New-York tribune., 1901-06-11
ANOTHER RAILROAD EXAMPLE.

4 fine example of energy and efficiency was
recently given in this city in the transformation
of the Broadway railroad from a cable to an
underground trolley line. The necessary recon-
struction of track effected without for
moment suspendnS traffic on what is one of the
most crowded thOrOughfares in the world. ana
the actual substitution of electric for cable trac-
tion was made in few hours. with only nfn-
tesimal inconvenience to the public. 1t was all
through capital piece of work, rejecting the
highest credit upon the company which did it,
and arousing regret save this, that the ccm-
pany does not address itself with equal energy
TO the task of suppressing the ndecency of
standing in open cars, and TO that of providing
seats for all passengers far as ii is physically
possible to do so. But that is another story.
Not even the twentieth century is the millen-
MUM.
Another equally fine example of energy and
efficiency Is at the present time visible In Brook
lvn. on the new Irnionst road. In order that
there might be no danger of obstruction by ju-
| dicial process the enterprsing projectors began
| the work in the neghborhOod of Prospect Park
| ut about midnight between Saturday and sun
| day and carried it on vigorously during the
| latter day. nobly sacrificing their own sabbath
| rian scruples and the peace and comfort OF the
public to the cause of keeping ahead of possible
uses of a public highway by the public might
not interfere with the conservation of public
| property 10 private purposes, they absolutely
barricaded the street at both ends of one of the
! longest and most populOus blocks, and an
nounced the closing of the street to all traffic for
an indefinite period thus compelling the resi-
dents TO walk to the end of the block and
around the corner 10 get TO their carriages ana
TO have their milk and ice and meat and groce-
ries and coal carried TO them by hand or wheeled
in barrows along the sidewalk from the end OF
the block. In order, likewise to avoid annoy
ance from people driving To and from Prospect
Park, the approach TO the main entrance to the
park from the west was made as nearly inn
passable as ii could be. and that condition Is
still steadfastly maintained. and seems likely to
be for long time to come. And, of course. now
that danger of injunctions is past and undis-
puted possession of the street has been gained
by the company, there is more Sunday work
or all night work. but the job proceeds with
dignified deliberation which promises the long
est possible maintenance OF existing conditions.
How praiseworthy an example of energy and
efficiency this is may be realized when con-
slider some of the antecedent circumstances.
Some of the people Of Union-st.-that part of il
a fine private residence street-did not want
trolley road built in it, withheld their assent
when the company with generous condcscension
asked for it. and assumed the obstrepcrous and
highdaddy attitude of trying legally to prevent
the building of the road. The energy and eff
cheney to which we have referred are shown in
the way in which those people are now being
punished for their rashnesS and presumption in
claiming TO have rights which trolley com
pany was bound TO respect The road might
have been built without closing the street to all
Fio h,,. In, tho.a tha 1-nn NOT
have got the spiritual chastenins they deserved,
and would not have been taught the humility
which so befts n mere citizen and taxpayer in
the presence of n trolley magnate. The obsruc-
tions near the park entrance might have been
removed long ago; but then people would not
have been taught that it is meet, right and their
bOunden duty TO ride TO the park in trolley
car instead of in carriage or on bicycle. In
deed. any other method of construction than
that which is now in progress would have quite
failed TO fulfil the supreme and invaluable pur-
pose of demonstrating TO the people of Brooklyn
that the trolley pole is sceptre to which every
knee must bow.
On the whole we are inclined to think this
Union-st case finer example of energy and
efficiency than was the Broadway case; only of
course. there is somewhat of a difference be-
tween the two in respect to the objects for
which those admirable qualities were exercised.
| In the Broadway case the public convenience
| was served. and in the Unon-st. case the public
| is taught not to he too airsh and uppish in the
| presence of its superiOrs Who shall say that
| the latter is not as benefcent the former: If
not il must be because the company in addition
to taking full possession of the street did not
! evict the househOlders and use their houses
| barracks for the workmen who are building the
road Why did they not do so, and thus make
! complete the lesson to those pcryerse and fro
| ward people, wonder?
THEY DO Not DIE EARLY