New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-27
BRIDGE CONNECTIONS.

The plan to make the practically useless VIII
iamsburg Bridge available for traffic by extend
ing the Metropolitan lines over it from Man
haitian to Brooklyn is q good one y loop or the
Metropolitan placed ought 10 be prontaole 10
the company, and would probably serve Brook
lyr people more effectively than any other one
system that could be put on the bridge. II, in
addition, on the other two trolley tracks the
Brooklyn surface could be brought into
Manhattan, the maximum Of service would he
rendered short Of a consolidation, which would
do away entirely with terminals at either end Of
the bridge and give continuous service through
both borOughs. That may come in time, and is
the ultimate solution of the problem Of cOnges-
ton, but it obviously is not to be expected now.
Ending as it does in Manhattan. far from a
business centre, the Williamsburg Bridge will
bring here comparatively few passengers who
will walk TO and fro between the bridge and
their places Of business. as the greater part OF
those using the Old Brooklyn Bridge do. To
those dwelling in Williamsburg itself a journey
TO any point in Manhattan for one fare from
the eastern entrance of the bridge near their
homes is clearly advantageous. The old bridge
brings people from the outskirts Of Brooklyn to
the business centre Of New-York for one fare
and it is to be expected that when the owners
of the elevated roads in Brooklyn unally con
their own terms Brooklynites going to the neigh
borhood of Grand-st. will get there for one fare
AS for those who must pay two fares anyhow
it makes no difference at which end of the
bridge they change lines except that the more
cOmmodiOus and convenient place be chosen
That is in Brooklyn. The Manhattan streets
around the bridge are narrow, and even with
the proposed widenings, are likely 10 he con
gested. There is a much better opportunity for
adequate loops and junction platforms at the
other end
We hope. therefore, that the Interurban man
ayers will make a bid for the use Of these
tracks, and that its cars viii cross the bridge.
They would do much to explode the old deu-
sion that the whole end and aim Of transporta-
ton for Brooklyn people was 10 dump them
down in a heap somewhere near the edge Of
Manhattan Island. That fallacy for a time
threatened TO prevent the extension Of the rapid
transit subway as a continuous line to Brook
lyn. 1t would likewise serve a good purpose to
have competition in bridge service. At present
the situation is practically in the hands of one
company, and so sure is it Of its monopoly that
it seems hardly willing TO use the new facE-
ties which the city provides Here new bridge
is built to relieve the intoerabe congestion and
it was supposed that the railroad company
would eagerly turn TO # for an outlet; but It
does not II Knows INli, Win seats or without,
manned whole, the crowds must use such
accommodations as it provides. If the people
want the new bridge used. it is up to them to
make its use attractive TO the railroad
This is the weak point about Mayor Lows
| otherwise excellent theory that the city should
lay out and construct its own transit lines and
then offer them for use, instead OF securing
them by previous arrangement with trausporta-
ton companies. 1t gives the companies all the
advantage in negotiations. If before the through
cars crossed the Brooklyn Bridge and before
the Williamsburg Bridge was built the chance
to cross it had been offered to the railroads,
they would have paid n much better price than
now. when the city is begging somebody to
come and run cars over its new structure The
same danger cOnfrOnts the city with regard to
the Manhattan Bridge 1t is likely 10 spend
S15, 100000 on that extravagant structure, only
to be obliged to give it away, whereas two
years ago it might have secured substantially
equal accommodations for nothing by letting
out franchises for tunnels 10 those who would
have guaranteed to them in connection
with existing lines in either borough The folly
Of building great bridges on haphazard PLAN
without any assurance that they can be made
useful by proper connections on fair terms, can
not be OveremphasiZed.