New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-12

carried was 21OOOOOO0 but three years iateI
the first year Of the cable. 32oNo''" ~,
were carried on the surface Ihes Oh 'ns ~
The number carried last year was aoout 'l''-
100000. ,
The development OF the transfer system, com,
ing q IL did with the combination Oh 'he $50
separate roads. deserves monlenl 'n., ,,,,u
ton No transfers whatever were eNcn nm VII,
1887 In that year the Metropolitan Street hhH-
way gave 996,S11 transfers. Last year 'ne nu,n'
her ~ transfers given 10y th@ san ns nnm Th
reached the startling number Of 9ooouVo" are
officials of the Metropolitan company nave Hb-
ured It out that the number or transfers snT"
al the rush hours OF the day reduces 'ht i''u'-
vidual fare TO - * cents during those nous
The problem Of transit in New-i ORR mas az
WAYS been complicated 10y the shape oil 'he
island Its narrcwness ana its Length na'' ,,r
the things that have made II :" di,cu'' W W. -
vey such large numbers ~ persons oo"ht"Mh III
the morning and uptOW't ~ night. me ""'N VI
travel is i'm the same direction cGiuf va ,n ' ~,
hours f the day-tba' Is. from -" 10 '"'p ~
the morning and from 4.3U to ESQ IN the eVeh
ing II IS estimated that about three nundteu
and eighty thousand have To be carried down
town in the morning and back again IN lnc
evening every working day In most "'htI IH.h
cities the problem Of handling these vast mum
bers al the same hours * simplthed ny the lac.
that those cities are not long ana narrow, pul VI
a shape approximately circular the aNei'u'a VI
travel radiating from the hub or business 'eh''e'
DISTRIBUTION OF TRAVEL PLANNED
Strenuous efforts have been made 10y the sur
face and elevated roads 10 meet the demands
upon them. The Metropolitan company uhuer-
ground trolley systems have been intended 10
lessen the tax on the broadway line. Inc
Fourth-aVe. line taps the Broadway line at
Actor Place and is intended ultimately 10 run
10 the General Postofiice Building, ana TAP II
there TOO along with the Second ave cars.
The Eighth-ave trOlleys tap the BToauWd!
congestion at Canal-st. ana In the spring when
the line is completed. the SiXth-aVe. cars VIII
run TO South Ferry. ard take part OF tne
burden OF travel that IS now Imposed hlghiy
uDon the ca ble-cars at that noint. Ultimately
zoo the Second ave line is intended to run
cars down the East side over the route formerly
followed by the Second ave. horsecars to Fulton
St BY these means the uptown surface traNeI
Will. il is hoped. be divided more evenly between
the Eighth sixth. Fourth Third and Second
ave lines and the Broadway line. instead or pc
ing so largely concentrated upon the broadway
and Third-ave lines as at resent
And yet all these successive steps intended 10
facilitate travel have been met with the most
determined opposition. The Introduction OF the
horsecar to Broadway was fought mos' per
sistentlv: the substitution Of the cable line for
tho horse railway encountered similar obstacles,
and the installation Of the underound trolley
was fought with scarcely less de'ei"',"at.u" -!
citizens who seemed to II" persuadeh 'ha' 'i'
innovation would work irreparable INJURY I" 'ne"
business. and would certainly deterlora'" III.
value Of their property. the MeiropoHtai Sicr'
Railway Company had particularly hard ume
in getting permission to put in the Underground
trolley in Eighth-ave. At one time IT was hght-
ing about one hundred and nifty injunctions'
secured by citizens who were shedding tears
over the possibility that the dear old slow. DARK
and dirty horsecar would be supplanteG by the
swift clean. light and comparatively nClseless
underground trolley. II is difficult TO peIleNc,
now that il is all over. that those same protes-
tants would willingly 90 back To what mad To De
taken from them by legal process.
TLn Thrd-aye road ~ installing the under
ground trolley system sc rapidly az possible,
and the Metropolitan Street Railway Is engaged
in equipping its crosstown lines With The same
or with compressed air motors. and before long