New-York tribune., 1900-01-08
THE CITY'S RAILROADS.
REPORT OF COMMISSION ON SYSTEMS
OF TRANSPORTATION

OF TRANSFORMATIONS.
BENEFITS DERIVED FROM INTRODUCTION
OF THE THIRD RAII-RECoMMEN-
DATIoNs REGARDING SUR
FACE LINES.
Albany. Jan. THE conditions Of the elevated
and surface roads in New-York and Brooklyn
form large part Of the report of the Railroad
Commission. The report is to be presented to
the Legislature this week. The most notable
circumstance from the point OF view of the
public in the last year in connection with ele-
waited railroads of the State says the report. is
that to a considerable extent the motive power
of those in the Borough of Brooklyn has been
changed from steam to the third rail electrical
system. The third rail, carrying the power. is
in the form of an ordinary 'T rail. from which
the electricity is transmitted to the motors by
shoes projecting from the side of the motor car,
connected by wires with the motors. in much
the same manner as the electricity is conveyed
from an overhead trolley wire to the motors in
car. The work of equpping the remainder of
the lines in Brooklyn is going on, and it is ex-
pected that in the coming summer all of the
elevated lines there will be operated by cleo
tricity.
Several of the railroads In Brooklyn which in
past years have been operated by steam have
been converted to the overhead electrical trolley
system.
It is understood that the Brooklyn elevated
railroad companies are controlled by the
companies which control the street surface rail-
roads in Brooklyn. and they have been operated
in connection with the surface roads. This oper-
alton has in some matters led to vigorous COM
plants from citizens.
BENEFITED BY ELECTRICITY.
The Manhattan railway in New-York is pre-
pairing to change its motive power from steam
to electricity. third rail system. 1t is likely that
operation by electricity will benefit the COM
panies through economies which such operation
will render possible. People living along the
routes of these railroads will be benefited by
the removal Of the annoyances caused by the
operation of locomotive steam engines. and it is
probable that the travelling public will be bet
| ter satisfied with the accommodations enabled
to be offered through such operation
! Several accidents, causing a stoppage Of cars
! on that part of the Brooklyn system oper-
ated by electricity have occurred. In one case,
on the Brooklyn Union Company's line passen-
gers started to walk from the to a station
along a footpath which not protected by a
hand rail- The cars started in the mean time.
! and person who had tried TO board the last
! car and was clinging to the gate brushed against
several Of those on the footway, hurting them to
! the street resulting in the death Of two and
| injury Of several others AS the result Of an in
vestigation of this occurrence by an electrical
| expert. the Board recommended that the entire
line of the Brooklyn Union Elevated Railroad
be equipped with hand rails the sides Of the
structure. The company notified to the Board
that it would comply with this recommendation.
At the time of writing this report the matter
! of the complaint of residents Of the Borough
| of The Bronx against the Manhattan Railway
Company as to it's failure to construct its rail-
road from its present terminus at One-hundred-
and-seventy -seventh-st. and Tremont-ave- north
ward to Bedford Park and vicinity is pending
before the Board.
STATISTICS OF THE ROADS.
The total number Of passengers carried by the
elevated railroads in the year ending June 30
1899 was 213 248419 decrease OF 1452S,193
as compared with 1898. This decrease is in
large part accounted for by the returns Of the
Brooklyn Elevated Railroad Company. and its
successor, the Brooklyn Union Elevated Rail
road Company which covered only a part Of
nine months, the other three months statistics
being included in the report Of the Brooklyn
| Heights Surface Railroad Company. The num-
Der carried by the Manhattan Railway Company
was ia, ,324575. a decrease Of 9.0S6,271, as COM
pared with 1898.
elevated railroads for the year ending June 30.
1899. follows: Brooklyn Union (nine
months), killed, { injured, of whom killed
and injured were employees. Kings County
Elevated, killed. injured Of whom injured
were employees.
Manhattan elevated: Eight killed, 8 injured
of whom killed and injured were employees
| Total of killed, 49, injured. 20.
The report Of street surface roads shows that
the number carried in the boroughs OF The
Bronx and Manhattan, including transfers, was
500 314 SIC, an increase over 1898 Of 02,3ol Oo5
The number carried in the Borough Of Brooklyn
Gncluding some carried in the Borough OF
Queens), including transfers, and including
those carried in the last three months OF the
year by the Brooklyn Union Elevated Railroad
was 238, 721 ,051.
THE BOARDS RECOMMENDATIONS.
The recommendations of the Board relative
to surface railroads in New-York and Brooklyn
are pertinent, because If adopted they Will ma
teria1ly assist in stopping the crowding OF cars:
FTrst-Every streetcar which crosses a steam
/ railroad at grade shall be equipped with red nag
for use during day and red lantern Tor use at
night. When approaching such crossing the car
shall come to a full stop at least thirty feet from
! the crossing, and snail not proceed until the con-
/ ductOr has gone upon the steam railroad carry
ing the flag lantern. and after ascertan1ng that
the way is clear. given the proper signal for the
car to proceed. :,
Second~That where two streetcar lines