New-York tribune., 1900-07-29
TERRORS OF THE STREET.
REMEDY SUGGESTED FOR THE CARS
CONSTANT MENACE TO LIVES
OF PEDESTRIANS.

roads do the most business and overhead
surface and subway lines will vie with
other in affording swifter and swifter transpor-
tation for years TO come. At the same time the
population of the city grows rapidly. and the
congestion Of the business centres increases
many fold skyscrapers steadily take the
place of four and five story buildings. But the
streets grow wider. They remain the same
as when the clty's population small, COM
pared what 1t is. and mere trife to what
# viii be The number of passengers carried
in the streetcars Of New-York last year was
about 53OO000O0 In five years from now, ex-
perts declare, 750000000 win not be too large
an estimate Trucks cabs. carriages and auto
mobiles also constantly increase in numbers.
How will these vast crowds be transported IS
q question for railway men to wrestle with
How will the pedestrian of the near future
get across our narrow, traffic chOked streets
without losing his limbs his life is prob
lem which already confronts the municipality.
That the man in the car is now safer
than the man in the street IS recognized by
many Of the accident insurance companies. For
a stated premium these companies agree to pay
their policy holders a stated sum for accidental
injury under almost any condition Of modern
city life. but for exactly the same premium
they viii agree TO pay double that sum should
the accident happen to the policy holder while
difficulty and danger attending walk through
the streets Of New-Yorll is advertised by the
jokemakers. Brooklyn's professional baseball
PLAYERS are better known the Trolley
Dodgers than ny any other name; and Taude-
willie actors nightly twist their necks almost of
and strain their eyebals in looking four ways at
once as they caricature. for the amusement OF
country audiences, the men and women who
must cross Broadway in the shopping hours
our miseries joke. Our jokes cover
tragedies The situation seems to be growing
constantly worse. But it only seems. For after
all there is a remedy.
SOME OF THE WORST SPOTS
How badly this remedy IS needed almost any
one can see who takes his stand during the
rush hours of any business day at. say, Four
teenth-st. and Broadway. Fourteenth-st. and
Fourth-ave Fourteenth-st. and SiXth-ave.
Twenty-third-st. and Broadway, Twenty-thlrd-
st and Sxth-ave, Broadway, SiXth-ave. and
Thrty-fourth-st Forty-secOnd-st and Broad
way Forty-second-st and NIsdison-ave., Forty
second-st and Sixth-ave., Fifty-ninth-st. and
Sixth-aye.. Fifty-ninth-st and Eighth-ave.
Fifty-ninth-st. and Columous-ave., Fifty-third-
ST. and Columbus-aye.. One-hundred- and-twen-
ty-hfth-st and Third-ave.. Grand-st. and the
Bowery. Houston-st. and the Bowery. Canal-st
and the Bowery. Park Row and the Bridge en-
trance Park Row and Beekman-st., or at a
dozen other street corners where four tracks
cross or four tracks run parallel
A pedestrian literally takes his life in his
hands when he tries to cross from one side of
the street to the other at these points when
traffic is at high tide. Cars at him from
the north cars come him from the south. and
from the east and from the west at the same
time, While agitateG drivers, spying an open
ing between these cars urge their horses on. re-
gardless Of the pedestrian, regardless of the
baby carriage, regardless Of almost everything
which, is not heavier and stronger than the
vehicles they stand
Some Of the spots here specified more
dangerous than others, Of course. Those where
four tracks run parallel, as in the Bowery and
Park Row. place in imminelt peril any one who
wants to board or leave car on either Of the
inner tracks The space between cars is too
narrow to stand in. unless a man is shaped like
a lath and has nerves as steady as "Steeple
Bob's.' Car men. whose chief duty is to make
time" viii not wait for passengers unless those
passengers are standing where they can climb
aboard without a moments delay; therefore 1t
is necessary TO stand upon the outer track
while waiting for a The inner track. and
trust TO Providence to keep you from being
inner track car arrives. providence, beng over
worked in this city, frequently fails to do what
is expected Of it in this emergency.
Broadway and Fourteenth-st. won its grew
some nickname Of Dead Mans Curve" because
OF the speed with which the took the sharp
curve there and ran people who thought
they had time enough to get across in safety.
At Broadway and TWenty-third-st some Broad
way cars turn off to the east for Lexington
ave, some continue in Broadway. and the cross
town cars in Twenty-third-st. add TO the maze
which six tracks make for the pedestrian TO
thread his way through.
Six tracks also keep the pedestrian guessing
at SiXth-ave. and Fifty-uinth-st Here some of
the SiXth-aVe. cars turn east along Fifty ninth
St, turn west to Columbus-aVe., while
the Fifty -ninth-st. crOsstOwn cars dash among
them all like weaVers' shuttles. It takes a
quick eye TO detect which way a is going to
shoot that corner before il is late TO
get out of The way Of the yellow meteor. Eighth
ave. and Fifty -ninth-SJ. also presents similar
difficulties
ave. cars and the Fifty-ninth-st. cTosstown cars
are there augmented Icy the Boulevard cars. As
Eighth-ave. is asphalted il is popuIous with bicy-
clsts. AS the entrance 70 the Park at that point
is one much used by those who ride on horse
Dack- SPIRITED horses made nervous bY mnch
changing Of car gOngs pTance about the wor-
ried pedestrian who seeks to cross the street
without being run down by trolley or bicycle.
Among ell these swiftly moving terrors he
feels like beetle that has blundeTed into a
Matchmaking machine.
REMEDIES SUGGESTED.
II has been suggested that the municipality
ought TO construct bridges from curb to curb
over these and the other crossings mentioned,
where almost similar conditions prevail in order
that those citizens who do not feel able will
ing to ircur the risk OF crossing at the street
level might climb up, walk above the hury
burly and then climb down again But a serious
objection To this plan IS the obstruction which
the bridges would present to light and air and
traffic On the sidewalk Such a bridge crossed
Broadway at Fulton-st more than quarter OF
n century ago. but Knox. the halter. procured
its removal. through the aid Of the courts be
cause II deprived his store Of light.
To a Tribune reporter man Of affairs who
has made a study Of transportation by street
railroads made the suggestion yesterday that
tunnels under the street from curb 10 curb at
these dangerous crossings would afford safety
to the pedestrian without damaging adjoining
property.
wherever these short tunnels would have to