New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-10-29
SUBWAY EXPRESS CRUSH.
Almost Deserted Metropolitan Cars
an RuSh Hours.

Passenger traffic both on the elevated and
surface lines throughout the city fell off to a
large extent yesterday as the result Of the first
full days regular operation Of the subway.
Downtown on the surface lines especially
there was a decrease at the rush" hours of at
least Of 75 per cent. Veteran conductors were
astounded as they walked back and forth in
virtually deserted cars.
On the West Side elevated. so Frank Hedley
general manager Of the Interborough Rapid
Transit Company estimated roughly, there was
falling off of 10000 passengers in the course
of the day. Many observers of the general con-
ditions were disposed to think his estimate con-
servative in the extreme
AS for the subway, its rush hour was a con-
tinuous performance day and night. "I should
say that from midnight to midnight" Mr.. He'd
ley told Tribune reporter, 1--WE carried all Of
three hundred thousand passengers"
H. H. vREELAND REFUSES FIGURES.
While H. H. Vreeland. president Of the Metro
politan Street Railway Company. refused all
figures Of the days receipts, contenting himself
with the observation that there might be de-
crease, but that matters would doubtless adjust
themselves within the next few days. the falling
OF in surface traffic was reflected in remote
lines TO almost incredible extent. On the
Ninth-ave. surface line the decrease was notice
Madison. Second, Third and Fourth aves north
and south bound, at all hours the change in
traffic was little short of startling. From sew
eral conductors on southbound Amsterdam and
Columbus ave. cars in the morning rush hours
the reporter learned that whereas they had for
merly collected from s. to SO on a trip yester-
day the proceeds Of a single journey amounted
in several cases to no more than 81. Inspectors
and conductors on southbound at the for
mer evening rush hours told the same story, and
the indications Of the late forenoon and early
evening trips were all of a piece
THE EAST SIDE ELEVATED HIT
While according to Mr.. Hedley there was no
material decrease on the elevated on the East
Side, two reporters who stood on the Third-ave
Brooklyn Bridge platform between 5:45 and
6:15 p m, saw three express trains leaga
the station carrying no more than enough for
their seating capacity, some hfty-six persons to
car. Except for the conductors, the platforms
were vacant, and while three or four passengers
in rear cars had been compelled to stand there
were seats to spare in certain of the foremost
cars Remembering the habitual frantic crush
these particular trains the transforn1a rion
was startling, and guards and gatemen seemed
TO agree that there had not been such a slump in
passengers half dozen times in the last six
years
But If the rush performance in the subway
was OF the continuous variety, 1t was confined,
SO lar as the actual car croWding was concerned.
almost entirely to the express trains. If the
subway yesterday demonstrated any one thing it
was that passengers. whether it was their first
trip or not, had not come to ride the local.
trains. OF ali the local trains that came into
or out OF the City Hall Park yesterday it is
doubtful whether half score carried more than
their seating capacity. 1t is certain that dozens
Of local trains made their journey from terminal
TO terminal half empty. If there was another
thing that yesterday demonstrated it was that
the day was not fair test of the subway's pos
sible relief and diversion Of traffic from the two
other general modes Of transportation. AS on
Thursday, thousands rode in the subway yester-
day plainly, papably for the sake Of the nov
city, lightly forsaking the old love for the new.
Thousands more were making an experiment,
TO wit to the advantage in comfort speed
and personal availability of the new means of
locomotion.
From the very nature of these things, the
real test Will not occur at the earliest before
well into the middle Of next week. By then the
rival merits of the systems may be adjusted
and the public's choices be apparent.
Many will share with Police Commissioner
McAdoo the belief that, great as has been the
subway crush so far to-day and tomorrow,
with their influx of out Of town sightseers, as
we'll of citizens who have far held aoof
wifi make strong bids for the traffic record.