New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-26
SLOT MACHINES DEFIANT.
marlborough Company Cutting 1t
self off from Future Contracts.

Arguing, doubtless from the experience OF the
subway advertising concern. that the hapid
Transit Commission may be disobeyed win I'M
pun:ty the penny-in-t he-slot company In nat
defiance Of the commissions orders. installed
eortv-ave new machines in the subway yester-
dav. Such, at least, was the boast made TO a
Tribune reporter at the downtown side or the
thirty-ffth-st. station. Lenox-
ave branch. by one of the catchpenny concerns
employees soon after p m.
This looks as if the machines was goin OUT
don't it?" observed the employe, with me sar-
casm. as he proceeded TO replenish one of the
machines. I'VE have put in to-day" he added
with pride. "forty-five machines
Now If there is any one thing on which the
entire commission including Alexander E. orr
its president, is agreed. it is that the machines
have no right whatever in the subway Inc
commissions conviction was SO expressed IN It's
recent resolution ordering the machines out bod
Fly.
Controller Grout asserted that the machines
had no right whatever in the subway
George /. Rives of counsel for the commission
said that Il the company declined to remove the
catchpennv devices The question would be testeu
in the courts.
=, This matter the operating company has ar
raved against II not only the entire commission
hut the Municipal Art Society At the com
ranxss offices Yesterday il was contended that
the authority 10 maintain slot machines was IN
5,rectIy contained in a clause that says the com
many may conduct its stations in the usual man
ner to accommodate the public. That clause it
was said, meant that the company could install
public telegraph and telephone stations and
other things to accommodate or amuse the pub
lie while waiting for trains
EYES on DIP. DARLINGTON.
As to the removal of the signs from the tiles
and the prevention of further DETACHMENT, it
seemed generally TO be agreed that the only man
VINO had authority take summary action was
the Health Conmissioner-Dr. Darlington. DR..
Darlington is apparently still making his inves-
tigation
THE way the advertising concern continues
TO nail signs to the walls is, of course, gross
iudignity to the commission" said Controller
Crout, but we take no summary action
The only man who would have authority TO Go
that is Dr. Darlington. I viii add this, how
ever 10 what 1 have already said: Sooner or
later bids for the East Side subway will be of
feTed. and the Interborough antagonism Of pub
lie sentiment may make the award OF the con-
tract to this company an irnpossibility. BY its
present defiance Of the commissions order the
Interborough may be materially assisting any
bid from the Metropolitan Street Railway"
In this connection it is interesting TO note the
belief expressed by writer in the current issue
of THE Railway Age" who declares that the
city's interests demand that the contract for
the new subway be given to the Metropolitan
syndicate rather than TO the Belmont company.
lis idea IS that in this case, the Metropolitan
could use the subway almost exclusively for
express service, transferring 1t from its
rnerous surface lines. He adds:
WOULD GIVE REAL RAPID TRANSIT.
The surface railways control all crosstown lines.
and Il is expected that they viii act as feeders for
which would make il possible somewhat TO change
the one now xshg ana instead Of Stops every
four or five blocks the local tracks permit even
the local tracks Of the subway 10 be a
fteen or twenty blocks reserying the true express
tracks for 4 Substantially through service OF five
miles or 50 between stops. BY thus utilizing the
surface lines as feeders for the subway, passengers
would be able TO board a surface car within little
for I'VE .enis receive ticket which would first
take them to subway station and then, at eX-
6 IF say s once d a5a 5St " snort u'S nee
II is improbable that any further move will
be made in the fight until next Thursday when
the commission meets. 1t is unlikely that Mayor
Mcclellan Will take any Independent action until
after the Rapid Transit Commissioners shall
have acted, f he does then
ARENAS Ward of the advertising concern
yesterday delivered himself Of d few further
''amoosing remarks" anent the continued de-
faceuent Of the walls of the Lenox-ave. branch
by the mailing up Of new signs.
Are putting up new signs in LenoX-aVe.?"
he said after burst Of Homeric laughter.
Wei. you see it's this way; Some of the signs
seemed loose, so we are throwing In nail or two
here and there. AT some of the stations" he told
Tribune reporter, regretfulIy I'VE cannot even
DO so much"
MIR Ward was referring to the fact that some
of the stations still so unfinished that the
tiles have not been placed, and only plain, un-
compromising mortar stares the would-be artists
in the face.
EAST WADucT BRANCH OPENED.