The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-28
100000 CARRIED, FIRST DAY.
HEDLEY,S ESTIMATE OF OPENING
TRAFFIC IN THE SUBWAY.
And II Was Only Hair Day NJ That-2S 900
an Hour Last highland He Hopes 10
Double That Capacity Latcr-Not a

an Hour Last highland He Hopes 10
Hitch Worth Mention al the start.
After spending four hours In the Brook
Ign Bridge station TO make sure that the
subway system would go without hitch,
General Manager Frank Hedley found
time late last night to express his satisfac-
ton over the complete success Of the open
Ing and to talk little about future plans.
"A tremendous project like the subway
cannot be put into operation without a few
broken intervals said he, "but l am
thoroughly satisfied We wound up the
system and set /: going like fine clock.
There wasn't thing to mar our satisfac-
ton.
estimate that We carried 1875 900 people
during the Ave hours from O'Clock until
midnight. Reports that reached me from
the Fourteenth street. the Twenty third,
the Forty-second, the Ninety sixth. In
fact all the stations, were that nil trains
were crowded. We ran forty five trains
last night, express and local. and the re-
ports would indicate we carried $4,000
people an hour
We intend to put on three or four new
trains daily as increased traffic demands
them. If ii becomes necessary, we can
double our present equipment in a month
or more and carry SO, 600 an hour for twenty
four hours. That would mean l,2Oo, 600
people. At present we can handle COZ, 600
daily.
AOf course traffic would have to come 10
ns pretty evenly distributed through the
day to approach those figures. am giving
maximum capacity. Naturally, during the
two hours from until O'Clock in the
morning, when people are going to work,
and from until O'Clock In the evening,
when they are going home, the rush will be
far greater than In other hours. At present
we have few trains in our shops which are
partly or nearly ready for service. 1t will
take time to get other trains ready.
Il wish knew, myself, just what effec. the
subway Is going to have on the elevated
traffic. However, this is worth consider
ing. Statistics show that increased facili-
ties breeds traffic believe that the opera
ton OF the subway will mean that more
people in New York will ride
In that respect New York is different
from any city in the union. The figures
show 1t. The elevated and trolley lines
are carrying $500 900 a day. The chances
are that the subway will increase that total
enormously
As to perfect service, that depends
largely upon the men themselves. II they
enter into the thing with will, the people
will get the benefit OF 1t. Upon them, more
than on the off1oials, the future success
depends. I was greatly pleased with the
spirit OF the employees last night They
did enter into their work with will and the
right kind OF spirit, and 1t augurs well for
the future.
i was especially pleased that we lived
right up to our schedules the first crack
out OF the box. Our schedule time from City
Hall to Ninety-siSth street Is w minutes.
l don't suppose single train varied half
a minute. We run from City Hall to l15eh
street In about 20 minutes. There wasn't
a delay worthy Of mention.
AT some Of the stations the traffic WAS
extraordinarily heavy, particularly at
Brooklyn Bridge, Fourteenth, Twenty
third and Forty-second streets observed
one rather interesting fact Below Four
teenth street people crowded on to the
express trains. Above Fourteenth street
they wanted the local trains.
We ran the express trains on a minute
SCHeulie HIlu the lOCdl Trains on n minute
schedule. As fast as the people came
we took care Of them. With men who are
little green that was splendid work When
they are perfectly trained it will be all
the better.
"In the afternoon we carried about 20 900
free passengers. That would bring the
days total ", to something like $50, 1000"
Mr.. Hedley said that only two or three
minor bitches In the working OF the system
had been reported to him. In the after
noon train which had been out of service
during the Mayors trip did not start UP
when the signal was given. That blocked
the line for a few minutes
Another he had heard OF was that imme-
diately after the opening at night an air
brake hose burst on a southbound express
train at Fourteenth street. That also
delayed the express service about ten min
utes, but three express trains running
together right behind cleared the platforms
in a twinklinR