New-York tribune., 1902-02-02

at the first stairway. and take the through
trains at the platform nearest Park Row. Many
people stopped TO ask where the regular bridge
trains were to be taken, and the men In uni
form said. Go way back" but did not add
"and sit down"
Further on. the main body Of the hurrying
crowd encountered more men in uniform who
cried out that all tickets could be bought, as
usual. at the offices. At the stairways furthest
from Park Row were men in uniform who kept
repeating the parrot cry, Keep your tickets
and drop them on the Brooklyn sider'
There were no ticket choppng boxes at those
stairways. and thousands OF people who had
their tickets ready in their hands placed them
back in their pockets In spite Of the cry that
tickets were to be dropped at the Brooklyn side
many people stopped near the foot of the stairs
TO ask what they would do with their tickets
At the Brooklyn terminal ii evident that
only about half the passengers we're familiar
with the new order of things. A large number
failed to purchase their tickets at the Manhat-
tan booths and to provide for these tenn
porary booths We're established at the Brook
Iyn terminal These booths did lively bust
ness between and o'clock and a fair bust
ness in the earlier hours. At the foot of the
staircase for local passengers were two chop
ping boxes. presided over by elevated railroad
conductors, who taken from their regular
j
railing a temporary structure lighted with
an oil lamp provided with a large reflector. The
ticket seller In this booth sold between a. m
and =. IN. 2JI double tickets and about fifty
single tickets. This indicates that about 1I9
passengers neglected to purchase tickets at the
Manhattan entrance At the entrance TO the
bridge station of the Kings County Elevated
Railroad the agent sold between a. m. and
p. m fifty tickets, and the who relieved
b 81,
said, sold In patches of five. so that the
number Of passengers who neglected or forgot
10 purchase tickets at the Manhattan terminal
considerably below the number of tickets
sold.
At the exit for local passengers there was a
number of amusing incidents late in the after
noon when the traffic at its height. Several
persons expressed surprise when asked to de-
posit tickets in the boxes. declaring that they
understood that passengers were now TO be
transported free of charge.
Il haven't got any ticket" said man, who
attempted to pass through the exit without
ticing the ticket chopper.
Buy at the BOOTH" said the ticket chop
per- pointing to the little cubby hole.
"S'posin 1 haven't got any money!" asked the
passenger.
Then we'll have to refer your case to one Of
the policemen" retorted the chopper. and the
passenger Immediately produced the necessary
change.
In spite of the warning shouts and the notices
posted at the bridge entrance, many people
went up the wrong stairways. and had 10 turn
back. Those who dropped their tickets and
went up to the platform where the Fifth-ave.
and Bath Beach trains started lost fare If
they wanted to go to the Kings County Elevated
line. The in uniform said il would take the
crowds some time to get accustomed TO the new
regulations.
Bridge Commissioner Lindenthal said he had
heard no complaint of the new method OF drop
ping tickets, and he took ii for granted that he
would have heard some If there had been any
serious trouble. He therefore assumed that
the system working satisfactorily. He said
there some opposition to the scheme by the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, because ii in
vOlVed 4 little greater expense for II, as new
choppers for the Brooklyn end of the bridge had
be employed. las it is material addition to
the public convenience to make the change. ex-
pect that the company will have to stand this
slight added expense" he said