New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-14
OeIos f. Wilcox Figures City
Will Then Have Population
That Will Need Two Hun
dred Subway Tracks.
ONLY 22 WITH NEW LINES
Firures Given at Charities Con
ference to Show Necessity of
Making an Inquiry Into
Future Traffic Needs
of the City.

Dcl5s +. Wilcox. chief o. the fran
rhise bureau Of the Public Service
commission. submitted u the Charities
Conference. in the Assembly Hall Of
tho United Charities Building, last
night a few facts and estimates Ie-
rardjng population and subways which
startled every one. on the same basis
If computation as that used by the
commission in estimating the traffic
ON the new subway system in 1920. he
said he had estimated that in 1860
,,s city would possess a population of
o1 100000 and that its rapid transit
system would carry II ,Ooo, 100000 pas
sengefs a year.
such burden Of traffic. he had
computed would need two hundred
tracks through the heart of the city :
business section. whereas the rapid
transit system projected would pro-
vide a maximum o. only twenty-five
tracks. All Of which, he thought.
should wake up the city authorities 10
the need Of a searching inquiry into
the citys needs for the future, es-
pecially in relation TO its rapid transit
development.
Il have figured Mr.. Wilcox said,
that $33OO0O.O00 Of new money is
going into the new subway system.
while. according TO the contracts, all
the profits from the present congestion
are TO be preserved Now. if we simply
hold our own-that is, if we average
rer capita paying for rapid transit
what we do now-in order to pay the
fixed charges on the new system we
must have 227j.00O more people in the
city, or a 90 per cent increase in popu-
lation. ~
But the figures on which the Pub
lie Service Commission bases the traf-
fc on the new subway system are a
81 per cent increase in population be-
tween 1910 and 1920 and an increase
in traffic of 40 per cent. The commits
sioners have found. they say. that the
larger a city grows the greater be
comes the proportion Of travel to popu-
lation.
a Glimpse Into the Future.
Now, | don't say that these figures
are correct. but on this basis / have
figured that in 1920 the city will have
a 2opula ton Of 21.O00. 900 and that its
rapid transit lines will carry a yearly
traffic of 21OOO,OO0.oo0 passengers
that is that every man. woman and
child will make an average Of thou
sand trips a rear at nickel apiece
Such a traffic. ] have carefully fig
ured will require two hundred tracks
through the citys business heart, and
when this new System is completed We
are going TO have some twenty-five
tracks there Does not this make the
need for a searching and cOmprehen-
sive inquiry into the city's needs for
the future clear
Mr.. Wilcox spoke Of the city as on
the verge Of bankruptcy because Of
the expansion Of its credit. and yet he
saw it i'm the position soon Of being
compelled 10 take over the surface
lines and run them at loss, as it was
now operating its ferry lines. The
surface lines had been actually los
ing he said. in their proportion or
Passengers TO population, and, With
The development Of new rapid transit
lines. would continue ito get harder
and harder up
Edward NJ. Passett former Public
Service ,mmssioner took much
more optimistic view Of the effect OF
the new subway system upon the city.