The sun., 1919-09-24
RIGHT TO OPERATE
BUS LINES PROBED
p. s. @. Questions Legality Of
Running Buses Without
Paying City.
HEARING FOR FRIDAY
Whalen Says Success of Trac-
ton Venture Is Fully
Assured.

The question now arises as to the
legality of operating Jitneys on the city's
streets without remuneration to the city
and without a franchise along the routes
of the abandoned surface car lines.
since Louis Riedl failed to keep his
mart OF the agreement and supply buses
Tor the surface car lines put out OF
commission, and the Job was suose-
uuently undertaken by the city Lewis
N,son Of the public Service Commission
sent yesterday letter to Mayor Hylan
az follows: ..;
'swill you kindly instruct such onicial
az the City Of New York as has oeen
designated by you to take charge OF the
substitute service by jitney buses on
the lines Of the suspended storage Dat
terry cars to infort this commission Oh
the person or persons by whorh sue :.
eervice IL now operated, ana 10 Keep II
informed of changes Of methods or plans
OF opezation7
"Acting upon an emergency this COM
mission recently approved the right 70
exercise a permit granted to Louis Rleol
by the Board of Estimate and Appor-
tionment. That permit provided for
responsible service and contained PROVES
ions calculated to insure the safety OF
the public.
''No other such application since has
been received or approved by the com
mission but Il Is now stated that Varl-
Gus independently owned jitneys are
nevertheless plying the streets
Commission Seeks Facts.
s-rhis commission has certain duties
under the law and must perform them
II desires to be informed what persons
are now operating these jitneys under
what permits they are doing so, ana
what provision Is made for protecting
the public against accidents and loss Oh
life.
'sWhile your experiment runs its
course, every effort will be made to aid
you but you cannot expect the commits
eion to ignore the plain requirements OF
law or TO sanction operation under con-
ditions which do not afford the greatest
possible security to life and limb
Commissioner Whalen Of the Depart
rnent of Plant and Structures said that
the bus system was undor the super
vision of his department, and that the
legal phase Of the situation would be
worked out at the Board OF Estimate
meeting on Friday. He was not worried
about the legal side Of the affair, and
said that what had been done had OF
necessity to be done quickly.
Opinion as to the success of the new
jitney project differs. A city official said
Yesterday that he thought 1t was farce.
"All right for a few days" he said, FOR
the. people to ride around in those rickety
busss, but they'll get tired Of being
crowded and jolted as they are"
On the other hand Mr. Whaen was
pleased with the results Of the innova-
ton.
.-This is the first time.' ne said,
"there has ever been real rapid transit
on the East Side. In a very short time
this will be a trackless town. The day
Of the fat wheel car has come to an
end"
In Mr. whalen's opinion, Receiver job
Hedges made a mistake when he gave
the city -four paying surface car lines.
He said that the Corporation Counsel
was now reviewing the railway COM
pany's action and added that in all
probability the cessation of the surface
car lines would mean the loss to the
traction company of their franchise
Later yesterday afternoon Mayor
Hylan sent a letter to Mr.. Burr request
ing that to protect the rights of the city
appropriate steps be taken to secure
cancellation OF the respective charters
granted to the railway companies.
$40 or $50 Made Day.
"somebody evidently misrepresented
the condition of these surface car line'
now abandoned" said the Commissioner
cor they were most extravagantly oper
ated." And he added that bus drivers with
whom he had spoken said lNat they
made between $40 and $50 day ant
were satisfied.
Commissioner whalen explained th'
system under which buses operated II
Newark, N. J. He said that there thu
drivers give the city per cent OF theii
receipts, which was about $500 da.
and paid for repairing the streets II
this city the bus drivers pay the cit!
nothing.
A preliminary report VIII be presented
to the Board of Estimate Friday on thu
Feasibility Of operating bus lines in diff
ferent parts of the city.
Probably due to the bad weather. the
traffic yesterday was especially heavy
and an increased number OF buses wer'
nut to use. There are eighty now ready
for operation, and It was said that sew
enty-seven of these were working yes
terday morning.
The matter OF transfers for users o.
tho bus lines. Commissioner Whalcr
said, was something for future develop
ment
The Public Service Commission re-
ceived reports yesterday on the operation
of the bus lines during the rush hours o
the previous evening, VIII CHI showed thu
buses did not carry nearly so many pas
sengers during that period as the trolley
cars formerly carried. Observation wa
made of the service at Park Row, on thu
Madison street line, at Mulberry stree
on the Spring street line, and the Ave
nue. C line at Houston street and thu
Bowery Eigl; buses were in operation
hA line and CaTrind AO(
passengers. rs against 1,l22 by the troll
leys on September &c. There was az
average of eleven standing passengers IL
each bus.