New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-22
3 "L" TRACKS
FOR EAST SIDE SUBWAY.
City Club Reports on Transit InOes-
t;ootion to Public Service Board.


The cftv Club sent to the Public Service Com
mission for this district yesterday iei0 ~,
IN Relation to the rapid transit situation IN Ne"
York CITY This contains the results OIL 'iie IN
prehensive investigation of the sltua'lon ~ -
club has been making for several years "''
concentrations ,,.,,or,s
The club is strongly against the conliilsS'o"
cranrinq a franchise for third tracking the Secolu
and Third avenue elevated roads, unless d P,1
subway already has been contracted loI anu
the commission is thoroughly sallsHeu &C =,
having of a third track on these roads VIII not uv
fer the building of a subway. other minor ~"
lions the CITY Club insists should be required O0
fore the commission grants such a francIlse- ,
The question of third tracking these TWO el
vat9d lines was one Of the first important ''e
pro5lens brought before the Public Service COM
mission and so urgent were the civic orsahizt'o''
Of The Bronx for third tracks that the comIillS
sion almost Immediately appointed a conl''''''e
to study the problem and report with recohiliiei'
dations. A hearing has also been arranged Io,'
The action Of the City club in opposing TINS pan
unless a subway is assured with the support
of many of the closest students Of transit condl-
tons and with the unqualified approval or rest
dents Of the East Side, who have bitterly opposeu
It from the start. -
It is conceded generally that transit racIHue9
from the lower part of Manhattan to The Bronx
are inadequate and that some relief IS necessary
The plan of building another subway was tlous"-
TO be the best and most practicable untI NIie1
Engineer Rice OF the Public Service Commission
rerorted that such a subway would have 10 oe
built through solid rock and would take at least
four years To construct. This report led to re-
heated demands from residents OF The Bronx for
third tracking the Second and Third avenue ele-
waited lines Commissioner Eusts. II Is thought.
believes that this is the proper solution or the
question
BUT the recommendation OF the City Club in this
respect merely confirms the opinions OF the sup
porters OF the subway plan. who say that while
third track would temporarily relieve the wants
Of the Bronxites for rapid transit faciIues' II Is
not the proper far sighted solution OF the prop
lem. Like the City Club. the advocates or the
subway are willing TO have third tracks laid pro
vided that subway will also be built for they
believe that soon after the advent OF a subway
the elevated lines Will be 90 discounted tAat III
time they viii he taken down.
The CITY Club also makes recomUe ndations for
the relief Of the Brooklyn Bridge crush. as told IN
The Tribune last week, for relieving subway CON
Cestion. for additional safeguards on trains. Tor
relief for overcrowdlnE elevated roads, lot hodi-
fcations I'm structure. and other transit matters
subway cars. says tho memorandum. are more
overcrowded than even the Brooklyn Bridge trains
during rush hours. From observations made ny
tho city club. 1t appears that from $50 to $50
r. m. only Il per cent OF the passengers in the
subway trains able to get seats while in the
same hour SO per cent OF the passengers In BROOK
lyu Bridge trains are seated. The congestion Is
due the small number Of trains the marlborough
company runs
Tho type Of car used by our rapid transit COM
ranies has bsen made the subject OF much study
hv the engineers II the CITY club who report that
by the Of new and improved types Of cars the
seating capacity could be materially increased
The report saws. The total number Of seats
furnished ono under the present schedule on
the subway including both express and local trains.
IS $3.50 seats But the actual number 81 seats
furnished has low 13,62+ II side door
cars were used with 100 seats each the number Of
seats furnished one way In hour with trains 81
The present length would he - 600 an hour-beyond
The present needs OF traffic"
The club believes that the Second and Third
avenue elevated lines are not being operated 70
their FUN capacity and says Every elevated
line IN the city is distressinsly overcrowded and
every lin" could accommodate more trains and
longer trains The same recommendation is made
FOR surface roads
The memorandum strongly advocates transfers
between al lines subway surface and elevated.
In our opinion the report states. the Inter
borough company would ind IL hest for its hnan-
oal interests. as well as a great convenience 10
tn" public. 20 give transfers between all its lines.
surface elevated and subway"
The club recommends that the city undertake
the extension ~ the F.atbuSh avenue subway 70
Prospect Park and advertise the contract for the
Fourth avenue route In Brooklyn Immediately. II
also recommends the building 81 a subway rom
Times square south the Battery.
The memorandum. in summarizing says.
The relief Of congestion IN New York City. then.
need not be delayed till lines can be provided.
u IS IN part, "a matter OF operating present cars
by up-to-d1te methods. and in part 81 getting up
to-dlte cars and operating them by up-to-date
methods II companies are compelled u furnish
seats, tho long fosrered congestion, with all It's
brutality and danger ~ health and life, will soon
disappear. in spite OF the claims the contrary.
the rnonoraii type rapid transit road not OBJ
taiuabIe on our established tvo-rai svsrar, These
apparent advantages should warrant a careful study
90 ascertain whether this type Of road would aid
I'm the solution ~ New York City's transit prob
lem"
In closing the report gives a fun and conpre-
h'nsve list OF suggestions for general investiga-
uon OF transit conditions and for dealing with
transit problems in farsighted manner The
summary az recommendations is follows
RELIEF FOR THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE CRUSH
!. For immediate RELIEF
ta) Change the operation OF trains in terminal OF
III" Brnokyu Bridge during rush hours that
more platforms will be used leading passengers
instead ~ bur one.
%, Establish surface line from the end OF
WiH1ulshIrg E-tdS" 20 city Han
. As be-
all elevated crossing Frooklv, Frfdga
subsurface terminal order 70 distribute the
climbing.
tb} Endeayor effect agreement between the
interborough Company and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Company 20 issue FREQ transfers
beyond. 20 and from the Brooky tery tunnel
SI-BWAYS
/ RELIEF FOR CONGESTION
Require the installation "A equipment cars
having Hidc twelve doors each side viii per
init OF much sIsclier entrance auG thereby a
much shorter station stop shorter Will
. Require an 70 equipped with cross seats 9,
that the maximum number sttings Will be provided
In each
That he coruauy lroyides fr.,re,- train.