The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06
SUBWAY CONFUSION.
Tempers and Nickels Lost at Times
Square and Other Stations.

1Vh"RNhS XNtCAGfb bUob ~ lluVS
Square and Other Stations.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-sir. A
plan Of petty plumber Is practised upon
the public at the Times Square joint
station Of the b. r L. Broadway line
and the marlborough Seventh avenue
line. There must be multltudss of pas
sengers. Notwithstanding the immense
amount Of newspaper information on
the subject, who do not yet understand
that the revenues at that station go to
two separate and distinct treasures. In
order that the plundered public may In
a measure be put wise" to the advan-
tage which Is being taken of their igno-
rance, or inexperience, wish, as briefly
as possible, to relate my experience Of
a double fare to get down town.
Alighting at that citation from down.
town Seventh avenue express. I used the
Fortieth street exit, in accordance with
the sign, and after completing my err
rand I returned and entered the same
Fortieth street entrance, Subway Down
Town." bought my ticket deposited It
In the choppers box and boarded train
standing there. but quite promptly dis
covered I was on Broadway line train,
and at once said to a guard that I want
ed the Seventh avenue downtown train.
I was directed to the upper end OF the
station. insufficient sign directions
caused me a delay Of several minutes,
L,,k
stairs) Of my desired line, and was go
ing through to take my train. but was
promptly required to pay another fare;
and no amount OF protest, explanation
or persuasion could change the attitude
Of the gateman, gatewoman or ticket
seller. 1t then occurred to me to return
to the Broadway line and, after all,
come down town that way. But no go.
you'll have to pay another fare"
met another gentleman In the same pre-
dicament, and I then learned from the
guard. or gateman. that they are meet
ing with the difficulty all day long. he
observing. UNLESS you say how you
want to go. they won't tell you; they
only want your nickel"
1t may well be that the unsophisti-
Gated public Is fieeced out OF hundreds
OF dollars a week. II not daily. at that
station. and some means should be found
to prevent these separate and distinct
corporations from being the benefciares
Of this petty gouge. producing bounti-
full harvest Of nickels; but they will of
course declare that II Is not their fault,
but the misfortune OF the public who
have not taken the pains TO educate
themselves as to the real relations Of
the two systems of transit.
/ have no doubt also that many pas
sengers on the B. r. T. Broadway line
are disappointed when reaching Rector
street station at Trinity place at not re-
ceiving a transfer to the "H' system at
the Wall street station for the compile
ton OF their trip to Brooklyn. Transfers
are only for Brooklyn passengers com
ing down town on the Seventh avenue
branch of the marlborough H" system.
whose Rector street station IL at Green
wich street.
The public have another grievance
which 1 will briefly describe: I have
heard trainmen direct passengers on the
downtown Seventh avenue line who de-
sired to go to Brooklyn Bridge TO trans
fer at Rector street. Desiring TO go up
town on the Lexington avenue line. 1
boarded a southbound Seventh avenue
train at Chambers street. received a
transfer at Rector street, upon present.
ing which at Wall street station / was
calmly informed that 1t was good for
Brooklyn only and that a ride UP town
would cost another fare. A sign at the
Forty-second street station of the Lex
ington avenue line directs passengers to
"Change at Wall street to go north on
Seventh avenue line" presumably with
out an extra fare). It's poor rule that
won't work both ways. If the II" line
cannot. as heretofore, transport a pas
senger across the diameter at Forty
second street, the least It can do is TO
swing him around the circle, IL he cares
to spare the time.
The foregoing information may be of
interest to the ignorant or thoughtless
passenger and make less profitable to
the transit lines the chase for the allur-
ing nickel.
The management may delude them
selves that these underhand tactics may
not be discovered because they are un-
foreground. but, like the undersea men
ace they may, like the Huns, arrive at
the conclusion that upon bringing these
tricks to the surface the game may not,
after all, be worth the candle THE
public be pleased" is better motto than
The public be gouged."
&c. GROW.
CRAWFORD, n. J., September s.