New-York tribune., 1901-02-10
OVERCROWDED CARS.
MANY COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE MET
ROPOLITAN
A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DIRECTORS
DEFENDS THE CoMPANY's SERVICE.

DEPENDS THE CoMPANY's SERVICE.
Many complaints are reaching The Tribune
that the Metropolitan Street Railway seems 70
calculate the number Of cars it shall run at each
hour OF the day on a basis OF pinching economy
rather than on a basis of giving each passenger
a seat for his money. The case of the schoolboy
who was asked to draw a distinction between
the words made" and constructed" is forcibly
brought TO mind by many Of these complaints.
The boy replied: "A streetcar is constructed to
hold forty persons. but it is made to hold
eighty
Just large part Of the public seems 10
think that President vreeland aims to make his
cars hold many more passengers than the car
builder ever constructed them 70 hold. The
sight of New-Yorkers crowded into streetcars
like sardnes in a box is familiar during the
busy hours Of the day that it hardly elicits
ment. The old argument Of traction managers
that this state OF things cannot possibly be
avoided long as about five hundred thousand
citizens determine TO so downtown about the
same time in the morning and uptown about
the same time at night seems weIlnigh unan-
swerable, but the complaints here referred TO
are not made concerning the crush in what is
called the rush hours.
These complainants declare that Just as soon
as the rush hours are over the company begins
taking off its cars so that those who might
reasonably expect a seat between 10 a. m. and
p. m. and between p. m. and u D. rn run
almost good a chance Of having to stand up
and hang to strap II they were travelling
in the busiest hours of the day. In the rush
hours the company sends out ten cars to the
minute in the most crowded parts of the city
Any one with a watch can calculate for himself
how many cars have been taken off as he stands
In Madison ave. say, above Forty-second-st.. in
the middle of the day. after s o'clock at
night, and waits for car to come along. Then
when he does get aboard he is likely TO ind that
many other people have been likewise waiting
on other corners for that same car. and he Is
lucky II an unoccupied strap is left for him 70
cling TO-
The man who let's his hopes rise TO the height
Of expecting 10 find an empty seat when he
boards car running east or west in Fifty
ninth-st probably would not despair of com
municating with the inhabitants of Mars before
next Christmas Slxth-ave. cars in the shopping
hours afford little or change to women who
have been swarming ten deep around the
bargain counters. while even those cars Of the
Metropolitan lire which go clear out to Fort
George are run upon long headway that
they are far too well filed 10 allow of much com
fort even to passengers for that remote point
This state OF things" said one aggrieved
citizen to a Tribune reporter yesterday. has
been growing worse and worse ever since the
metropolitan people absorbed the Third Avenue
company If it goes much further the public
will he driven TO find a remedy in legislation
which shall compel the company 10 run it's cars
at all hours Of the day upon as short headwav
it now runs them in the rush hours This
might provide a few more seats than were
actually needed. but the company would be
forced 20 make at least some restitution to the
public for the large number OF fares it collects
In the rush hours without providing a seat in re-
turn Just think what a sensation 1t would
prove-the sight of streetcar moving along
Broadway with more seats than passengers in
side it,,
a representative of the Metropolitan directors
was asked yesterday what he had 10 say TO
these complaints. and he replied
Every man. woman or child who walks the
dead loss We wart their fares. and we do
as many ears in the rush hours as our tracks can
accommodate. and in the less busy hours run
that is our endeavOr. If we find from the con-
d1etorS @ returns 5nat 20 certain @ cars have carried
once order more cars that line The system is
changed. But no human foresight can prevent an
occasional becoming overcrowded. Whenever
this happens there will always be found some per-
who jump 10 the conclusion that the whole
system is run on the principle OF overcrowding all
quentIy car packed to its utmost capacity
Yorker Is in a hurry. tie viii take the first
that comes along, no matter how full II is. rather
destination quickly. and prefers to stand up rather
than wait
politan directors consider their service perfect.
They are ready to learn and 70 improve and eager
the matter will be attended to wherever the com
introduce a