The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-21
LONGEST RIDE FOR A NICKEL
rms CITY HAS I'LL OTHER CITIES
REiTEN OUT or SIGHT.
An, Onr VINO wants to Get All He Can May
travel - p-7 Miles for Five Cents
Longest straight Ride for That Price
Is Battery 10 2OOt street. IS.1s w,Ies

President Theodore p. Shonts OF the
Inier-NIet gave out yesterday some sta
ris'Ics collected by the American Strs,.
and lnterurban Railway Association which
went 70 show that a passenger oan travel
further for a nickel on the surface ines in
Manhattan than On any lines in any other
city If the country. Mr.. Shonts pointed
out that by boarding a car at the Battery
an following a zigzag route north. using
all - the transfer privileges, a ride could be
0ken &c kingsbridge, a distance OF 81
miles. FOR a single fare.
Philadelphia is second in the length OF
ride which can be had for one fare, with a
maximum distance Of over twenty-six miles
The average for the ten principal cities OF
he COUNTRY is a little over nineteen miles.
which IL about half Of the longest ride hat
can ae taken in this city for a nickel. MIR.
Shonts said:
The figures for all Of the cities show that
the length Of the ride both by the lengthen-
ing q direct ines and the extension of the
'ransfer system has steadily increased
Nuh this lengthening Of the ride there has
teen a considerable increase in the cost of
operation. but the cost Of the ride remains
he same. In other words the statistics
sho" that one gets more for a nickel now on
the street railways OF the unit than ever
before, and that a street car ride is the one
necessity Of life that does not show an in
'leased cost in keeping with the increased
roe, Of its production and maintenance
The old horse car cost about $500. the cable
Oar and grip ccst S 5000, the standard cleo
ipc car, fully equipped. now costs 81. 200.
which is an increase Of 81 900 within a COM
paratively few years. Copper and stee |
have increased in price. and much heavier
'ails are now being used Thar ever before.
Rails weighing from 90 to 40 pounds to the
ward have taken the place OF rails which
weighed only 40 pounds to the yard. There
has also been a steady increase in wages.
In the horse car days conilcto-s and
rivers received 81 for a day Of twelve hours:
conductors and motormen now are paid
from s.. IS to 81 80 for a day OF ten hours.
IN the way Of real rapid transit. how
ever, there is no city in the country which
IN he made TO compare with New York
'ltter in the length of ride for a nickel or
III ~ time required TO cover il. The lonRes;
rdeen one direction on the elevated is by
hfe Third avenue line from South Ferry
10 200th street and Bronx Park, a distance
- 1898 miles, for which the running time
"a % minutes. One can ride on the Ninth
or sixth avenue elevated from I55th street
10 South Ferry and there transfer 10 the
Third avenue line and ride up to Bronx
psrk without the payment Ct an additional
fare.
Ont the Subway one can ride as long as
ne wants 70 for a nickel by using the crosse
overs: The longest direct ride on the Sub
way H. on the Broadway division, from
South Ferry TO 230th street, a distance CT
la22 miles, for which the running time Of
express trains is f6 minutes. There is now
Under construction an elevated extension
to the Subway from 230th street to 242d
street; when this is completed and the
BROOKLYN extension TO Flatbush avenue is
opened one can ride for iT.fO miles in the
subway for the payment Of a single fare.
covering the distance in So minutes. The
20 ci2d street il Ia 81 miles. and the running
lime OF express trains will be SO minutes.