New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-02-12
WHAT HEDLEY SAW


Those passengers who insist on ClinSins
to q strap when there are seats to spare
learned yesterday that they were not the
only ultimate contributors to the welfare
of the subway upon whom Frank Hedlev'
vice-president and general manager OF the
Interborough. had had his eye.
At the resumption of the hearing before
the Public Service Commission yesterday
afternoon Commissioner Eustis asked Mr.
HedIey. who was the sole witness, why II
was that the subway station platform
guards, when they could plainly see that
car was full. insisted on showing in more
passengers.
Those men do endeavor to close the
doors explained MI. Hedley, but the
passengers make a football rush. Why,
our men sometimes have to reach into the
cars and pull out some who have crowded
in I frequently get off al the 14th street
station in the morning rush hour and watch
them
Chairman Wilcox and Commissioner
EUstis asked the witness earlier in the
afternoon for detailed statement OF the
number of men employed as platform
guards on express platforms during the
rush hours. to which Mr.. Hedley replied
that there were seventeen guards at 96th
street. nineteen at Grand Central and
twenty at 14th street.
Wed mt on more If it would help the
passengers" he added, but the commission
ers didn't follow up that line OF quizzlnS
then. Instead. they switched TO discus
sion of the possibilities of ever reaching the
ninetv-second Roadway on express service
Then suddenly Commissioner Eusus
started in with: I want to know who
gives orders to the station men as TO their
method Of handling the crowd
a station master, at each station re
Piled Hedey
Who gives the orders 20 him. pursued
the Commissioner
The superintendent was the answer
TSsTRUCT1NG PLATFORM GUARDS.
Commissioner Eustis then wanted 10
Lrovy Il these instructions were printed
He would like to see a copy OF them out
Mr. FfedIev couldn't supply them. because
they we're not printed
We have classes of Instruction. he eH-
! planned.
The commissioner smiled. thinking. per
hans. of his college football days at Wes-
Ieyan. or possibly Of his service IN the clVli
War. At any rate, he smiled
ANYTHING in those instructions about
courtesy or about showing in as many as
possibleo" he asked
Mr. Hedley didn't say He explained
however. that he himself had talked to
those platform guards. as well as 10 the
Superintendent, but he said nothing more
about the instructions. 1t was all the 1auit
Of the passengers, Mr.. Hedley intimated.
because they would make that football
rush. and the platform guards couidn
cope with that. The best they could DO
was 10 reach in and pluck out an occa-
tod IN
into the car
Bringing the question down 10 partiCu-
Ia-ities Commissioner Eustis read letter,
which he said was only q sample Of many
similar cor1ulaints II was signed by Ray
rnond s. Clark, of No. 137 East 3oth street,
and sent 10 the commission on January IL.
III II Mr.. Clark simply wanted TO know
whether the commission was aware of the
disgraceful methods Of the bullying
guards. at the 14th street station He
added candidIy that he supposed his com
r,laint would do no good. but he wanted 70
let them know.
Il frequently get Of there 10 watch
things" Mr. Hedley commented, after the
letter was read
Chairman Wilcox took up then another
phase of the subway problem He asked
the witness how many cars the Inter
borough had in use in the subway on Janu-
arv each year, and Mr.. Hedley replied,
.-4os in 1856 $50 in 1866, 595 in 1907 rs IN 1908
-23 in 1903 and 737 in 1910"
Then the chairman wanted 20 know OF
the percentage of increase in passengers
carried in those years, but Nj. Hedley
couldn't give that Offhand-
Pint that might show that two thousand
cars would have been necessary" he said,
IF You're going 10 draw any comparison
between those percentages of Increase
we've always had as many cars as we
could use.
HEDI,EY DENIES CAR SHORTAGE
Ffa71av admitted that there had been
steady increase in the number of passengers
carried with which the increase in the
number of cars did not keep pace, but he
con+endcd that. with the exception Of the
rrasa7t time. when they could, because Of
inc recently completed speed control sys-
tern. run . few more trains, the INTERIOR
ough had kept as many cars on hand as
could be used.
Didn't you consider it necessary TO get
more cars" asked Chairman Wilcox.
I'VE couldn't use more cars" retorted
the witness. "onIy since we've got the speed
control system"
When did you start on that?" pursued
the chairman
Two years ago" admitted Mr.. Hedey.
And didn't you say then that you eX-
vccted TO get a ninety-second headway?
What 7 want TO get al is that If you be
Iieved the speed control system would en-
able YOU to operate more trains why is it
that YOU didn't order more cars until last
/ June?' said Chairman Wilcox.
NJ. FedIey endeavored 10 throw the blame
81. Da Iy,,ie-
sion.
We wanted TO wait until the side door
experiments were over" he said, but he
added in response TO another shot from the
chairman. that he himself had known all
along that the side doors We're the best
proposition. and practically sure 10 come.
II appeared, then, that in connection with
the 80 cars ordered by the Iuterborough
last year, after the Commissons order 10
them in MAY the contracts for delivery or
the cars we're strange and mysterious 8f-
fairs One Of the contracts, with the Amer
lean Car and Foundry Company. Mr.. He'd
ley testified. was executed by the INTERIOR
ough on December H. 1899 although its
terms called for the delivery OF twenty cars
on November 80. 1909. and twenty more on
December 3. 1909.
The contract was signed then asked
+ Commissioner Eustis, after the time limit
( had eNpired@"