaints un-
founded Concerning the character OF the con-
dltion OF the tracks and equipment of the COM
yany the Board finds that the tracks on every
principal line in the borough OF Brooklyn are
of excellent quality and construction, and are
maintained in good condition. In few outlying
localities in some Of which the streets are badly
paved or wholly unpaved, the tracks are not in
first class condition. About ~ per cent OF the
company's total mileage is in first class order.
With respect 10 the rolling stock the COM
panys surface car equipment is equal In quality,
comfort and condition to that Of any other COM
pany Of which this Board has knowledge. in any
civ Most Of the cars of modern pattern,
and almost. II not quite, new. and all are well
lighted and warmed in winter by electricity.
The management OF the company is earnest IN
i,s efforts 70 afford facilities to the more than
3l50OOOO0 passengers which it now is and will
hereafter be called upon annually 10 accommo-
date No other street railway managers have
ever grappled with so difficult problem. and
there is much to be wrought out by experiment
and practical demonstration through results
The handling Of the vast multitude Of people
who in the summer will pass over these lines
from the borough OF Manhattan and communl-
ties using Brooklyn literally as highway to
Coney Island and the scores OF other seaside or
rural resorts on Long Island promises TO give
the company not merely vast amount Of bust
ness and revenue but TO bring before IL some
operating problems Of the first magnitude.
RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE BOARD.
The Board has incidental to this present in
vestgaton and report, given attention 10 this
question Of next summers traffic for the reason
that il would have been unw1se and insufficient
10 have made orders which might have relieved
conditions at this time, but which would have