The sun., 1903-01-07
Cars and the Trucks.

President VRHELANp's remarks on
Monday before the State Railroad Board
were the most valuable contribution to
the discussion on the overcrowding and
the slow moving Of the street cars that
we have vet heard, not because they gave
the public knowledge it didn't have. but
because they called attention to the fact
that the present difficulties in transporta-
tion are largely due to causes plain to
the eyes of all and, TO great extent,
remediable.
The greatest obstacles in the way Of
street cars. dimin. shing their speed, and
hence crowding them unduly. are the
trucks The latter have rights to the
use Of the streets, as cars or people have,
but Mr.. VREELAND says truly that the
truck traffic could be 30 regul"ted as to
facilitate the movement Of the passenger
car traffic enormously; and this. in our
opinion. could be done without injustice
to the trucks.
We have already an order Of prece-
dence by which mail wagons. fire engines,
ambulances and street cars enjoy some-
what different privileges. Mr.. vREE-
LAND would not alter the existing ar
rangement. but he would enforce the
rules that already give cars precedence
as against the trucks; and he is right.
Atruck may not keep to the track when
a car behind is clamoring for way. Yet
the truck drivers respect this regulation
at their convenience. and often require
no little prodding with the bell before
turning off. A truck is just ahead OF
them near the curb, with an interval be-
tween that and the truck beyond: but
that interval is short, and so the driver
concludes to wait for the longer one still
further ahead So he holds up not only
the car behind, but the entire schedule
Of car movement. Fewer cars can thus
pass a given point in a given time, and,
consequently. they become moro and
more crowded.
The enormous increase In the demand
for passenger transportation and the
possibility Of greater speed which their
electrical power affords require that the
subordination Of the trucks to the cars
shall be more submissively and promptly
observed than OF old, even at a cost OF q
greater hardship to mercantile traction.
Draught horses here are far better than
they used to be; yet the loads put upon
them are often greater than permit of
the rapdity and ease Of truck movement
demanded by modern life in the streets.
There must be quicker and moro fire.
quent turning out on the part Of the
trucks TO let the cars 60 by; and, to in
sure that, there must be a thoroughly
trained body OF police to regulate the
crossings something which we have
now only in the crudeet form.
For models We refer our police and our
captains of movement, whether on truck
or street car, to their respective brothers
in London. There the officer at the
crossing has but to hold up his hand
and the entire traffic in one street stops
instantly and unquestioningly for the
cross street to be cleared. Again, all
moving vehicles hold to the curb as
closely as possible for every foot Of their
way. leaving the middle Of the road TO
those in hurry. The enormous traffic
of London is regulated with a simplicity
and efficiency that put our street masters
to shame.
Let what We may now call the Vreeland
remedy be applied "a the streets and the
improvement ensuing in street car ser.
vice may surpass our fondeet hopes.