New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-21
TRANSPORTATION EUIsAycFs

The people OF this city have been treated IN
TWO innovations In transportation during tho
last Few days. The more important as we'll as
me more recent Of them was introduced In the
poroughs OF Manhattan and The Bronx in con-
Iormlty with n municipal ordinance adonted
l"sl year. surface cars are now required to
stop on the near crossing. instead Of the fur.
ther one TO discharge and take on nasseDpars
In defence Of the plan IL may be urged that u
aSSlmilates the practice on one side of the Fast
RIVER with that which has long been followed
on the other Inasmuch a considerable num-
Der OF the people who make use OF one SET NJ
laciltles patronize the other also. something
Would De gained by insuring uniformity of habit
The chief merit Of the system, however. IS tbot
1t mInimizes the risk of collision with teams
moving through cross streets at right angIas
with the street railways. The risk. no doubt
has been increased by the substitution op .Ioo
tricity for cables and horse power. becorso
higher speeds are now possible than formerly
All the same, the public Inconvenience which
attends the new usage will always be So sreat
as TO outweigh these considerations In fine
weather IT does not matter where the cars sion
" hen snow, sluSh or mud prevails II Is LITTLE
snort or an outrage TO compel passengers to en-
bark and alisht forty or fifty feet from q cross
walk mat ordinance ought TO be repeaIed
promptly. and when such action is taken tha
city fathers may well consider the proprietv
or restoring TO Brooklyn the custom observed
there ten or twelve years ago.
Another change made experimentallv nv tba
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company affects fra
on the bridge on Sundays. Local trains are
then taken OF, and an attempt is made to pro-
vide Tor those patrons who wish merely n
cross the river by carrying them on elevated
roil Xy-a train rl,a lat
form for through passengers, and then at
second for local passengers the rear chr being
reserved for those who expect to leave at the
Brooklyn terminal. Unfortunately. the number
or people standing on the second platform in
the Manhattan station is often too great 10 he
accommodated in a single coach. Much vexa.
ton and delay result at the outset therefore
sun further trouble is experienced on the other
side. Only part or the passengers who there
ansht from the rear car--probably not over half
want 10 go down TO the street. A considera-
bic number wish to take certain elevated mil
way trains at that point. In order TO do so
they must follow unusual route. They ara
not permitted to stay on the platform yybera
they alight until they reach the stairca Sc load
ing upward 10 the elevated station They are
required first TO 90 down one flight. In order m
buy tickets. Thus they jostle those people who
are bound for the street, exhibit excusable un-
certainty about the proper disposition OF their
tickets, and drive the rapid transit employees
nearly frantic with their questions and blum.
ders.
II does not take long to discover possible
remedy for these vexations. If, in accordance
with the evident intention of the company, all
who want TO travel on elevated roads would
embark at the first platform in the Manhattan
station, there would probably be plenty of room
in the rear car for strictly local passengers.
who would have no further cause for complaint
The people who share these accommodations
with then' 1t is asserted, are aiming for the
Ridgewood and Lexington-aye. lines. Access 10
these can be had in two ways. One can start
from, Manhattan on a Fifth-aye or Bath Reach