The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-02

Interest allowed on daily balance. subject
ing traffic on such th~oroughfares as Broad
way and diverting IL to the side avenues,
thus enabling the company to put more
cars on the north and south routes.
would the adoption of such regulations
enable you to TAXI care OF all the traf1c
demands on the surface linesp' Chairman
"No." MIR. Shonts answered with en-
phasis.
The rolling stock Of the subway consists
Of 800 steel cars and 49l OF the so-cslled
wooden type. Asked IL when the company
got it's fifty new steel cars a corresponding
number of wooden cars would be taken out
Of service Mr.. Shonts said he didn't think
so. because the extra cars were needed to
better the service.
what would il cost" MIR Twins asked,
TO substitute the wooden bodies with steel
| bodies, assuming that you would. in max
ing the change, use n trucks and motor
apparatus of the cars?"
about 50, $50. Co.," was the reply. A
against that outlay there would of course
be salvage on the old wooden bodies He
said he regarded the wooden cars as rea-
sonably safe.
"But you would not say that they are the
safest type Of cars you can get?' Mr.. WINS
insisted.
Il would not say that, but in everything
We are buying and in everything We are
doing we are trying to live up to the terms
of our contract. which provides that we
shall have the highest standard OF equip
ment. said MIR. Shonts.
is it not a fact that there il more dangcr
TO life in the use Of wooden cars than IN the
use Of steel cars?"
-Of course there is more danger. but
safety is the great element which has al
ways concerned the operation OF the sub
way and the record OF that operation speaks
for itself"
MIR. win examined MIR. Shonts at con-
might be obtained from the use Of cars
with side doors. Mr.. Shonts admitted
that the Illinois Central car, a sort OF COM
partment car with several side doors, had
a great deal in it's favor, but he didn't
think such a type could be used in the
subway, for the reason that the curved
platforms at man OF the stations would
be a source OF danger. Furthermore
there would be so much confusion IN the
struggle of passengers to board and leave
the cars that il would be impossible to
maintain any Kind of a regular schedule.
MIR. Shonts agreed that the crush at
the Fourteenth street station in the rush
hours was as bad as the crush at the bridge
entrance. and when he was asked if any
effort had been made TO remedy those
conditions he replied:
I'VE are constantly at work on the prob
lem. We have studied several plans, but 30
far have been unable to reach a satisfactory
solution of the difficulty. We conceived
the plan first of erecting physical barriers
TO separate the out going from the incoming
passengers. and, while we carried this into
effect, it did not relieve the situation much.
i don't want to make any criticism OF the
plans of the tunnel, but the platforms are
too narrow to give us much opportunity Tor
experimenting. We have also considered
the advisability of erecting barriers to stop
the transferring of passengers from the
local to the express trains and vice versa.
IL is that rush In the busy hours from one
train to another hat causes the congestion
II was brought out by Mr.. Twins that the
express trains are run at a speed OF twenty
five miles an hour. while the contract calls
for a speed Of thirty miles an hour including
stops.
THAT speed would mean. Mr.. Shonts ex-
planned, "a running speed between stations
of ~fifty-siX miles an hour. That would not
he safe in the subway"
Referring to the delays caused by the
"nterswitching Of express and local trains
at Ninety-sixth street. MIR. Shonts said that
II the Board Of Estimate would only pass
the appropriation for the additional tracks
IL would permit the company to operate one
third more local trains.
with hat relief we might he able to oper-
ate express trains on a two minute Roadway,
and when we have done that we shall feel
that we have reached the full capacity OF
that tunnel. " Mr.. Shontsf finally declared.
MT. SllOnte SAID tnaC on the second avenue
elevated ) $40 more cars could be run, On
the Sixth avenue II $40 and on the Ninth
avenue II $40 more.
Mr.. Wins in an address to the commission
before examining MIR. Shonts called atten-
ton 10 the fact that the board had a hard
problem to deal with in taking up the local
trafi question. He dwell upon the many
cancellations which had led TO the Inter
borough-Metropolitsn merger and de-
clared that he intended 70 make a thorough
investigation of all the circumstances
surrounding those consultations. He in
timated also that he intended 70 probe into
the franchise and charter rights under
which some of the subsidiary companies
we're operating.
IL should like to say" Mr.. Wins said,
that 80 far az I am able TO ascertain the
city is not now in possession OF a complete
file of the muniments of title Of several OF
these companies which are combined in the
two systems. the Metropoli-
tan and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Many of the franchises and many OF the
charters are on file. I understand. in the
proper Office of record Of he city Govern
ment, but many are. | understand. missing.
The marlborough Metropolitan company
has among it's books. az ] have discovered,
Title. and conceive that il will he neces-
sary that each one Of those titles should he
examined"
Mr.. Wins said that by about Saturday
he would rave a large force OF expert ac-
countants at work on the Interboro ugh
Metropolitan books.
The investigation will he resumed at ?
O'Clock this afternoon.