The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-22

pears In ne 1886 seats. Hut the actual num-
her furnished has run as low at I3,62i seats
an hour when the trafIic has been very heavy.
The more passengers there are to handle the
fewer the seats that can be provided. because
OF 'he increased delays at stations. II side
door cars were used. with 100 seats each. the
number OF seats furnished one wav in one rush
hour. with the present length OF trains, would
be ~, 900. u capacity beyond the present needs
If traf'c.
The memorandum also finds fault with
the manner in which the destinations OF
trains are marked. the present lighting
OF the subway cars and the absence OF
emergency lamps. II say the lights are
all bare and that the Illumination furnished
sometimes IL too dim. The large amount
OF ne wspaper reading in the subway de-
mands good lighting to prevent eyestraln:
The memorandum ALSO complains OF
the Crowding on the elevated trains and
says u IL almost as bad IA in the subway.
Ii gives statistics of the number OF Trains
run and passengers carried and says that
not only could more trains be run but by
extending the station platforms trains
Of eight or more cars could be run on the
Third avenue road instead Of seven, or
five on the Second venue thus largely
increasing the capacity 0f the present
lines. Sixth avenue, the document says,
presents another illustration OF overcrowd-
ing. The investigators find a maximum
OI OHlN hlty-tlkbl lTdltS III one uOuT WI
the single express track on the Sixth and
Ninth avenue lines where both Use il.
whereas previous to the operation OF the
subway u maximum of eighty-one trains
an hour was operated. according to the
company's own statement to Mayor Low.
Every elevated line in the city is dis
tressingly overcrowded." says the COM
munication, and the lines could accom-
modate more trains and longer trains"
The City Club also complains that the
section of the sanitary code which pro-
vides that each car shall be carefully and
thoroughly cleaned every day is not lived
up to and strongly urges that the commits
sion should have "A permanent sanitary
expert TO advise constantly on matters
that concern health. The danger OF dis
seminating IN gious diseases through
closely packed people in cars is admitted.
says the document, and should receive
the most careful consideration from the
commission.
The IN, m~orandum also takes a whack
al the surface roads and says their car.
are ~dreadfully overcrowded in all the
boroughs. This, it says. il largely due TO
the fact that nowhere in the city. not even
in Richmond and The Bronx, il a sufficient
number of cars operated.
The memorandum has no particular
objection to the free transfer syStem,
only saying that il should he extended
TO all points on all lines tontrolled 10y the
Metropolitan. subway. sur
face and elevated. The document also
recommends enclosed vestibules on all
surface cars To protect the motorman and
asks that an effort be made TO reduce the
number of accidents. 4 study Of The causeS
OF accidents shows hat the number and
expense might largely be- reduced by the
introduction of better brakes. Tenders
and the training OF employees.
The document recommends alsD the
practice Of running ears in pairs in rush
hours, and saws If the practice was fol-
lowed on the Brook lyn Bridge aud else
where the congestion would he greatly
cut down. II also speaks M forcrnss seats
in closed cars.
Turning to the subway again, the memo
randllm says that in the interest 4 good
sanitation the tube should have concrete
floors and also better ventilation. Again,
il says that fire hydrants should he placed
in the subway. with hose attached. for
emergency purposes; also that emergel cy
stairs should be placed in between the
stations. without such stairways in case
OF accident IL would be necessary for pas
sengers in some places to walk five blocks
before finding an exit. Passengers obliged
to go that distance would be lk ely 10 he
suffOcated il there WAS a rapidly burning
fire in the subway. The document points
out that the noise made by elevated trains
can be reduced M per cent. by using ballast
on a solid floor. The cost OF such an alter
alton would be one-tenth of the original
cost OF the structure. Existing ties and
tracks need merely to be raised and a ron
crete floor with ballast inserted. No drip
pans would then be needed.
The memorandum also advocates the inn
mediate electriicatiOn OF horse car rail-
roads. Of which there are still seventy-tive
miles in Manhattan, and the removal Ct all
unused rails from the streets. There are
nearly twenty miles of such tracks in Man
haitian.
The investigators advise the building by
the fifV AZ the subway M nr o Wnnln hiH for
from Times Square TO the Battery on the
West Side. The memorandum IL not very
enthusiastic over the proposed third track
ing o. Second and Third avenues. as the
authors fear such an Improvement will
retard the building 81 future subways.
They saw that il in the Judgment of the
commissioners third tracks on these routes
would interfere with the early construction
of a through East Side subway a permit for
such tracks, in their judgment. should not
he granted. In conclusion the memoran-
dunn says
The problem of how to secure roal randi
transit Is not a Jew one for \eN NorR city.
10 secure hca!thrll condit ions the dense
congestion OF many parts % The ci;y musj he
relieved. The rapid increase in population
ma" obl,-+ large Numbers of people To live
M eer 10 twenty-five miles fTom the centre
81 the cir By the present means of transit
n much shorts ~ distaoce han This. from many
poinis, 70 uireS froir one Ia two hours. thus
ranin: from two 10 forr hours from each
day.
The Cos' OF transit TO the people of this city
IL not measured nv the cost of construction
Of transit lines or the amount paid TO trans
pOrt1tion companies IA far more serioIs item
il the heavy demand made daily upon the
time of thousands of persons by our unneces-
sarily SLOW transit. which consumes hours
which otherwise might he de"oted to pro.
duoiiye labor. to recreation or the Ell ,ovIusnt
OF the home,
.Nrr "e 10 develop n more rapid means Of
transit or il the growth CT the city 10 be Sc
cured N the Npense OF The moral. the rental
ana the physical health OF iis c%iiiIrns'
fOIER OFEENDS LABOR AGAIN.
kspha.t Work crs Suspect That Nan nIOn
Politicians Are TRuuc0lng Them.