New-York tribune., 1910-02-19
DREAM OF THE P.S.C.
TO SEAT PASSENGERS.
Issues Order to MterbOrough
and 4scaits Reply.

A seat for every passenger in subway
trains is the object aimed at in an order
issued yesterday by the Public Service
Commission to the Interborough. The COM
pany has five days in which to signify it's
acceptance of the order and while General
Manager Frank Hedley was. not at his Of
fee yesterday, it was stated that the com
pany would DO its best to obey the order.
which goes into effect on February 25.
Another order issued by the commission
provided for an investigation into the ser
vice on the Interboroughs elevated lines in
Manhattan and The Bronx. The inquiry,
which will begin on February "a at 2:S0
p. m. VIII be similar to that into the
subway service, and will be conducted by
Chairman Wilcox and Commissioner Eustis,
who presided over the inquiry into the sub
way service.
The order for the improvement of the
subway service provides for the maximum
service of whicn the subway is capable
during the rush hours. Mr.. Hedley, at the
hearing some days ago, testified that the
maximum service had never been main
tanned, except during periods like The Hud-
son-Fulton celebration.
During the non-rusn hours the company
is authorized 10 reduce the number OF
trains, provided that enough cars are run
10 give every passenger seat. The order
to run trains at two-minute intervals dur
ing the busy hours and at three-minute in
tervals during the balance of the day is
made to apply TO the local trains as we'll
as to the expresses. Half-hour periods are
provided in which the company may put
on additional cars when this is found neoes-
sary to accommodate passengers at some
particular points. This form of order is
fSir q
fed number of ,rains, as it affords greater
elasticity.
1t frequently happens that a sudden
change in the weather causes marked
Increase in the number Of passengers re-
sorting to the subway, or that some event
:nay bring an unusual number of pdsseh-
gers to one station at an unexpected hour
1t would he manifestiy impossible Tor the
company tc foresee all such occurrences,
and the commission, therefore, worded the
order in such a way that 1t might be ap
| pied to changing conditions. The text OF
The order is as follows:
Ordered l. That the Interborough Rapid
Transit Company provide service ddllS ~.
| all subway express and local TRACKS, W
/ operating subway trains III each dlleclion
past every station so 10 furnish during
each half-hour period, beginning at lne
even hour and half-hour, either ta) d htlL-
Der of seats at least equal to the nunlDet
of passengers, or tb) the maximum numper
Of trains and cars that can be operated
with the subway cars now ana hereafter
owned and equipped
. That the interval of time between all
subway trains operated both on express
and on local tracks southbound past etth
street shall daily, except on Sundays ana
holidays. be follows:
(a) Not more than two-minute interval
between trains from Gil a. M to S:N p M
(b) Not more than three minute interval
between trains from $50 p. m. to 1888 a. m.
That order
take effect February %. 1870 and remain
in force until modified or revoked.
Further ordered: That within five days
after service upon it of copy Of this
order said Interborough Rapid Transit
for ro fs s f Plrct whether the
terms of said order are accepted and will
be obeyed.
The investigation into the elevated ser
vice was foreshadowed during the subway
investigation. Chairman Wilcox asked
General Manager Hedley some questions
with regard TO the elevated service. The
Interborough official remarked, however,
that the investigation then under way was
with regard to the subway service only,
and he was not prepared 20 go into the
elevated service The commission has
therefore provided for new series of hear
ings TO investigate the various complaints
with regard to the running of the elevated
lines.
4 statement submitted at the last subway
hearing showed that while the number of
passengers carried on the elevated roads
had increased from o.. ,754 in 1905 to 276,
30 1876 in 1909, or : per cent. the number of
cars had increased only per cent, from
1,552 in 1905 to 1,591 last year,
AS beginning of the improvements on
the elevated the commission yesterday is
sued two orders, one for the extension of
the canopy platform to the end of the
island platform of the City Hall station of
the Third avenue line on before May l
and a second fcf the construction and main
tenance of a new stairway at the 149th
street station of the same line. Both or
ders were issued after Mr. Hedey had
agreed with Commissioner Eustis to the
need for those improvements. The new
stairway must be built by June l.
FOR WOWEN'S PRISON.