New-York tribune., 1908-08-12
HEAD OF Table SIGHS.
No Transfer RuIe Causes Migrations
from Boarding Houses.

The abolition OF transfers has fallen like two
edged sword on the keepers of boarding and lodg-
ing houses far to the east and TO the west OF the
Broadway and Sixth avenue surface lines Ihls
effect has been generally overlooked in the con-
sideration of the hardships wrought upon working
rersnrs who must now pay 10 cents where before
they paid only I'VE. But such of these as are anle
are moving to places where they may travel TO
their work for a single fare even under present
conditions
ing tide toward the main streams of traction traffic
bv the most nomadc of city dweHers, the single
men and women who live in boarding or lodging
houses This movement has been especially evident
since the transfers along seth street were cut of
Perhaps the reason is that the East Side. along
the 50's and eos in the neighhorhood of Lexington
Madison Third and Second avenues there are hun
dreds of places where boarders and dodgers dwell
To lesser extent similar conditions prevail 70 the
westward about Tenth avenue
Clerks statesmen. stenographers and other work
ars AT modest salaries living in those neighbor-
hoods have heretofore been able 70 reach their
work for nickel by taking seth street crosstown
car and transferring at Broadway or Sixth avenue
Now that the fare has been doubled. they are be
ginning to fold up their tents-or their suit cases
and steamer tr1nks-and hike TO places. uptown or
down within easy walking distance Of the sub
wav the elevated lines or some surface line that
will take them TO their work for one fare.
The migration is natural enough and was
summed up by young man who was saying good
by to couple of his fellow boarders at a Lextng-
ton avenue boarding house when ne said: Il don't
like TO leave after having been here nearly year.
but what's the use of waiting for change in the
transfer rules? I came here first because the
cost was little less than in places nearer Broad
way. and I put up with the bum service and the
slowness of surface transportation.
Now with the no-transfer rule, figure my trips
70 and from business besides evening journeys
nv own account, will raise my expenses about
81 20 a week. I might well put that into the
extra board Of a place the subway, that's
WHY I'm moving. Perhaps if I married
it would be different. At any rate, if it's ques-
ton of using that 81 so for my benefit or pay
ing 1t out to help the receivers I'm surely
awfuy selfish chap"
The boarding house keepers in the affected
by the new rules have begun 70 sit up and take
notice the departure of their paying guests and
in one instance the landlady reduced the rates of
those who pay promptly by 81 a week until the
transfers are restored. But then hers has been a
strictly no-transfer menu, with double portion
frovned upon. if exactly forbidden. And SO,
while these hostesses are suffering, the traction
rules like the proverbiaI i'll wind. have brought
good business to those nearer the favored lines.
II the no-transfer regulations in other sections
have brought about the result IL has not been
noticeable to any extent. This is So perhaps be-
cause no single line affected b. the rules is de-
pended upon entirely by large a class of
transients.