New-York tribune., 1907-01-04
STORM TRANSIT BOARD
DEMAND BRIDGE RELIEF
Strap Hangers 4sk Immediate
44ctiOn from Commission.

football game at the bridge ends
The burden of the united demand was for an
elevated loop between the Williamsburg and
Brooklyn bridges. Ito set the Williams
burg Bridge to work." as one of the speakers
put il.
The meeting was the most turbulent ever held
by the commission. President Orr. after trying
IN vain for minute two at a time to make
himself heard above the hand clapping laugh
ter. groans jeers and other racket at last
threatened TO adjourn the meeting and clear
the room if better order We're not maintained
E +. Bryan, general manager of the Inter-
borough; H. II. Vreeland. of the Metropolitan
lines; E. w. Winter, of the BROOKLYN Rapid
Transit; John B. Mcdonald S L. F. DeNo and
other railroad men were hand to hear things
They heard them,
Paul ID. Cravath, the close Of the hearing
speaking for August Belmont said THAI the In
terborough would cheerfully cooperate with the
Rapid Transit Commission and adapt its traffic
10 conditions imposed by the commission if the
commission saw fit, in its wisdom TO build an
elevated loop between the bridges although Mr.
CraVath added with emphasis that the Belmont
interests do not favor loop and do not be-
Ieve that a loop between the bridges will help
much
President Orr Messrs Starin. Smith. Lang
don and Controller Metz were the commissioners
present
EN-Consressman Edward NJ Bassett OF
Brooklyn was the spokesman for the strap
hangers. He said that he spoke for the Citi-
zens Central Committee. made up of fortv-
eight organizations He said that he favored
the Martin plan for loop through Centre street
which had been before the board for eight
years, but Brooklynites were not so very mar
ucular about plans, so long as something vas
done They could not stand IT much longer the
speaker said.
Albert r. Latson a lawyer with a deen ,,o,oe
said strong things
You have not acted" said I.atson '.You bav.
Jailed 70 recognize the fact that the law con-
iemPiated that you should In the name OF
humanity, decide Do something to relieve this
disgrace Give relief. relief! relief said
I-atson Whereat the despairing got on their hgn
heels and yelled with all the might they had
President Orr's generous shock Of hair almost
stood on end he listened 10 the tumult and he
glared at the disturbers before he made any i'm
preston them.
After that the BrOokynites acted like young
horses with the bits in their teeth When they
liked the ring of a particularly severe sentence
thew would cut loose with a volley of cheers and
when they didn't like what was said they bel
lowed groans or ironical laughter. 1t was more
like McGsrry mass meeting in the old Tenth
Ward Of Brooklyn than a hearing before a
sedate body like the Rapid Transit Commission
Controller Metz brought along half a dozen
tar barrels. so 20 speak, which he added 10 the
verbal bonfire when the blaze showed signs OF
duness.
Borough President Coler' defended tho COM
mission, and took occasion 10 remind the au-
dience that he vas Controller when the Brooklyn
subway was authorized. Mr.. Coler said num-
her OF extremely sensible things but the crowd
was not friendly toward him.
We might well talk frankly about this
matter" said Mr.. Coler. whereupon a man with
q memory of ribs fractured on Flushing avenue
car replied:
Try II yourself, just for once"
George c. Miller was a nort of jeremiah He
said among other things:
We are buoyed up by the hope that the new
Legislature will on the Governors recon-
nendation and abolish the Rapid Transit Com
mission
Commissioner Landon. who seldom betravs
emotion, looked hard the speaker and the
other gentlemen around the long table smiled un-
ehtrusively
Gilbert Evans managing editor of The
Brooklyn Eagle" improved the occasion 70
demonstrate that he can read speech with
good effect. He warned the board against a
repetition of the panic which "christened the
bridge IN blood twenty-three years ago" Con-
nnuing, Mr.. Evans said
IF you don't help u.s. we VIII go to Albany
lhere SITS a man who knows woes and
nympathizes with desires"
Jared J. Chambers. Of the Bushwick section
Of Brooklyn small. slim man, held the floor
for ten minutes. He was fiery bristled with
facts and figures and carried $50 pounds of
steam 10 the square inch.
Il am only little feller," said Jared. "but I
"ant TO tell you, gentlemen that 1 can pour out
this sort OF stuff for hour and half" Sud
6enly Controller Metz interrupted:
Il want to ask Mr.. Winter (president of tho
Brooklyn Rapid Transit) what terms he
would operate the proposed Centre street loop If
rhe city should fit to build IT."
Mr. Winter, who had sort of been hiding In
the tall grass. thus summarily smoked out
Like one of Cardigan's men at Balaklava he
marched out-out and into the jaws Of the
death dealing, whitening glances from his two
hundred victims.
Say, is that winter" whispered the embat-
tied Brooklyn farmers. craning their collective
necke to set eyes the quiet man whom they
have been taught to believe is the grand high
chief fomenter of the most Of their Iransporta-
ton ills. Il want to get look at Winter. said
they.
IL didn't know" said Mr.. Winter looking
somewhat apprehensvely at the congregation
that loop. TO be discussed here to-day
until reached here. The gentlemen who have
been agitatlng the subject have not seen fit TO
take me into their confidence. i think that
when the old proposition up, years ago. the
company said it would pay Az per cent on the
cost Of the construction OF the loop If IL ran
lie cars over it. At the same time. want to
say now and here that think that an elevated
loop will be disappointing. / think well ar
ranged terminal station at the end OF the Will