New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-31
BUILD NEW SUBWAyS.
THEN GET OPERATOR
rubllc Service Commission Given
Clean Bill Of Health by
John N. Carlisle.
mo CHANGE OF PERSONNEL"
necessary to Eliminate Grade
crossings - Complete and
Comprehensive Subway
System Demanded

commission. lat District which has heer
unoer investigation by John y. Carlisle OF
Natertown, by direction Of Goyernor DIX
Is given practically n clean bill Of health IN
report submitted to the Governor and
| made public TODAY
When Governor Dix assumed Office he
stated In his message 20 the legislature
that he hoped to make some recommended
| lions concerning the Public Service com
| missions. Reports Of extravaganza on the
part of these departments had reached MIN.
and believing the LIST District Commission
the chief offender. he later appointed Mr..
Carlisle 10 investigate it's affairs This was
after the Givernor had appointed Winfield
\. Huppuch. former chairman Of the Dem
ocrstic State Committee az a member of
the I'd District Commission in Mr.. Car
isles place.
At that time IL was suggested that both
| commissions he abolished. and one commits
sion substituted in place Of the two with
jurisdiction over all the public service cor
porations In The entire state. This. Mr.
Carlisle reports, should not be done.
Nor does he approve the suggestion that
the power Of the Rapid Transit Commits
sion should be taken out of the hands Of
trict, and he placed in a separate COM
mission to be appointed by the local au-
thorities Of New York city This matter.
he says was all thrashed out at the time
the Public Service Commission law was
passed in 1907. The commission now las
an effective law under which 1t can work.
has prepared and submitted a compre-
hensive plan for the building OF new sub
o,,I fo f,,l no he
will be solved in very short time.
Public Supervision Here TO Stay.
An attempt at this time. when the work
has progressed 20 far" Mr.. Carlisle adds.
Ito change the personnel of the commits
sion would result in further delay in sub
way construction. and ! do not believe
would he tolerated by the people OF New
Yorb who arc So greatly in need Of addi-
tional facilities" He continues:
The State If New York. by the passage
IF tho public service commission law In
1907. placed itself among the first OF the
Estates 10 leglslate in connection with regu-
lating public service corporations. While
the passage Of the act was bitterly op-
posed yet II is conceded to-day by all stu
dents Of government that II was one Of
the most constructive pieces of legislation
passed in our state in years.
TODAY il has become recognized mat
public supervision has come TO STAY. and
a great many states in TIE Union have
adopted legisltion along the same lines.
Most of the officials of the public eervice
| corporations now recognize that the legis-
! lation Is proper, and the only ouesnons
really now AT issue arise ont Of the man
ner OF carving out the provisions Of law
and the personnel OF the men connected
with the different commissions.
Mr. Carlisle states that the Law is row
in fairly good working order. and while It
might be strengthened by a few minor
amendments. they should he carefully
thought out and full opportunity given to
81 udv them before they are passed.
The railroad law of the state, he saws.
ought 10 hn further revised and rewritten.
particularly the grade crossing provisions.
Under the present law there cen never be
any comprehensive eliminstions Of grade
crossings IN New York City. a. nothing
can be done until the state appropriates
one-ousrter Of tho expenses Of elimination,
and no order can be made 10 eliminate
crossing until The money actually IL appro-
nriatAd Mr. Carlisle saws there should he
placed in the general Law provisions some
what similar to the special grade crossings
acts heretofore passed. affecting New York.
B,1ffalo and other cities whereby the city
officials and the railroads can adopt com
nrebens,ve plan covering a number Of
years. and then proceed ~ work out the
details. Such en- amendment has been pre-
pared by Mr. Carlisle for presentation to
the next Legislature.
Grade Crossings Problems.
Until all grade crossings IN Nev~York
city are finally abolished. Mr.. Carlisle
states the commission VIII be required TO
give much attention to the installation of
sa fety appliances 10 protect the enormous
volume Of traffic. The situation In all
Greater New York" he says, is becoming
mora acute every year and there Is very
properly great public sentiment that
something must be done 10 relieve the dan
gerous conditions now existing lie adds.
The difficulties In solving these problems
both from an engineering and legal stand
MONT. are hard "a work out. 8 so many
direrent Interests and property rights are
affected thar opposition always developes
IN srv rlen proposed For Years every
ono Including the railroad COMPANY. have
agreed that the freight tracks IN Eleventh
avenue should be removed from The sur
face Of the street Plans for elevated
tracks and subwayr galore have been made,
tho matter has been taken up by different
cit,, officials for Years past statute sfter
statlte has been submitted 70 the Legs
Isture. and vet the tracks remain. and the
killing Of people- particularly children who
are required 10 cross the tracks 20 80 70
and from school and the public play
grounds-contirues All difficulties could
he solved by the passage Of an act giving
bo public Service Commission authority 10
.o'vo the problem and fixing time when
The tracks must be elevated. depressed or
re,ooved-snd such an oct ought 20 be
promptly passed
Mr. Carlisle devotes much space IN his
Yeror, 10 the rapid transit problem in New
YORK Cu-, The badly congested condition
in passenger traffic, he saws. is the natural
result Of Inc erection of high buildings
and higher ones are being planned. lie con
unues:
Una new, building now bcins erected on
| eroa6Usy will house enough tenants and
employees 10 block tho present subway for
inalf an hour If they sll attempted 20 use
IL within = short time, and this building is
| only one OF large number now undergo
| ing construction. -, 1900. .,,.,o ,ai
! srciue between tho building OF skyscrapeIs
! and rapid transit facilities necessary 10
| take care Of their occupants, Dul ,hls Ias
! apparently never been taken 'i''o
fhe great problem which conIrol,ea w. ~
| commission upon its organization was ~, ~
| terrible congestion upon we Nea York
/ tttv During the rush hours VI tbc on'
! there are no words that can Ht"nsy ,,on
| .crtbc What the children, women a.' u, 'aa
| 20 N.u York have TO submit TO- aid 49,