The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-26
sUBWAY AND CIVIC PRIDE.
Need 0f Better Transit Facilities Across
the Fast River.

To THE EDi1oR or THE SrS Sir; There
IL one element OF danger in subway traVel
worth considering. | refer 10 a tendency OF
the subway habit 10 inhlbit or destroy ne
development of generous and wholesome CIVIC
pride In those who Use the subway too con-
tinuously and persistently. One VINO goes
down into the subway at one end ana out az
the other end day after day begins 10 have
his interest in the city centred only on the
surroundings at the ends he uses.
There Is much more mental stimulus III
ridmg on the elevated or surface cars thah
In the subway, more civic pride 10 De ueVef
oped by looking out over the city ana seeing
its streets and buildings and moving people
than by sitting in a tunnel. 1t may be ques-
toned whether one who rides a long distance
in the subway does not lose more potential
civic pride and mental stimulus alone than
Ia compensated for in the gain OF a Few min
utes in time. Besides, other evils result from
loss Of sunshine and pure air ana the con-
slant use Of electric lights as we'll as the noise
OF the subway.
l wonder whether advocates OF another
long subway to The Bronx have thought
enough about first developing transit facll-
ties above ground TO the eastward. II Is a
shorter line and more natural direction to
the eastward for our congested population
to spread out. 1t Ia more economical. me
tendency hitherto Of population to spread 10
the northward has been unduly stimula ted
by north and south facilities Of transportation
sr%ns tie fa nfiftffss a eI1asFt the IF Es aav siaeP, Of
Before our city became Greater New YORK
all the concentrated OF the real estate
ton companies and the authorities az City
Hall was bent upon developing our city 70
the northwaTd; Interests stsoh in BrS Sklya Te6 os
Since the city has become Greater New York,
aHwen More ' tSoa aS}f0 70 traf &c facilities EicI across
the, East River: but 1t Is still slow work. bt
Is, however. 9 CRYING shame that traffic faoilli
and the brushes at the bridge termini so long
permitted. just look at the dissraeefni con-
f d5tlG Sr'd even = n9% at 2to the g, M tbs eStf. of e ooSrs g.
lies in the factors. referred to above but
what amqzes me is the ~slowness of the Brook
iSf RI RisetlRls 3 Srled [ssp she should S'i0f i9ns ago have
been connected on the Manhattan side at
least by elevated and, surface loops stretch
ing across the city and intersecting our north
and south lines Of transportation. Elevated
and surface cars should be running now over
one bridge, and returning by the other. Such
loops would tend 10 prevent brushes at any
one point. Delaney street was widened
long ago at enormous expense to the City Tor
of the bridge to the elevated and surface
north and south lines In the heart OF Man
our city, authorities are being forced to turn
this bridge street-for street 1t s-into grass
plots and flower ga rdens.
1t seems to me a great pity that the city
should force people to 20 TO and from Brook
lyn in a subway under the East River. depriy-
full facilities across the brid ges by not develop
ing them at once adequately. 1t certainly il
IA liberal education to ride daily across the
river In Gods free air and sunshine and enjoy
the beauties of nature above the river. |
question, again. whether the gain OF, a few
pensates for the loss Of these things, either
to the Individual or to the city.
Chicago has a good idea of the subway,
namely, to use It for freight. Let elevated
and surface roads be used for human beings
| do say. however. that our elevated roads
should be more ornamental and pract ically
noiseless. ] understand it is possible to
make them so.
CHARLES VI. BERGsTREssER
NEW YORK, March -.