New-York tribune., 1899-01-02
AIMING INSULT TO INJURY.

Mr. Edward Iauterbach ought to go over 10
BROOKLYN and tell the residents OF that DoToueh
who hive had extended experience with trolley
cars. how much safer they are for pedestrians
than the old-fashioned horsecars. That Is, ne
ought 10 go II he really wants 70 convince peo-
ule that he believes what he says. for Il be
urcached Il 10 the relatives OF the many vlctlms
ot the Brooklyn trolleys there IS danger that he
might have chance 10 put his steadfastneSs
in that faith 10 the test or recant IN the nelgh-
borhood Of lamppost Everybody knows thal
Mr.. Lauterbach is the attorney ior the IhiTd
Avenue Railroad Company. which is bound that
Ar,sferdam-ave. shall be filed up with four
track. for rapidly moving ears. Everybody ex-
rec-s him 10 work and lobby 10 carry through
this corporations scheme In spite OF popular op-
posit!on and regardless OF the danger 10 people
living on the line Of the avenue. Nobody IS sur
n-ised when he sends 10 Albany as he did las
winter. and sidetracks bill 10 protect the peo-
nle who use Amsterdam-ave. But there IS
limit 20 patience even with so clever an attor-
nev as Mr. Lauterbach. and IL Is nearly reached
Wien he begins 10 talk such unmugated non
sense as that with which he tries TO fool people
into thinking his deathtrap an improvement
which ought 10 be welcomed.
Mr. Lauterbach saws that four trolley tracks
II a street are safer than the same tracks used
for horsecars because a horsecar cannot b.
stoned within thrice its own length. and the
cahle-cars are almost as difficult TO check. while
an undereround--rolley ear can be stopped in
stautly and even backed In an appropriate time.
Now. II Mr. Lauterbach knows anything be
knows that q cabe-car goes much faster than
horsecar while its appliance for stopping Is
handbraEc as IS that OF hOrsecar The
greater the speed the greater the difficulty OF
stouplng ana IL Is impossible that a ca ble-ca-
going ~ full speed should be stopped as quick
IL as a horsccar with similar brake. When.
therefore. Mr. Lauterbach says the cable-car IS
"air1o<t as difficult 10 check" he opers himself
70 a suspicion OF trying 10 confuse and suppress
the truth When ne talks about stopping
trollev-car instantly he simply talks about i'm
possibilities. for a body moving az the rate the
rourth-ave cars go cannot be stopped Instantly
or anything Ike Il.
Nj Iauterbachs special pleading will not
meet the facts Of common experience. II is easy
20 say that accidents were many with four
horsecar tracks. while only one has occurred
with the trolley in Amsierdam-ave. Bur II Is
matter beyond dispute that fas,moving We
h,cles are more dangerous than slow ones and
the circumstance OF Mr.. Leuterbach's one troll
lev accident with two tracks points 10 four
TRACKS making a perfect slaughter-pen. The boy
he tells OF ran In front OF one car from behind
onother. That is constant danger In all our
streets with our present rapid transit. A per
son alghting from car and starting TO cross
hehind II requires great watchfulness and pres
encc OF mind 10 avoid stepping on the other
track IN front Of car whose approach has been
ILL. he hc loft do
two tracks put two others, and the need OF care
is more than doubled
A "Trip up the Bowery on crowded night is
now enough 10 keep ones heart IN hls mouth.
A car comes along on the Inner track and stops