The evening world., 1915-02-27
CAR LINES GIVEN
ONE WEEK TOSTOP
"STEP FORWARD!"
Railways Have Three Days in
Which to Ask for Hear
ing in Defense.
EXPECT COURT FIGHT.
Health Commissioner Will Use
Police if Necessary to
Abate Nuisance.

Officials OF tho New York and
Third Avenue Railway Companies re-
fused to-day TO Indicate their course
following the order Of the Board OF
Health against overcrowding OF pas
sengers on the Eighty-sixth and
Fifty ninth Street crosstown lines.
They have three days in which to
ask for hearing in defense Of Com
missioner Goldwater's charge that
germs a-pienty endanger lives and
menace the health OF people through
the negligence of the companies in
not running enough cars.
The Board of Health's order to
abate the nuisance was served on the
two companies late last evening aftor
Commissioner Goldwater had acted
on Mayor Mitchers letter advising
prosecution. To-day President T. p.
Shonts refused to mako a state
mont and It was said the matter was
In the hands Of the Law Department
Of the New York Railways Company.
which operates the Eighty-sixth
Street line.
T.. A. Maher jr., General Manager
OF the Third Avenue Company. which
operates the Fifty-ninth Street line.
said cars now were operated to the
limit OF the lines capacity. Sixty-six
cars an hour are run. he said. and 1t
was impossible to put any more on.
He declared the Public Service Com
missions engineers--"men who are
familiar with railway operation
have conceded that everything pos
sible had been done In view OF the
conditions governing the crosstown
line.
~ mean business" Commissioner
Goldwater said. AT the end of fve
days the Board Of Health can 90
ahead and enforce the law. but We
will be generous, and I do not think
We will act until a week from Mon
day. We have two courses open. We
can 70 into the civil courts and pro-
ceed against the company or In the
criminal courts and seek the indict-
mcnt Of railway ofiicials on charges
Of misdemeanor.
Our other course would be to en-
force the sanitary laws by physical
force. This would mean placing
sanitary policemen along the car
lines and preventing people from
boarding every car that has been
filled TO l50 per cent. OF Its capacity.
That means half as many people a.
are seated can ride standing. Oh,
no, I don't think there would be any
riots. should call the possible incl
dents that would follow simply pub
lie protests which would have a good
effect on the railway companies.
I'VE selected these two crosstown
lines because they are the more SIM
pie Of the many problems. Later we
will proceed against the others.
have found personally tnat at night.
after the theatre, cars are run as far
as three minutes apart. I. is absurd
to say that moro cars caunot be put
on. ! will confer with the Mayor
during next week and decide which
course We will pursue. and in the
mean time we will wait to see IL the
two companies desire hearings"
The Eighty-sixth Street line opcr-
ates from Central Park West. through
the park, along Eighty-fift Street 10
Madison Avenue, north to Eighty
sixth Street. east to Avenue A. north
to Ninety second Street to Astoria
Ferry. The Fifty-ninth street line
runs from First Avenue to Tenth
Avenue and south on Tenth Avenue
| to Fifty-fourth Street.