New-York tribune., 1907-11-07
STUDY STREET TRAFFIC
p. S. Investigators Get Material
from Police for InQniru.

: The general investigation by the Public Service
Commission into traction affairs will not he taken
up again until Monday OF next week, likely
Tuesday. According To the present plans. the
broad subject OF vehcular traffic in Manhattan,
with its relations to congestion on the surface lines
VIII furnish the material for the Investigators
Herbert u Mason. of William NJ. Ivins's law firm
was busy yesterday examining patrolmen from the
police traffic squad 10 get their ideas this sub
ject.
Oren Root general manager for the New York
City Railway Company in testimony before the
commission declared that II Impossible to
many more cars than We're run now on the Broad
way line and other important links of the system
unless relief afforded from the train of trucks
and delivery wagons which CrissCrossed the car
tracks and got stalled in front of the cars few
days f W. Blooulinsdale, of the Retail Mer-
chants Association. called To see Chairman Wilcox
Of the commission this subject, and many husi-
ness mon and organizations have sent communica-
tions 10 the commission with suggestions for relief
from this difficulty. The actual regulation of the
traffic of course, does not come under the jurisdic
tion of the commission. Yet Chairman Wilcox and
the other members feel that, since the railroad OFF,
cals have put it up to" the commission an ex-
cuse for poor car service. the affair must be In
vestigated thoroughly.
Commissioner Bingham yesterday sent some thir-
~ of his hest traffic squad men to Atr Ivins's
office They knew their subject thoroughly. Mr.
Mason gathered from them that the chief reason
the truckmen stuck 10 Broadway and other con
gested nortb-and-south streets that in winter
side streets were not cleaned they could get
through them Broadway would he free from
snow, while cross streets and some of the less i'm
portant nOrth-and- south streets would not be
Therefore Il truckraan would stay Broadway all
| the way uptown rather than take any chance about
getting back 10 II after he had left il once That
bit acquired in winter. accounted largely for the
truck traffic on these congested streets in summer
These facts and others will be brought out at
the hearings, the views of the railroad men and
merchants and business obtained and the
commission will endeavor 20 formulate the result
into some sort Of a recommendation to the Board
Of Aldermen perhaps for legislation on the sub
ject
At its public meeting yesterday the commission
issued ten days order 10 the New York City IN
terborough Company to satisfy answer com
plants by Chancellor MacCracken of the New
York University regarding the service the
crcss,ow line which from the 1Slst street
station Of the subway 20 the university. Chance-
lor MacCracken complained that in winter passen-
gers were kept waiting in the c0's while car
alvavs could De kept at the spur the subway
station, and that there much delay. and pas
sengers were subjected TO much inconvenience be
cause cars were run Washington Bridge very
slowly while conductors collected all fares and
gave out all transfers before reaching the first
transfer point
A hearing was held before Commissioner Bassett
on an order TO the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Com
pany to show why u superintendent of ter
minas should be employed TO have supervision
over all the bridge traffic. Though the contracts Of
the company provide for such an official none is
employed. and the really in charge of the
bridge are switchmen, or gatemen. or, in of
bers OF the commissions stan has shown that this
lack OF a responsible head has resulted in much
delay and annoyance TO passengers and that IL
might easily cause grave accidents.
Commissioner Bassett also finished the hearings
ment of service ON the Cypress Hills line