The sun., 1908-05-29
BY HORSE CAR 10 CITY ISLAND
p. S. COMMISSION DEGs UP A
REAL ANTIQUE.

Now In Couamiss,oa WIN Fan 70 Pieces.
and Marrow Gnugers Are Scarce.
They have been thinking for tan or twelve
years OF repairing the seven horse cars that
rchochet every now and then over the twin
streaks of rust maintained by the Pelham
Park Railroad Company and the City Island
Railroad Company between Barlow, sta
ton on the Harlem branch Of the New York,
New Haven and Hartford Railroad, and the
Yacht haven known 40 City Island. They
have thus far taken 10 out In thinking, but
some explorer told the Public Service Com
mission that there was such q street rail-
wsy and the commission sent some Of its
inspectors to geo II IL really was 90. The
Inspector reported that 1t really was 80 and
that it was such railway
After that--hearings. There have been
three so far--May I, May IA and yesterday
with fourth now looming up for Aunn Q,
At first the commission hoped that q little
ns,nt would hold the oars together for
another summer, but II now seems TO he OF
the opinion that all that is needed to give
perfect satisfaction 10 the patrons is new
floors, new roofs. new platforms. new seats,
new windows, new trucks, new wheels, new
rails and a new roadbed. Aside from thsss
defects the commission believes that the
road is perfectly we'll equipped for tho duties
that devolve upon 1t.
They call it two land . half miles from
Rartow to City Island in fair weather. When
it rains they call 1t several other things.
You get of the train at Barlow and look for q
trolley car. You zee Noahs ark sort OF
contrivance that will seat fourteen pas
sengers if they're not fat and don't mind
sitting close, which they usually do
especially in summer, when the travel 10
heaviest. You look around for a step-
ladder to get in with, because you don't like
the looks OF the step, but when you are a.
snred by Boatman Jim Knoblauch, now
serving as conductor, that the step 10 per-
fectly eafe-he knows it is because it's been
doing service for thirty -four years ana never
broke down yet--why. then you tage q
chance and skip lightly in. Avoiding three
or four obviously soft spots In the floor, you
pick your way to your seat. As soon as the
driver gets through watching a spirited
game OF craps that Is at that moment In
progress on the station platform, another
boatman. temporarily serving as driver
SAYS he guesses he'll cast ofY does 30. and in
about the same time 1t would take to walk
it you arrive at City Island. It's pretty
rough voyage: the old ship does more or
less tossing and a bit Of pitching and all but
dips her nose under. and II you re not tribe
seasck before you We made port it's because
you re pretty good sailor
Going over to City Island is q compare
lively simple matter. because as a rule
the Noah's ark arrangement meets she
trains from New York. Coming back Ia
different. Most people prefer to walk.
but il you insist on sailing you sit ON the
porch Of Thwaite's Hotel until your craft
heaves in sight. Then you board her and.
il you are wise, fall asleep in some sheltered
nook Of the deck. Ultimately, when IL
happens to occur to him. the starter will
rise from his time honored seat on the
hotel porch. yawn ostentatiously and pres
emily you are awakened by that old sassick
feeling and you find that sure enough Won
are headed back for Barlow.
Commissioner Eustis, who has been
presiding at the various hearings about
painting those cars. says that he's been
told the roofs OF the cars need calking
and everybody knows you can't 20 com.
fortably sailing In an unoalked horse car.
In fact George W. Robinson, a sailmaker
who lives at CITY Island. testified regarding
one stormy voyage. saying that there
wasn't anybody In the car that didn't
get splashed and that several folks had to
change their cabins. He was asked how
long that particular craft had been in
service and he replied that he didn't know.
adding that he was only q young man.
He thought his grandfather might per-
haps be able to state. II he were alive but
unfortunately the old man had passed
away several years ago as a result of being
old, Lawyer Gardner. who appeared for
the railway company, tried to shake Mr..
Robinson's testimony. but the sailrna ker
insisted that he knew water when he vas
soak ked in it and that 1t was water he was
soaked in on the occasion Of the voyage in
question.
Then there was Engineer Arthur Clark.
who made round trip from Barlow Ia
City Island last April and hasn't bean feel
ing well since. He said that the car roofs
we're patched. that the floors were rotten
and the seats Of wood
mat brings 1t down to yesterdays hear
ing. A. J. Kenyon. obviousy nervous. ap-
peared for Lawyer Gardner and when
questioned by Commissioner ElIstis ad-
mltted that after examination 1t had been
determined that the cars were not susospt.
IDLE OF repairs. He didn't think that even
new coats OF paint would hold 'em together
much longer-not even Waterproof paint,
The only thing that Mr.. Kenyon could think
OF that would be of any help was an adiourn-
ment Of the hearing. Commissioner Erstis
didn't seem to think that this would do the
cars much good. He said that the summer
travel would be in full swing pretty soon
and that the patrons Of the road were en-
titled to relief. MIR. Kenyon said what was
the uBe Of doing anything with the cars
when pretty soon monorail might be
installed. The company was Thinking
strongly Of it. he said. Commission
Eustis thought that while the monorail idea
might be all right, 1t would come too late
for this summers travel. He told Mr.,
Kenyon that he knew Of two cars that the
lnterborough road was using for waiting
rooms that would be blamed sieht-thaf
is to say. would be far better than those
the road had now In use, but Mr.. KENYON
dashed this hope by replying that the Gty
Island road was narrow gauge, while ma
cars referred to were Of standard aa,ire'
Mr. Kenyon declared that as Soon as
Mr. Shonts got back from Europe the mat
ter OF the monorail system would be de-
cided. Commissioner Eustis asked il Mr..
Shonts were on the way back at present.
Ir. Kenyon wouldn't 20 as far as to saw
that. but he did reply:
Yes, sir! he In now on the high seas.'
gentleman who announced that he
was a delegate from the Board OF Trade
lei. n