New-York tribune., 1907-10-29
FINAL TRANSIT ORDER
ROOTS EXCUSE NOEXCUSE
Many More Cars Mast Be Run on
Madison AUenue.

W M0daSOn AUeflue.
The Public Service Commission at fits public
meeting yesterday adopted resolution providing
for a final order for an increase Of approximately
20 per cent In the service the Fourth and Madi-
line of the New York City Railway
Company after November l. In the formal order
directed to the company the minimum number OF
cars to be run within specified time limits IS given
In detail because the company was not living up
to it's traffic schedules, and the commission was
taking no chance of a misunderstanding. Chairman
Wilcox termed this order one OF the most impor-
tant yet issued by the commission.
Accompanying his resolution Commissioners Malt
bic presented a report conditions on that line
disclosed by the investigation Of the service.
Even the testimony of Oren Root, general man
ager for the receivers of the New York City Rail-
way Company, said this report. showed that the
service at times distinctly unsatisfactory. Mr.
Roots final excuse for not running more cars-the
inability Of the company to obtain efficient en-
ployes-dd not appeal at all to the commissioner
If the company paid better wages and made work
ing conditions more agreeable he reasoned. 1t
could get all the conductors and motormen 1t
needed.
Commissioner MaItbie said in this report that the
committee had not recommended any increase In
service below Astor Place during the evening rush
hours. because the congestion. especially at Grand
street and the Bowery, great at that time
OF day. He suggested that this phase of the sub
ject receive further study. and that 1t might even
be desirable TO lay tracks In some OF tle uiluCcu-
pied streets to relieve the traffic over the southern
part OF the Madison avenue line.
Mr. Maltbie analysed the traffic schedules and
testimony presented by Mr. Root, comparing them
with the testimony of Michael II. Ryan. one OF the
commissions inspectors. who had been keeping
tabs the Madison avenue lines service. The
report said:
The traffic returns presented by Mr.. Root were
not M n the same form as the returns M Sa{ boy
the total seating capacity OF the cars passing GER
s there a 's The das IN this oTm do
show how many PASSENGERS were standing or qSI nov
number Of vacant seats in all cars for the whole /
standing the service would appear TO be adeqqate
But every traffic manager knows ana Mr; ROOF tS
c Sas In such SUI n manner that the seats y w@uI num-
b Of p persons m e stannF o1 many Of the cars and
also that even where the tables showed that the
there must have been a constderabIe number OF
cars in which there We're many persons standing.
Further. II is true that at the beginning OF a
seats and at the end of the half hour there might
Two equalized each other the dlasrams WoGld % snow
the service to be adequate But what satisfaction
9t some otber tfe of The av II if is not availabIe
the evidence presented by Mr.. Root supports that
considerable periods during each day. Sundays as
well as week days, the service on the Madison
When the exhibits prepared by Mr.. Root and Mr.. /!
eesed Increase in the service two facts should
be kept ir mind. The observations made by the F!
summer and the early part OF September when :
the traffic lower than in ordinary months and /
capacity OF an open car is ffty-five and Of
SaPaeg darng the late 70 a Te W2er vim % and ery
spring it would be necessary TO operate three cars
other words. when two open cars are taken on !
Increase of about 40 per cent is NECESSARY during
the fan months because of the much heavier traffic
twice as many should be operated during the
the basis Of seating CAPACITY as compared with the
number of passengers carried.
hours OF labor, method of payment uniforms and
CONDITIONS % lions or aoor a large @ tb @t condifen
are self-imposed and may be altered by the com
Gus or calling for any unusual amount of skill IT
does not seem that the existence Of conditio1s5
he considered bar 70 the maintenance OF adequate
II b yne the cnmpanv than at present
smaller number Of men would work than are now |
valid reason why The service should he made less /
adequate than a. present II the present conditions
bcttered the company would Doubtless secure /
the requisite number of competent men
The commission also adopted resolution direct !
ing all railroad companies 10 file schedules of rates
and charges for transportation of passengers and
property from every point within the 1st District |
70 every other point within the 1st District on /
their lines lines controlled or leased by them. or /
operated so a through route through fare was /
maintained II adopted also a resolution Speclry- /
ing the form in which the express companies are !
10 file their schedules Of rates and charges.
Commissioner Bassett for the bridge crush COM |
mittee reported against a suggestion for route |
from the postofICe up to the Manhattan end of !
the williamsburg Bridge. Such a line sug- /
gested as a relief 10 the Overtaxed Brooklyn |
Bridge. The opinion of the committee was that !
It would be inadvisable. because Park Row and /
the Bowery already congested with cars and /
traffic
There Is little probability that the general in |
vestigation of the traction companies will be re- |
sumed before next week Chairman Wilcox and I
William NJ. WINS at work on material con- /
nected with the investigation. It is hoped that !
when the hearings resumed they can be con- !
tnued regularly until the general investigation is
ended.
George s. Rice, of the commissions engineering !
staff, said yesterday that Saturday afternoon /
he took a party of more than one hundred and |
eighty members of the Municipal Engineers So
ciety through the Battery tunnel. This society Is /
composed of civil engineers in the service OF the |
various departments Of the city government.
p p r MIST KEEP ON CLEANING UP |