New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-26
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
SAYS SUBWAY DESTROYS CIVIC PRIDE.
Correspondent Would Have Tide of Develop
ment Turned to Brooklyn as Remedy.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: There is one element Of danger. in subway
travel worth considering. ] refer TO a tendency Of
the subway habit 10 inhbit destroy the develop
ment of generous and wholesome civic pride in
those who the subway too continuously and
persistenty. One who goes down into the subway
at one end and ont At the other end day after day
begins TO have his interest i'm the city centred only
on the surroundings at the ends he uses
There is much mora mental stimulus I'm riding on
the elevated or surface cars than I'm the subway
more civic pride to be developed by looking ont over
the city and seeing its streets and buildings and
moving people than by sitting in a tunnel.
Il may be questioned whether one who rides
long distance "a the subway does not lose more
potential civic pride and mental stimulus alone than
is compensated for i'm the gain OF few minutes IN
time. Besides other evils result from loss Of sun
shine and pure air and the constant use of electric
lights well the noise of the subway.
wonder whether advocates Of another long sub
way 10 The Bronx have thought enough about hrst
developing transit facilities above ground 10 the
eastward. II IS a shorter line and more natural
direction 10 the eastward for our congested popua-
uon 10 spread ont. II is more economical The
tendency hitherto of popula ton 70 spread 70 the
south facilities Of Transportation and by the hitn-
erto neglect Of devaIo6r1ent OF transit faciiites
Before our city became greater New York all the
the north, the city Transportation companies and
me authorities at city Han was bent upon de
northward- Interests i'm Brooklyn were not strong
enough 10 lolte ueNeippneUJ Of adequate rrdfnC
iacllltes 70 the eastward Since the city has
become greater New York, however. the authOri-
lies at City Hall must give thought TO traffic
IaollueS across the East River. But il is still
slow work II is however crying shame that
traffic facilities eastward have been so long neg
ieciec ana the brushes at the bridge termini 50
long permitted just look at the disEraceful con-
oiuOns even now at the Manhattan ends of the
bridges The root of the evil of course. lies in
the factors referred 10 above. But what HmaZes
ne Is me SLOW PIoad grasp OF the situation by
Existing bridges should long ago have been con-
nected. on the Manhattan side least. by elevated
and surface loops stretching across the city and
lntersectinE north south lines of transporta-
ton. Elevated and surface 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 wideued long ago
buildings for the sole purpose of extending the
facilities of the bridge To the elevated and surface
north and south lines in the heart Of Manhattan.
Instead OF carrying out this purpose our CITY au-
denst
II seems 70 me great pity that the CITY should
iorge people 10 60 10 and from Brooklyn I'm a sub
more desirable and healthful facilities across the
bridges by not developing them at once adequately
il certainly IS liberal education 10 ride daily
across the river r Gods free and sunshine and
cue SuOn again whether tho gain Of few minutes
IN time IN subway adequately c1mpeusatcs for the
loss OF these things either 10 the individual or to
the citv.
Chicago has good idea Of the subway. viz to
use II for freight. Let elevated and surface roads
he used Toy human beings 7 do say however
that our elevated roads should he more ornamental
and practically uOissess. understand il is posi-
bic to make them
CHARLES N. BERGsTREssER
New York, March o, 1906