New-York tribune., 1902-12-25
LAYS BL4ME ON STEAM.
EleUated Manager Says Public Wants
TO Come and Go by Same Door.

Alfred skitt. vice-president and general manager
of the Manhattan Railway Company. yesterday
afternoon sent to Mayor Low answer TO the let
ter sent BY the Mayor Mr.. Skitt Tuesday
Suggesting certain improvements Mr. Skitt says;
trust that you will recognize that in addition
TO the extraordnary recent increase OF Iaeed upon
the lines of the elevated railroad the
has had deal with difficulties tnseparaoie from
the transition to electrical equipment and the ab,
sence of all the advantages that VIII pe derived
from its completion
In respect to number of trains run. the company
has endeavored to furnish enough trains for the
ordinary amount of traffic, as 10 provide seats
do so is a physical impossibility There have been.
NON o5Iiped t stand in non-rteh hours Caused by
the difficulty of maintaining at all times per
fecty uniform train interval under existing con-
As to the question of compelling passengers TO
could not be carried into effect without constant
conflict with the travelling public and more ser1-
delays at stations than now exist One OF the
most serious objections to this p an, for instance
south end Of any car at Rector-st, wishing 70
aght at Thirty-third-st, in the rush hour % would 10
the car through the crowd This would be especial
the cross seats which are such popular feature
of the trains.
The question of side doors, similar to those on
cars of the Brooklyn Bridge. was thoroughly con-
sidered in connection with the new equipment re-
capacity by not less than eight seats a
diuon on the Brooklyn Bridge. being, such a short
haul is not comparable to ours and does not make
As to the travel during the Dewey celebration. TO
which you refer. the Manhattan system carried on on
passengers. under conditions with which every one
IN me sTe a6 tns Without undue delay
or risk accident in the ordinary course OF bust
ness. 9S1. 600 passengers.
There is a limit however. the number of trains
which be north of Fifty -third-st and Nlnth-
ave where the Sixth-ave trains. Ninth-ave- trains
and Ninth-ave- express trains are massed on two
tracks one for local and the 1her ffr m f5
afternoon. these two tracks merge into one when
sengers from One-hundred-an and -sixteenth-st north
1t is impossible to stop, at any one station more
minutes apart with steam, sixty. trains per
hour with electricity without cGngestng 1 {ne ] ser
rise TO serious complaint from the large number OF
sxteenth-st (the second most important station on
the SYSTEM. One hundred and twenty ana
stations north to One-hundred. M thst. @
These passengers are certainly entitled to fun con-
nd sectricitv is the cause of gaps and irregulari
ties and also prevents the sixth car being ADDED
turning trains at intermediate terminal points above
One-hundred- and twenty -ffth-st
passing Park Place, for instance. do not include
twenty fve-car trains making one % hundred cars &
limiting feature of capacity, above all is the
ruaS hours eighty-one trains hour pass this
point going north only. which number cannot with
fracE at one-hundred- and -ffteenth-st The only
means or III Teel th main lines and to five cars on the
Fifty-eighth-st. branch There are now running on
which will become six,car trains being twenty
sx cars additional, and ten trains of three cars
each which will become fve-car trains being
twenty cars additional making forty-six additional
cars on the Sixthave. line. as soon as electrical
equipment is fully installed .
There are running to-day on the Sixth-ave;
twenty-six six-car electric trains. Eight more OF
these six-car trains will be ready for operation
within two weeks Every engine that is withdrawn
tends to the regularity and better speed OF the
service. III, =, 1, .L4.,.
express trains from Ave to six cars wentyfo0r Tdo f
Fftv-four cars in all that line.
the East Side lines every train from all ter
,oinals now has six cars and ii is planned TO run
fortv-two trains of hundred and hfty-two cars
ON Second and Third aves., now stopping at one
hIlnd red twenty -ninth-st., through TO one
bnndred-and- six -rst-st. in rush hours, soon
as track material. ordered months ago, is received
and put IN place; 49,, 49,, - ,..,,
annaratTs and track material. and new cars by
oifsi.5e builders and with the remodellfng of cars
in oIIr own shops. all the improvements outlined.
nbich have been in hand for two years last past.
will be completed by April next
Rafer final question as TO the number
of trains during non-rush hours. in view of the
facts above stated. assure you that. with the
Complete installation of electric trains. We shall
he abla to and will provide service that will leave
no ground in non-rush hours. for reasonable COM
nIaint by running. at such hours. many trains
as the public comfort and convenience may require