New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-12
use STEEL CARS
ON a." CRAM SAYS
marlborough Must Tell
Why Structures Should
Not Be Reinforced.
PROTECT PATRONS,
COMMISSION URGES
More Arrests Predicted in 10th
ST. Wreck-PrObe COndi-
ton of Motors.

A hearing. at which the marlborough
Rapid Transit Company will have 10
show cause why the elevated railroad
structures should not be strengthened
TO support all-steel cars, was called yes
terday by the Public Service Commits
sion. The wreck on the Ninth av. u
at 10th st. Wednesday evening, IN
which two lives were lost and a score
of persons injured when two wooden
cars were smashed and burned, has
led to widespread agitation for the
safer means of conveyance.
At a meeting of the Public Service
Commission Yesterday Commissioner j..
Sergeant Cram voiced the sentiment OF
the commission and the public when
he moved for the hearing. 1t was ap-
proved unanimously and the date set
was next Wednesday.
I'VE are told" Commissioner Cram
asserted, that the Il structure is too
weak to hold up trains of steel cars,
but that is no excuse for operating
wooden ones.
"The Il structure could be strength
ened without hindrance TO traffic, and
while that work was going on steel cars
should be ordered to be put in service
when the work is completed. The ques-
ton Of expense should not be an OBJ
stacle. Protection of the lives OF
patrons is of more Importance TO the
Interborough than the saving of money.
81 would not place a hardship upon a
corporation any more than on an lndi-
vidual. Everything should be done IN
a sane and reasonable manner, but the
fact remains that wooden cars, some
of which. now used on the elevated. are
relics Of a bygone age and generation,
must be wiped away from both the SUB
way and elevated lines in the city"
There is no rule of the Public Ser
wee Commission. Chairman Mccall eX-
planned yesterday, that requires the
use of steel cars on any transit line.
In the new subways, however, he SAID,
all the rolling stock would be of steel.
Excitement was caused yesterday by
the discovery in the subway of train
that was operated past several stations
from the third car. the motor in the
first car having gone dead" Accord
ing TO the Interborough, there WAS
nothing undue about the incident:
While the wreck at 18th st. occurred
when the train was being driven from
all inside car, the manner Of signalling
was in violation of the rules.
he investigation lHlO INC CduScS VI
the accident Wednesday night contin-.
ued yesterday. Alvin F. Rolls, OF
1908 Eighth av., the conductor who
signalled to the motorman three cars
back with a red flag. instead of light,
who was locked up in the Tombs Thurs
day on a charge of manslaughter IN
the second degree, was released yes
terday in $500 bail. Thomas Nc
Mahon. the motorman, could not find
bondsman and remained in jail.
Coroner Riordan, who has conducted
the inquiry for his Office, asserted last
night that more arrests were likely to
result. The motors on the head car
of the train were in such a condition,
he intimated, that there was criminal
negligence on the part of the inspect
ors whose duty it was TO see that they
were in proper order and not likely to
breakdown during run.
The net result Of the inquiries into
the causes of the wreck, which the
District Attorney, the Coroner, the
FIRE Marshal, the Public Service Com
mission and the Interborough Com
pany conducted, was to place the blame
souarely on the train crew and to
clear the company of any response
biiitV.