The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-28
P.S. G. ALIBIS HEARD
IN SUBWAY TANGLE
Unfinished Clark st. Tube,
Board Of Estimate and
War Blamed.

Three alibis for the Public Service
Commission In connection with the un-
satisfactory transit situation so far as
the subways are concerned were FUR
nished yesterday by Commissioners
Travis II. Whitney and Charles Buckley
Hubbeu. These are: The Clark street
tunnel, which is not completed the
Board OF Estimate and Apportionment.
which has not furnished money neces-
sary to make needed changes for the
shuttle service and the war.
These Commissioners. who were ap-
pointed many months ago a special COM
mittee on the III" operation, submitted
yesterday to the public Service Commits
sion what they termed memorandum
report dealing with the problems and
difficulties OF the Interborough opera
ton" II was nine pages in length.
Under the dual plans the Seventh
avenue subway is to go to Brooklyn
through the Clark street tunnel, giving
| dwellers there opportunity to go up
either the East or the West Sides in
Manhattan But that will not be ready
| for operation until winter. 1t Is hoped
| TO restore the shuttle service between
, the Grand Central Station and Times
! Square before long. but II will be un-
/ satisfactory until the Clark street tunnel
IS opened.
This immediate relief Is suggested in
the memorandum:
Until the Clark street tunnel Is In
operation and in order to reduce to a
minimum the transferring at the dag
onal station, it Is recommended that the
! Interborough Company be directed to
trains. a service from Times Square over
the track connections which have been
provided. down Fourth avenue to At
lantic avenue. Brooklyn. II such service
is local II should be maintained tc
Brooklyn only until the company, BY
increasing the number of its employees
Ia able to bring the number OF East
Side EXPRESSES to thirty trains an hour
At that time the service from Times
Square should be terminated at the City
Hall loop.
This service will accomplish Two re
suits. 1t will Immediately furnish in
creased service to Brooklyn. where It II
needed. and It will allow that part o
the public which works along Fourth
avenue and lives on the west side o
Central Park to reach its destination
with only one change, t. c.. at Time
Square. This service will also be o
value to Brooklyn during the theatr
hours by providing a through trip 4
Times Square. II this service be insti
tuted on the local tracks II will no
Interfere with or reduce the through
local service to Lexington avenue. a
might be the case II express trains wer
operated"
1T will be realized" it Is stated. "tha
the commission can hardly be criticise
for no; doing work necessary to the I
operation, for which It has no appro
pr!ation, and suggests the Board o
Estimate give immediate attention to re
quests for money now before It."
Illustrating the difficulties OF keepin
up the engineering and other forces o
the commission II is stated that betwee
! January 1, 1917. and August ]. 1915
: 2,l33 employees have left. To tax
their places 1.9ll appointments hav
. been made, but the efficiency OF the ser
vice has been impaired.
Finally conditions OF employment 70
both construction and operation ar
about insurmountable." are the conclud
Ing remarks. THE Railroad Admins
tration has not sufficient employees.
. this Is so how can private contractor
and corporations be expected not to fee
the unusual conditions