New-York tribune., 1902-03-05
FOR IMMEDIATE RELIEF.
COMMISSIONER LINDENTHAI. RIANEs
THE B. R. T. FOR DIVERTING
TRAFFIC FROM FERRIES.

Bridge Commissioner Lindenthal said yester-
day that while the plan which he announced
on Monday was intended to give permanent re-
lief to traffic congestion on the Brooklyn Bridge.
he had not abandoned work on plans for i'm
mediate relief Of the congestion at rush hours.
I am still convinced he said. that immediate
relief could be given if the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit Company would cooperate in a plan to
divert more traffic to the ferries. Many thou
sands Of Brooklyn people who cross the bridge
daily would travel by the ferries If there were
proper transit accommodations on the Brooklyn
side. The line of travel by the ferries is more
direct for them. but the trouble is that they
cannot travel on through cars between the fer
ries and their homes in Brooklyn
AT the Fulton Ferry, for instance, passen-
gers have to take surface which carry
them up the hill to the Brooklyn terminal of the
bridge. Then they get transfers, which are
good only on surface cars. which are already
overloaded with passengers If they want to
take elevated trains at the end of the bridge
they have to pay an extra fare. 1t would be
easy for the company to run more through cars
to the ferry and give transfers to the elevated
roads on the cars that only run up the hill to
the bridge terminal
Mr. Wells. the counsel for the company, said
at the meeting in Brooklyn on Monday evening
that the company was tired of running empty
cars to the ferry but he was reduced to state
of quiet Immediately when several persons told
what the real situation was at the FERRIES. AS
one Of the men at the meeting SAID there MouIu i
be a boom in ferry travel lmmedlalely II tile i
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company would Ilahe
announcement Of a plan to run more cars ~
the ferries and give elevated transfers: Let
the company do that If II wants 10 AID III les
sening the crush on the bridge
Another way to mitigate the crush WouAu pe
to have all the trolley cars on the brldSe run
on a circulating plan. Then people poaIulns
cars at the Manhattan terminal Would Lot nav Se
to wait for cars OF any particular hne puI
would get the first car that came uOIiS.
OF course everybody would have to leave the
car at the Brooklyn side, but there Is room
enough there to allow distribution TO the various
lines without overcrowding. Mr.. Greatslhger
has written a letter 10 me declaring thaI uS
people would not tolerate such a system VI VI
transfer on the Brooklyn side. whenever any
nlan which he does not favor is suggested, he
is ready TO declare that the people would not
favor it. Something will have TO ne cone Ho" nov,
ever TO mitigate the crush on the prluSe. WIZ"
is inrolera BILE at the rush hours now anu Is III
creasing If a system of running trolley cars
cannot be adopted which VIII lessen the croWu-
ing, It may be necessary to drive the po4'eS
cars off the bridge entirely.
Mr. Lindentha said yesterday tnat hls pan pan
for permanent relief was made with the luea
of giving TO the city an adequate return IoI CiIe
money invested in improvements. II was 80 PslIC
of his plan he said, to exact large rehtas from
the PrOolzlvn Rapid Transit Company, the Man
haitian Railway Company and the MetropohIan
street Railway Company for the increased TER
rninal facilities to be provided, ana 10 save
ran+oIs which the CITY has TO pay In Office
buildings by erecting a large building Tor the
CITY over the terminals. The annual return 10
the city. he said. should be large enough 10 phS
a fair percentage on the amount 70 be invested
in the improvements. provide sinking tund TOT
the redemption Of the bonds 10 be issued, ana
coropensate the city for taxes lost on properly
to he taken bv the city. If that could be done
he said the city would lose nothing. but be the
gamer in the end.