The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-24
NEW YORK's MOVING STAIRS.
Breaking the People In to Their Use
at the Tventy-third and Fifty
ninth Street Elevated Stations.

From the New York Sum-
That there are a lot of people in this
town whose acquaintance with moving
stairways is so recent that they still re-
gard them with curiosity is daily shown
by the crowds which surround the two
stairways lately put in at elevated sta
tions, one at Fifty ninth street and Third
avenue for downtown passengers, and the
other at Twenty-third street and Sixth
avenue for uptown passengers. The latter
has been in operation about two weeks,
and is of a different type to the one at
Fifty-ninth street, which has been run
ming for several months. There is not an
hour in the day when little knot of
people and sometimes quite crowd cam
not be found watching the moving stairs
and waiting for persons who, as they ap-
parentIy look at it, have the temerity to
attempt to ascend by them. 1t is at Fiji
ty-ninth street where most of the funny
sights are to be seen, for to the uninltlat-
ed, the moving stairs there seem to call
for more skill and practice than do those
at Twenty third street. The latter are
really a succession of steps moving up
ward. When two steps go over the top
they form a platform off which a person
can step with ease. This platform is also
formed at the street level as the different
steps come up to the sidewalk. On the
platform thus formed for the moment
even the most timid are induced to step,
and before they really understand IL the
platform had become one of flight OF
stairs up which they will be carried oy
remaining on that one stair. AT ttty-
ninth street the stairs are stairs jim name
only, for it is by stepping on what is prac-
tically a moving inclined plane that peo-
iaJ tn he ata
Those who have gone up this inclined
plane and have been gently showed on at
the top with only the exertion OF holdlnS
OH to the moving railing at the SIDE nave
no hesitancy in trying it again ana again.
but to make the first try requires some
courage This is shown every day at the
foot of the Fifty-ninth street STAIRS which
are we'll patronized by shoppers Ihere
is an attendant there, one of whose ou-
ties is to see that the timid are inducea
to try, and between the two MS nahus
are full all day. The elevated railroad
neon1e are anxious to ascertain the opln-
ion of the travelling public regarding the
stairs and the attendants at Ooth OF thelh
have received instruction to do Htue
investigating in a quiet way. Acquiring
n the attendants whose views were
sounded by a Sun reporter, the proportion
of those who have shown the opposite 10
about L.
have refused to try the stairs have Diam
GA no+ the stairs, but themselves, for not
having the courage which some or the
innovations of these latters years require.
.sThat woman's the first that's DaIkHo
for ten minutes" said the guard at fhty
ninth street the other afternoon as ois
stout woman walked away in an opposite
direction from the one in when she hau
been going Just then another woman
came up with her arms filled with parcels
and a look of determination on her race
4,biob made those who saw her think she
was going to try the new way OF ascend
mo Rut the determination was OF a al
ferent kind With her lips set tight ana
without even'a look at the moving STAIRS
the woman put her foot on the regular
stairs that go up alongside ana started
up.
This way. madam" said the guard as
he touched her on the arm and pointed 10
the rubber-stripped inclined plane on
which seteral persons were salllng up
ward with an expression OF great cOllten'-
ment on their faces.
The woman cast an angry look at the
guard and then turned and walked away
toward Lexington avenue.
'.rThere won't be another two like them
for several hours" said the guard as ne
stepped aside to let several people, one
BY one, get on the moving stars lou
see that last woman had made up her
mind she would go by the old way or not
at ALL and she took my interference TO
mean that she would have to go the new
way. and so she walked off in a huff.
There amt many of them. But the main
trouble is that people are afraid to try
in front of the crowd that usually stands
around here. You see the things a novel
ty yet, and till it gets past that stage
people will always feel a hesitancy about
going up them"