New-York tribune., 1902-12-25
NoS-RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC.
people

Whatever objection may be raised TO some OF
! the Mayors suggestions for the improvement Oh
! local traffic conditions, there can be no ques-
ton that he has hit the nail on tue heaa LII ue-
| ,napding better Recommendations in the non-rush
hours an both the surface and elevated lines OF
| Manhattan and Brooklyn. If he will keep at
that until every Messenger has a seat in those
hours he will have done much TO relieve The III
toIerable conditions which the public now en-
dure We do not believe that with present
congestion any front door scheme is prac'i-
cable But this Improvement OF more cars
through the day is practicable. 1t may be
freely admitted that the crowd for little tlnle
night and morning is too great to be handled
with any approach TO comfort ProDaDIy
willingness TO spend money would somewhat
increase the efficiency of the roads. but even at
the best until entirely lines are opened it
must he standing room only" for Il consider
able part of the community.
For the greater part of the day, however. 1t
would be perfectly possible to provide seats
for all passengers. The trouble is that the
moment the crowd slackenS and the cars cease
10 be damned TO the doors with masses OF sway
ing and struggling humanity the companies
begin to decrease the service. They have Deeh
educated to think that the occupation OF every
strap as we'll as every seat in a car is normal
and nroDer The instant strap hangs idle the
miami is not working to its full earning ca
pacitv. and retrenchment in running expenses
is in order. At times. of course. even in ihe
middle of the day car will unavoidably be
crowded by Il congestion of travellers Whlch
could not be foreseen. But such accidents do
not explain the common failure of the lines TO
provide seats for considerable proportion OF
their pa irons at any hour of the day. The
.I,s,, 10 inn nn
and will crowd one car when an empty one
Immediately follows. They themselves are TO
blame for half this impatience. They have
taught the public to expect TO crowd and 10
catch as catch can or get no ride at all.
The person who fortified with an extra sup
ply of patience resolves to avoid crowdng, too
often has merely delay for his pains 10 permit the
virtue of waiting for empty cars 10 become pop
uar In nine cases out of ten the philosopher +.
who practises il will find the second car stops
at Houston-st. or AStor Place or somewhere
short of his destination, and the third one is so
far behind that it in turn is crowded. The
companies obviously do not do all they might
TO relieve the midday and late evening condf- /.
tions. We are by no means certain that a mo
scat fare" or at least mo seat, half fare
law applicable at the nOn-Tush hours might not /
be an effective remedy for the negligence. 1t .
would he impossible OF enforcement in the rush !
hours. but at other times the pressure is not .
so great but that seats could be furnished and .
people could be restrained from crowding into /
filled cars. provided adequate alternative ,
was speedily offered.
Such regulation would do more than pro- ,
mote comfort 1t would be education In /
manners much needed here. Men and women, .
too. are rapidly being demoraiZed by the habit
ual, selfish, trampling, immodest crush of New
York life. 1t is time standard was set which, .
even If It could not be lived up to in rush ,
hours. would be the ideal of ordinary good con- /
duct. 1t might again become an ungentleman-
ly and an unladylke thing rudely to push other
people aside and to trample over them. Phere
is now scarcely pretence of politeness in pub
lie carriages on the part of people who regard
themselves as well brought up. This over
crowding is utterly demoralizing to the CON-
munity, and no effort should be spared TO
lessen 1t wherever possible. Some things we
must indeed put up with, but much can be
done if adequate effort is used in the right di-
rection.