New-York tribune., 1907-08-02
SHONTS ON THE STAND.
TRAFFIC JAM TAKEN UP.
Inter.-Met. President BIdmes Street
Congestion for Poor Ser71ce.

dent of the Interborough Rapid Transit Com
pany. had not been finished when the first
hearing OF the investigation of the so-called
merger by the Public Service Comm! asion was
adjourned yesterday afternoon until to-day at
. O'Clock. Mr.. Shonts will take the stand to-
day and William NJ. WINS. special counsel for
the commission, thinks that his examination
vii! lest throughout the day Chairman Wilcox
presided.
The inquiry yesterday almost entirely de-
voted to the congestion of traffic the Inter
borough Metropolitan lines. Mr.. Shonts was
asked question after question to bring out
what the system had cone to remedy this con-
Geston. wha: it intended 10 do, and what 1t
would Go. 1t seemed the purpose of Mr.. WINS
to bring out testimony at the outset that would
enable the commission to issue orders for
remedyng the physical congestion that Presi-
dent Shonts himself admitted existed at Ger
tain points and certain lines of the system
Nj WINS Will not neglect inquiry into the
financial condition of the system and the var-
Gus transactions that led to its formation The
investigation Will probably take up many weeks
While admitting that there congestion
the Interborougtl lines Mr. Shcnts main
tained that the system had spared neither
money nor study to remedy it. In speaking Of
the surface lines in Manhattan and the Bronx
he said the overcrowding of cars was due 10 the
increase IN vehicle traffic on the streets
We hear great deal about the increase III
the population of New York" he said but we
hear nothing about the increase in Vehicle
traffic. and yet there is that increase. and it Is
due 10 that that surface cars seem INSULT
cient handle the passengers"
MI Shonts thought that II the surface roads
were able 10 operate their present equipment or
rolling stock in the proper way there would be
no trouble IN the service. According to him. the
congestion entirely from the fact that
delayed by trucks. wagons and other
vehicles
Mr WINS said he had been unable TO find all
the franchises and privileges granted by the
city TO the Interborough-M metropolitan lines
This was a matter Of great Importance he said.
and while the merger held that some or It's
franchises had been lost. he understood tho
company had two books Of titles owned by the
corporation. These he had not had time to in
vestigate. but wanted them spread on the rec
ord for the Of the commission
WHAT THE INTERBOROUGH WILL DO.
BY a searching examination Mr.. WINS ELECTED
from Mr.. Shonts the plans the merger had fer
relief Of traffic congestion. The Interborough-
Metropolitan will ask the city for a new set OF
traffic regulations. being prepared by ITS legal
staff to remedy surface line conditions. II has
under construction a number Of new cars a third
larger than the present ones. 1t VIII also In
stitute the Montreal system Of collecting fares.
expermentally at first.
ated in the subway. and this is the only method
Of relief that the Interborough after serious
study has been able to devolve. Mr Shonts
was opposed to operating open cars in the sub
way He thought that such cars would not only
fail 70 relieve the congestion. but would ma
terially increase the danger.
In reply TO a question he said that there were
191 cars in operation IN the different suhways.
Of which 300 were steel and the remainder old
fashioned wooden ones. He admitted that II
Ia tpr nd II all the
made Of steel but said that 10 replace the
wooden ones would require an expenditure OF
millions OF dollars. In explaining the cong"s-
ton in the subway. which he admitted TO be
almost as bad the bridge crush. he said
that much Of II was caused by the exchange OF
passengers from local 10 express trains espe-
ciany at tho stations at l4th and 4Zd streets
He could suggest remedy for this.
At this point Mr.. WINS asked at what speed
Tho subway express trains were operated.
TWENTY-FIVE miles hour" replied the Wit
ness which means that they must develop
speed Of forty-three miles between stations
"Ahr' said Mr. WINS your contract or
agreement provided that they must make thirty
miles an hour What excuse has your company
to offer for this violation OF its agreement
We violate agreement. replied MI
Shonts smiling broadly. The agreement also
has the term with safety. We cannot run
,birtv miles an hour with safety. 1t would
mean a developed speed OF fifty-six miles an
hour"
Mr. WINS did not force the point Of viola
,;on further and the merger president smiled
again he was asked d ques'oii III ieieioii'o
10 something else.
WINS STRIKES AGAIN.
y u-as not long however. before the COM
MISSIONS counsel returned to the attack. this
time In reference to the service on the elevated
lines He said that he had been Informed that
the road could operate 20 per cent more rolling
stock on the Second avenue L line than 1t
a,d at Dresent He demanded the reason why
this was not done. he said the officials OF
the c1mpany could not help knowing of the
congestion that line and tbe complaints
made daily about the service.
Mr. Shonts said Mr.. WINS had been misin-
formed From statistics prepared by his en-
pineers he found the following increase over
the present number of cars in operation on Il"
lines could be made: Second avenue. 53 per
cent: Sixth avenue. 143 per cent; Ninth ave-
nue. 17S per cent
These fgur-I based on the operation OF
seven car trains on the Sixth and Ninth avenue
lines and five car trains between 161st and
Third avenue and Canal and Second avenue.
Then why don't you put on the additionai
cars?' asked Mr.. lvina
.Tbe main reason! is because have not got
them to put on replied the witness We
have a number of cars for our L lines under
construction and will put them in use as
soon as the- delivered
.,Sunpose the commission should order you
IN put or additional cars. do you think that
,,ouId help you to get them on?'' queried Mr..
WINS.
wv, ~ would If they would show some
u.y Of hurrying up builders. We are
doing the best can to hurry therl up ana
gat The cars but 1t seems difficult
Al, WINS interrogated Mr.. Shonts exhaustive
II, about the Illinois type Of car The latter
-. ,h,+ TYNE could not be operated in the
s,,hwav on account of the construction Of the
,pnne, Counsel then suggested that ne"