New-York tribune., 1905-02-01
Mr.. WINTER TESTIFIES.
Tells of B. r. 4. Conditions Before
Angry Cro1cd at Hearing.

Several hundred persons We're on hand 10 pre-
sent their grievances against the service Of the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company at the hearing
opened by the State Railroad Commission IN Brook
lyn yesterday. Only few had an opportunity to
speak. Commissioners Joseph Dicksy and F. NJ.
Baker were present but Commissioners George NJ
Dunn was kept away through illness. Ths hearing
which is being held in Room No. q of the Kings
County Courthouse. was adjourned at 4:SO o'clock
until to-day.
Representing the company President Win
ter Vice President and General Manager Calder
wood General Superintendent Dow F. Smith and
Professor Collin. w :. sheehan and John L. Wells
counsel for the company. In the afternoon Presi-
dent Winter was examined closely about the con-
ditions. He told the number of cara used and
the number of passengers transported in each OF
several years past. He was asked about a number
OF bridge cars that have stood the side track
in the Manhattan terminal for several years. He
said they were old and could not be used. He de-
MED that the company deliberately causing
intolerabe conditions there to force the
authorities to extend the terminal. and declared
that under the present arrangements the siding
taken up by the old could not be used in any
other way.
Regarding the ash cars. he said they weighed
about forty-eght tons when loaded and were hard
on the tracks, but that they had not caused the
rails TO spread in any instance. Less than 1 per
cent of the power used In the system devoted
to the ash cars. he said. He admitted that the
question OF ventilation had not received the attsn
ton in streetcars that II had railway cars. He
said that the small used for the local service
on the Williamsburg Bridge would be replaced as
soon as new ones came from the shops
Borough President Lttleton said he thought a
solution OF the problem lay in the proper utilization
of the two bridges. and that could be done by the
proposed elevated loop between the Manhattan
terminals AS means of immediate relief he sug-
gested allowing people to the ferries free In
the rush hour and making an allowance to the
ferry company for that service from the money
Works Breckenridge expressed the same ideas
Borough President 1ittleton regarding the loop.
George t. Moon president of the Manufacture
Association, declared that in his opinion many OF
the grievances complained of two years ago still
exist. I'VE ask you he said ito present the
tons 10 the Attorney General. We stand ready 10
furnish counsel to act a deputy Attorney Gen
eral TO prosecute all cases without compensation "
Ex-senator Walter c, Burton said: ''AH we ask
is that the commission take this matter in hand
and stay here and these conditions for them.
you, and not travelling clear track on q
parlor car IL the elevated service properly
operated Il would afford large measure OF relief
for the surface lines James p. Kohler. secretary
the representative OF the West Side Taxpayers AS
ISOLATION. made a fiery and bitter speech against
the company and had to be restrained by Commits
stoner Dickey. The Rev. Charles II. East. pastor
OF the Church of Good Tidings In Stuyvesant-ave..
said that he had lost OF the heaviest subscribers
service the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company 3
lines. Il wish TO say that the conditions the
cars are worse than those found In public dance
hail. They breed immortality he declared.