New-York tribune., 1902-12-26
REMOVAL OF THE SNOW.
Contractor Aided by Railway Companies
DELAY in Traffic

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The Christmas snowstorn that began at Alb
a. m. and covered the city with a white mantle
before it stopped at II a. m. caused much
trouble on the elevated roads. Although the
snow was light and dry enough to be brushed
off the third rails easily. the steel brushes at
tached to the cars Of the electric trains did not
seem 10 accomplish the work satisfactorily, and
the col tact between the motor ploughs and the
rail was broken much by the layer OF snow
that there were serious delays in traffic. The
worst trouble was the Sixth-ave line, where
trains were being run, at infrequent intervals IN
the early morning hours. The progress of every
train marked by vivid flashes of light along
the third rail- flash occurring every time
motor plough struck lump OF snow. The road
was lighted up for blocks at d time by these
electric pyrotechnics. the rail splitting out flame
in a way that looked alarming. The trains
crept along slowly, and for time they seemed
to stop altogether.
On the Second-ave. line there almost as
much trouble in Sixth-ave. The trains in
Third-ave were delayed considerably. but they
continued to at frequent intervals. The
train service on all lines was increased before
8 a. m, and after that hour the trains made
fairly good time. Traffic on all the lines
light in the rush hours. fortunately. on account
of the holiday Three-car trains were run on
the Sixth-ave. line while the storm continued.
and for some hours later. Longer trains were
the Third-ave. line. In the afternoon and
evening the train service on all the elevated
lines seemed to be adequate.
The ploughs Of the Metropolitan
Street Railway Company kept the tracks of the
surface cars comparatively clear while the storm
lasted. 1t was noticed. however. that the COM
pany was running fewer cars than usual on all
the lines The traffic in the city was so much
were crowded. The main trouble was that peo
PIE had stand waiting in the snow for cars
to come along until they cold.
Complaints were heard yesterday about the
lack of heat in cars of the elevated roads on
Wednesday night Some of the cars were left
without heat. apparently because employees of
the roads had been ordered not to turn the cur
rent on the electric heaters Health Department
officials said yesterday that the company would
be compelled 70 heat the cars in cold weather
AS usual. the traffic by trolley cars in Jerome
stopped by the snow for a time. and it
was not until the storm was over that cars were
run with any regularity the line People
waited near the Central Bridge for Jerome-ave.
cars until their patience exhausted. Then
they sought other lines of travel into The
Bronx district.
Most of the work Of removing snow from the
streets yesterday was performed by the rail-
road companies. BY their contracts which they
had to sign before permits for the use Of snow
ploughs were Issued to them. the railroad COM
panies have to clear away the from sew
eral important streets and avenues this winter.
and they were doing the work yesterday in a
manner that pleased Snow Inspector Bouton-
Broadway from Fesey-st. 10 the Battery. was
cleaned by the railroad companies yesterday af-
ternoon and the work of removing the snow
was being pushed vigorously along other lines
William Bradley. the new snow contractor
having his first experience under the new
form of contract, but he could not get nearly
many men as he wanted 70 employ IN the
work of shovelling snow. Thousands OF men
who would have been clamoring for the work
on other days did not want 10 work on Christ
mas Day. The best Mr.. Bradley could do was
to keep q few hundred al work last even
ing. and most OF them were scattered along
Broadway between Vesey-st. and Long Acre |
Square He hopes to have large number OF
men at work today The more streets he can
clear of snow before the present snowfall melts
the more money he viii make.
Under the new contract Mr.. Bradley gets 70
cents a cubic yard for all the snow that falls
on the streets portions Of streets which he
clears of snow. The measurement is from house
line TO house line. although the snow from the
sidewalks has TO be cleared by house owners
Half the snow that fell in the downtown streets
melted yesterday but wherever Mr. Bradley
clears snow from street he will get pay for the
snow that melted as well for the snow he re-
moves. He has 10 accept in the calculation OF
the snowfall the official figures OF the Weather |
Bureau.
Officials at the Weather Bureau said last even |
ing that the snowfall yesterday was three and a |
half inches OF the snow that fell in Broad |
way between Vesey-st. and Chambers-st.. about !
could remove any of it. For that part Of Broad |
way he will be able TO collect from the city |
about 1926. although If he paid for the !
snow actually removed he would get less than |
500.
THE BROOKLYN CHRISTMAS TREE.