New-York tribune., 1902-05-08
SUGGESTS DOUBLE DECKERS
LEDERLE THINKS THEY MIGHT SOLVE
OPEN CAR NUISANCE.
a CORRESPONDENT BELIEVES CONsTRUC'
TON SHOULD NOT ALLOW STAND
ING SPACE. AS Is THE CASE
IN BOSTON.

day is not needed TO bring the discom-
fort Of the open surface cars Of this city But il
serves to make passengers more keenIy alive the
Inconvenience Of supporting the balance Of fellow
citizens with their knees. The mooting Of the ques
tion OF standing in open the occasion OF
some comment yesterday. People we're heard TO
say when crowds cIambered in over them that the
newspapers hardly did justice the uupeasantness
of the conditions y conductor said that people of
this city desired to stand up in crowds and added
They would stand on the roof If wasn't for the
drip pans of the elevated But ii can well be
doubted whether II has become the consuming
passion of the thousands who have be carried up
and down town night and morning 10 ride the
roof. though it be ventured that such access
would be toerable than the siding and jam
ming incident TO the present situation. Indeed. a
suggestion Of this nature made by officers OF
the Board OF Health.
DR.. Lederle when by a Tribune reporter.
agreed that the conditions were decidedly un-
satisfactory but thought that it hardly case
in which the Board OF Health could b. of as
sistance.
You see" said DR.. I.ederIe. AS a matter u
fact. the people do have to get car that
is already crowded. Most people prefer 10 endure
discomfort than TO wait few moments for =
seat. And when they do it IS not the province
of the Board of Health 10 help IL Is really an in
Fiction upon the people who already seated,
isn't 1t? Any man who rides in front Of me has
tiresOme of if he rides far recognize the
faults of the situation but am unable 10 see in
Just what way the Board OF Heath can achieve
any real results 1 have sometimes thought that
a without any seats would be preferable to the
present construction in rush hOurs-nOthins but
straps But this would probably make difficult
work IN collecting fares. and getting on and of.
Perhaps the best solution, If it should prove pos
sible. would be the adoption Of the double decker
system in vogue In Europe. This would do for
the summer months here if the cars could be con-
structed low enough pass under the eleva ted
road"
IN regard such a plan. expert street
railroads told Tribune reporter that II appeared
to be impossible get the general run Of people
TO the upper set of seats. Such road" said
he was for time in operation in Atlanta.
Ga. and had TO be abandoned because nobody
would ride above. I know line IN this cOun-
try which has been successful with double decker
cars. and several have tried them. The Pullman
people made such TOR a time. but they soon
gave It up. Here in New-York 1t would be impos-
sible 10 use them account OF the elevated road.
Such could not be built low enough TO pass
under the structure except where II IS high and
space. 1 think myself that of the trouble is
due 10 the hoggtshuess OF some people whom one
sees ABOARD our You viii find
urely empty, except for one occupant, who will
stay there while every one who gets later has
TO scramble over him. II would be dificult too, to
allow room enough Tor people to get and
II the space decreased between the seats"
pressed. A correspondent writes to The Tribune
referring to an interview published yesterday in
which the same position was taken:
1T Is quito obvious that the official OF the Metro