New-York tribune., 1903-04-12
THE INTERBOROUGH RAILROAD.

,su.b may he said in favor of the system or
electric roads for the construction ana OPERA
tiou of which franchises have recently ueen
granted by the city to the Interborough colli-
nanv. 1t will afford needed transportation facll-
jties in the Borough of The Bronx. That region
is already served by the Union, or "Huchie-
berry," system. Still, so great is the extent OF
territory and so rapidly is it being bult up tnat
additional lines are already demanded Excel
lent Judgment has been shown too, In the cholce
of routes. large proportion of the traffic VIII
he pureIy local. but valuable connections have
been planned with existing surface lines and
with the subway In the Borough Of Manhattan
To take advantage of these. extensions Will De
huilt across Washington, Central and Wills
ave bridges Though The Tribune has not
ceased to regret that those structures were sur
rendered to the railroads, instead of the latter
being compelled to build their own, it recog-
nizes the convenience to the public which VIII
undoubtedly result
Another grave evil now impends Oness
prompt and energetic measures are taken to
prevent such action the Interborough company
will try to run its cars on this side OF the har-
lem as 1t expects to on the other, with the alo
of the overhead wire. 1nasmuch as the Huckle-
berry lines are permitted TO DO so, 1t Wouiu
have been unjust, perhaps, to deny that privi-
Bronx is concerned. Within the next ten years
the residents of that borough will unQuestion-
ably regret the grant 1t is too late now, per-
haps TO hope for change there, but it Is not
too late to oppose any attempt to invade the
soil of Manhattan with that dangerous system
The city authorities should say with convincing
emphasis, Thus far shalt thou come, but no
further There should be an immediate ana
distinct understanding that every rod or the
Interborough lines on this side Of the river
should be operated by the underground trolley.
OF course the suggestion will at first evoke
protests and declarations that the idea is I'M
practicable. That sort Of talk is absurd. 1t IS
not at all uncommon, where electric lines nave
been consolidated, to lead the current into the
motors by one method along part of the route
and BY another along the rest OF It Thus far
the combination has usually. If not always, en-
braced the overhead wire and the third rail At
present it is probable that line is yet in oper
alton where the service is performed partly by
overhead wire and partly by conductors buried
In conduts Very little ingenuity is needed,
however. to carry the idea into effect To adapt
a conduit to the easy introduction of plough
some trifing changes in the present arrange
ment will be needed; but these are required
only at the terminus. and the task is chlIds
play The only novel proposition is so to modify
the plough itself that. instead Of always re-
naming rigid. it can be swung up out of the
way when the conduit is abandoned An engl-
neer who pronounces that improvement impos-
sible is sadly lacking in honesty or capacity.
The Interborough company should not listen to
such nonsense Moreover, before it lets its con-
tracts for rolling stock it should be sure that
the best one of dozen solutions of the problem
which suggest themselves has been selected
Not the least Of the benefits which VIII result
from the adoption of that plan is that the Met
ropolitan Street Railway Company might be
persuaded to follow suit. At present 1t makes
connections with the Union system only at the
Third-ave. bridge. but it has equal rights with
its rival at Central Bridge also. If its rival runs
cars through from borough to the other.
and does not compel passengers to transfer, the
Metropolitan may feel obliged to offer the same
facilities. That is a change which the public
will hail with delight, and the prospect offers
an additional reason for adopting a firm atti-
tude toward the Interborough company.