New-York tribune., 1919-07-19
Extra Fare To Be Paid
at SO Points i'm Man.
haitian and All but 80
Stations i'm BROOKLYN
Action Approved
By Governor Smith
Only Wayto Prevent Chaos
inCity's Transportation,
P.S. Commissioner Saws

Lewis Nixon, Public Service Commits
sioner, approved an order yesterday
permitting the New York Railways (the
green cars) and the B. R. T. to make
charge Of cents each for transfers.
The order, issued by the Public Ser
vice Commission, is effective for year
beginning August /.
The action of the commission was
with the approval of Governor Smith
and in opposition to the expressed
views of Mayor Hylan.
The order for the charge for trans
fers is general in character, and will
affect all but fourteen points on the
lines of the New York Railways, and
all but thirty points-plus feeder line
transfers-on the B. r. T. system. The
order to the latter company specif-
cally excerpts transfers between feeder
lines and trunk lines.
Of the present free transfer points
on the lines Of the New York Railways
system, 113 in number, ninety-nine are
eliminated, while on the B. R. T. sys-
TEN, Of the 1,008 transfer points, all but
thirty are eliminated, except for feeder
lines, which are continued.
Only to Initial Transfer
The charge will apply only to the
initial transfer issued. Where it has
been the custom to issue transfers on
transfers such transfers will be con-
tinued, and no additional charge will
be made for them.
The order in the case Of the New
York Railways goes into effect August
l and continues until July 7, 1920, ex-
cept that the time may be extended.
In the case Of the B. R. T. the order
becomes effective August 1 and con-
tinues until July 80, 1920, unless fur
ther extended.
Commissioner Nixon accompanied his
order with the following statement:
THE public should have true state
ment of the transit situation in this
city. The New York Railways Com
pany at the present time is IN the
hands Of receiver. That means that
1t is insolvent and unable to pay its
debts. The New York Railways Com
pany is vast system which consists
Of many leased lines, such as the
Eighth Avenue Railroad Company, the
Ninth Avenue Railroad Company, etc.
In order to obtain leases of these lines
the New York Railways Company is
obliged to pay rent for them. If the
rent is not paid these leased lines will
cancel their leases. Some of these
rentals may be extravagant, but they
were made years ago and must be paid
until they are changed.
For Public's Convenience
"To further the public convenience
the New York Railways Company was
required to introduce what is called E
system Of free transfers between it:
leased lines and other railroad lines ir
this city. For example, if passenger
on the Madison Avenue line desired tt
travel up or down the West Side hi
could obtain free transfer at Fifty
ninth Street This enables him to take
the Fifty-ninth Street car to either
Eighth or Ninth Avenue and ther.
transfer to the line which he desired W
or down town.
Owing to the prevailing high price.
Of labor and material the New Yorl
Railways Company was unable to pay
its debts, including its rents, and t.
protect the interests Of the travelling
public the Federal court appointed {
receiver. That receiver is an Officer
81 the Federal court and that court i.
practically operating this railroad. The
Federal court informed the Public
Service Commission that, unless the
railroad company was granted some re.
hef, either in the way of an increased
1ars Of six or seven or eight cents OIL
permitted TO charge for transfers, the
court would cancel the leases which
had been made. The effect of this
would be that every time person
snanged from one line Of cars to an.
osner, he would have TO pay an extra
iare Of five cents, or, IL he made two
Changes, ten cents
What would any one have done
under the circumstances Would he
NAYS permitted charge Of ten or fif-
ten cents when the same result could
nave been accomplished for five cents
CGutfnned an r,nos nina