New-York tribune., 1901-03-09

BRIDGE RELIEF DEMANDED.
ALL CLASSES SUPPORT THE CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE MOVEMENT

The action taken by the Chamber Of Com
merce in appointing on Thursday a COMMITTEES
consisting Of John Clafin. ex-Mayor Abram :,
Hewitt and exMayor Charles A Schieren to
devise some method Of immediate relief for the
dangerous crowding AT the bridge and the City
Han station Of the elevated road was favora bly,
commented upon yesterday More than one vet
Of years Of rough and tumble struggling
for the possession Of aisle strap on a
bridge ear felt that at last there some
prospect Of ameliorating the disgracefu state of
affairs.
No one could he found yesterday who did not
believe that something must he done in this d.
reCtion az once. City officials and the officers of
the Manhattan Railway Company and Of the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company all expressed
their sympathy with the movement which has
now gathered headway. The Chamber Of Com
merce committee at > O'Clock Monday afternoon
will report what. in its opinion. should b- done
and who should do it. The committee wiz have
expert advice
Mr.. SChieren Of the committee. said yesterday
that when the New East River Bridge was com
peted one-third Of the traffic that goes over
the Brooklyn Bridge would he diverted the
structure.
But We can't stand this dangerous crowding
So long" he continued immediate relief is i'm
perative What Mr.. orr said he experienced
one day this week / have suffered twenty times
within the last six months. The jam during the
rush hours is not only dangerous hut it offers
opportunities for pickpockets To pursue their
trade. one Of my clerks had his watch stolen
recently at the bridge entrance while he was
assisting a in the crush"
Alexander f Orr. president Of the Rapid
Transit Commission. y no brought the subject Of
bridge traffic before the Chamber Of Commerce
Thursday IL
plaint against the present indecent conditions.
He said that President Rossiter Of the Brooklyn
Rapid Transit Company informed him that dur
ing the recent partial freezing Of the East River
one thousand persons minute for forty-five
minutes Of the rush hours were whsked across
the bridge by the electric cars and elevated
trains When asked why the Manhattan Rail-
way Company had made the needed i'm
provements at the City Hall station M. Orr
said h mad heard that the company had been
restrained by injunction obtained by the
'Staats-Zeitung" Company, which owns prop
erty directly opposite the bridge terminal Of the
elevated road When asked about this order
neither the "Staats-Zeltung" proprietors nor
the railway company officials inclined to be
communicative. 1t WAS learned however, that
the injunction was obtained a number of years
ago. and had had the effect Of discouraging the
Manhattan company from again attacking the
problem Of congestion az that point.
II Will be remembered that The Tribune has
steadily advocated the amelioration Of this
shameful herding Of passengers al the CITY Han
station. on November Is Of last year il pre-
sented a plan whereby more platform room
could be Obtaines by the razing Of a part OF the
triangular block. the base Of which rests against
the approaches Of the bridge and the apex Of
which is formed I.y the junction of Park Row
and North William-st. This block : short and
narrow. and has an assessed value Of only Sl95.-
900. One-half Of this property Is all that is
cd n MID ha oh h.
Park Row could at the same time be widened
twenty-five feet. New platforms for the loading
and unloading Of Thrd-ave elevated trains
could be built without shutting of any more
light and air than at present. and passengers
could enter and leave trains freely as at the
more unimportant stations.
Clinton L. Rosster. president Of the BROOKLYN
Rapid Transit Company, said yesterday that the
present crowded conditions at the Manhattan
terminal OF the Bridge We're indeed deplorable
and no one wanted them corrected more than
himself. He declared he would be glad To CO.
operate with the committee appointed by the
Chamber OF Commerce. In his opinion the
physical conditions must he changed i'm order
10 afford greater facilities and prevent the
crowded conditions existing. II would be
necessary TO have additional track room. and I'm
order get IL the entire Manhattan terminal
would have TO be remodeiled.
Mr. Rossiter urged that there should be IA
cilities for running siX-car trains across the
Bridge. instead of the four trains which
operated They run on a head
way of about ffty-ive seconds. and II should he
MI Rosster said he would he glad to receive
suggestions from the public 10 the best mea rs
OF overcoming the difficulties and providing for
the relief Of the present conditions. He declared
he would not permit his wife and family to cross
the Bridge during the rush hours. and he ad-
vised his friends at such hours 10 take the
ferries.
The company has decided 10 allow the monthly
passes only to the engineers in its employ.
They will be provided with a badge and cap, to
distinguish them as employees. and viii not he