The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-20
TIE SUBWAY.
Looked at Critically From . Sanitary
Point OF View.

To TIE EDIToE OF THE SUN-Siy. After six
months absence | return TO my native city
and survey its horse cars fresh scrubbed
City Hall and gusty, dusty streets with that
combined wonder and shrug OF the shoulders
with which philosophc New Workers view
their home In Rufus Choate's phrase. We
know that It is ugly but We feel that 1t Is
great
Incidentally have been taking notes OF
the subway and ofer you the results must
confess that 1t doesn't seem quite so attractive
as tina glowing newspaper descriptions led
me 10 expect. Some of the stations are dark.
almost dinRy. But the cars are cheerful and
comfortable tho attendants courteous the
service prompt and the speed T, pl It Is
twenty minutes to Harlem, in reality. In
comparison with the d. - think the subway
i on the whole an Improvement. | should not
Ike to be stalled between stations under
ground. but that IS not pleasant even on tho
elevated
The subway stairs are broad and have Il
long slope. II is much easier TO g down
stairs IN a hurry than to mount the steep
approaches TO the elevated while at the end
OF your ride you are not fiustered and there
fore do not mind the ascent For stout OF
elderly persons with weak hearts this IL an
important consideration Again. while the
express trains are pretty fun the local trains
even in the rush hours are almost empty. so
that every one c1n have u seat Furthermore.
the ventiHtors in all the trains are kept open
as rule and there Is some movement of air.
whereas they are closed on the L. The sub
way air smells Ike straw and at times OF
rubber after "A time 1t gives one headache.
This Is the testimony OF the employees
talked with. who also complained OF constant
colds Tie brakemen OF the H. say that
the men who lett to take places in the subway
regret the change.
one serious objection TO The subway is the
uncertain light which M tuates when the
power is turned on and on. his Is try ing for
the eyes. but will benefit the ocUlista. A. to
the advertlserna nts ! fully agree with the
business man who IN recent letter to lHR
SuS expressed the opinion OF several adver
Users, that they Ill not pay The waits are
that they hardly attract attention, As for
those fastened against the walls have
mentally boycottcd every one OF them for
defacinR the beautiful c.ean thing.
A strong point in favor Of the subway IL
cold | really suffered with the cold one dnv
lately while riding downtown u a stone-cold
Il" car which did not warm UP during the
entire trip. Usually i is a choice Of too much
with cold air at every stop. With side doors
this might be avoided
II one takes the front or rear cars. he Ia
stiled by the .stagnnnt foul mir, as they are
seldom flushed when they reach the end Of
IN . route. Yet these CRrs are taken by prefer
encc by mddl. aged men Of sedcntary habit
d. aughts
The problem Of veniiating railroad car
Is mainly one ~ arithmetic. Every man.
woman and child needs so much lung food.
say roughly, a cubic foot Of fresh air every
second. sixty feet minute or Isl feet IN the
usual hnlf honr ride on the city car lines Pack
n hundred persons OF all ages. conditions and
cleanliness into q tight box and they VIII eat
~ the oxygen in the air mighty quick
Keep this NJ long enough and you have what
the scientists call crowd poisoning. which
IN time will breed typhus. or jgil fever. Sha.-
ing W this stirabout OF sond Particles es
Huxley called 1t. won't purify Il. Nothing
but providing an entire fresh supply win
The Il" cars get the sunli ght which il
natures purifier. and when the doors are
open the air that enters il fairly good " cold.
But the trip "a Just twice n long AS by the
underground road, so IN this case half a bite
OF bad lung food Is better than whole mouth
cumulative Therefore. II had TO ride in the
rush hours ! would take the subway. but Ia
ordinary hours prefer he L
In plain English the subway ia an elongated
cellar somewhat protected from damp and
with many openings for air to enter and
escape. Tho part under the Central PARK
il streaked with damp like tho Fourth avenue
tunnel. The track with its broken stone bal
last will collect and retH in microbe laden dust.
Notice how II sweeps down INTO every station
from the windward side. The cigar hsnds
are already polluting the air With their stink
Ing stumps | am a smoker myself. but |
would like 70 put on every one OF these we'll
dressed hoOdlums at the next station. II is
impossl Bile to keep the tracks clean without
Coucreting them The moving trains merely
push the Air 10 one side. and ultimately fans
will be required TO create q current But
nothing viii be done except from pressure Of
public opinion.
We have TO q rht IN this town for everything
that people ought 20 have. even against spoi.-
ing our parks with straddle bug elevated
roads and militia paredes
NEW YORK. Jan. 10.