New-York tribune., 1918-10-15
Swami and DR.. Copeland
Agree to Act if Off
cials Fail
Public Service Body
Told of Conditions
With 458 Deaths Reported
Yesterday 4,617 New
Cases Are Found

tiueii1d ana tVV vi pneumonia IN NeV
York yesterday joint move was mad
by Health Commissioner Copeland an,
District Attorney Swami to Obtain
definite action on the part of the Pub
lie Service Commission calculated t,
abate the crowded and jan1med condi
tions on the transportation lines of tn,
city.
At the suggestion of the District At
torney, the Health Commissioner las
night sent a letter to the Public Ser
vice Commission calling attention t,
conditions existing and asking whethe,
the transportation companies have don,
their duty. He urged serious consider
alton cf the matter in the face of the
epidemic.
Under the provisions of Chapter S03
Section 51A, of the laws of 1917, the
power of regulating the maximum
number of passengers on transporta-
tion lines here was removed from the
hands of the Health Commissioner and
given to the Public Service Commits
sion. The District Attorney says that
with that change in the law the COM
panies have continued to jam the people
II as they see fit.
'The only way you can deal with
these fellows" said Mr.. Swami to DR..
Copeland, "is to show them the Jail
doors opening. I will back you up
IN every possible way. Call on me at
any time that you need assistance"
On September Z the Public Service
Commission issued an order to the
t~anslt companies directing much in
creased express service on the various
-ubway lines. The District ATTORNEY
says he believes this order is now nom
operative under an appeal from the In
,elborough Rapid Transit Company.
henearings are being held from TING &c
inc.
Conditions Are Investigated
aol the last three weeks the District
Attorneys otice has had a man in
Fest:gating the transportation s,tua-
Ion. who reports conditions as very
sad
At the Office Of the Public Service
aat while the Interborough Rapid
Transit Company had asked for the
reopenlrg Of the hearings on the order
me actions OF the commission have
been based on the assumption that The
order is really in effect. To this Dis
srict Attorney Swami said he believed
ehe traction interests would claim that
ne granting OF the motion to reopen
The hearings had acted as a stay.
II don't want to quibble in reference
70 the effect of the rehearing on that
matter, but | would suggest that Com
missioner Copeland make q mandatory
order on the commission to alleviate
the situation without conditions''
Copeland Makes Protest
The letter Of Commissioner Copeland
10 the Public Service Commission saws
in part:
There can be no doubt that over
crowding of the public carriers is q
fruitful cause for the transmission Of
oisease, and that the everyday travel
OF passengers under cowded conditions
must prove real mcrace to the public
health. In an emergency like the pres
snt nobody questions the right of the
boGrd of Health to enforce demands,
even though they may seem unreason-
able to some, to escape the manifold
dangers of ovorcrowding. The testi-
mony of the rapid transit officials to-
day was unanimous that there has
been some Improvement by the relay
system OF opening and closing inaugu-
rated by the Department of Health as
safety measure in this emergency.
Possibly everything has been done by
all concerned to carry out the purpose
Of the order of the Beard of Health.
"The Public Service Commission has
opportunity now to give serious study
to this question of overcrowding. /
wish to place myself on record as stat
ing, in the most emphatic terms posi-
BILE, that the day -after-day experience
OF our people who are under the neces-
,ity of travelling by these lines is an
important factor in the propagation of
disease among the citizens of this city.
II wish to record my emphatic pro-
Jcst against the overcrowding of the
rapid transit cars, and to point out
hat, in my opinion, it is too serious
subject to be regarded lightly by the
transportation companies, and / am
sure will not be overlooked by the
Public Service Commission"
A conference was held yesterday at
he health department between Chair
y'ce Commission. Frank Hedley OF the
lnterborough Rapid Transit Company.
Vice President Maher Of the Third
Avenue lines. DR.. l.. J. Gibson of the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company and
Commissioner Copeland. The "stag-
ger" system on the various lines was
discussed and the Health Commissioner
"as assured that the traffic jams in the
afternoons have been greatly reduced
Nr. Hedley said he hoped that the pres
mt plan would not be discontinued
after the epidemic is over. At the CON
terence 1t was agreed that the emerg-
ehcy rule against dry sweeping in pub
nc places should be made part of the
san,tary code.
New Cases Show Increase
ne new cases OF Influenza and pneu-
i"oEla reported yesterday are sligh,
advance over the number reported dur
"g the preceding twenty-four hour
usrlod. In influenza Manhattan led
'S?5 while the Bronx reported
~. Brooklyn 1901, Queens 2O3. and
kichmpnd 1875 Manhattan reported
.342 cases of pneumonia, Bronx Al.
Brooklyn 70. Queens 81. and Rich
nond D.
The deaths for the day totalled 2ec
ior influenza and 235 for pneumonia.
influenza was given as the cause OF
death in 1l6 cases in Manhattan. The
Bronx reported 26, Brooklyn SO, Queens
y and Richmond 5. Pneumonia took
y toll OF 129 i'll Manhattan, "a in the
bronx, 70 in Brooklyn, nine in Queens
'nd four in Richmond.
The grand total of influenza cases
reported in New York Citv since Sep
tember Is is 1896, with 1888 cases of
pneumonia. Influenza proved fatal in