New-York tribune., 1919-12-28
Additional Sideways Are
Already a Public Necessity
New Transit Lines Are Overcrowded and More
Carriers Are Essential; SlOO,OOO,OO0 Would
BE Cost of Immediate Travel Needs Of City

modification Of the contracts which
would permit the establishment Of such
a sliding scale of fares on the condi-
ton that the operating companies
would make corresponding concessions
to the city. SO far it has been I'M
possible TO bring about an agreement
between the city authorities and the
companies for such modification,
but the matter is still under consider
alton, and | have hopes that some
thing eventually will be- accomplished
along these lines.
Aside from the consideration of
operating companies, there is q press
ing need for modification of these
contracts, SO as to lessen the financial
burden upon the City of New York. AS
IS well known, the contracts provide for
the deduction from revenue of certain
items OF expense in a certain order.
The payment of interest upon the
bonds issued by the city for tho con-
truction Of the subways is so far down
in the list of deductions from revenue
that the earnings up to the present
are not sufficient to provide for all
such payments. Under the terms OF
the contracts the deficits must be paid
by the city out of the tax levies This
as imposed a burden of about SIS. 600
600 year upon the city treasury. and
this vii! be increased to SIC, 100000
wnen the whole system is in operation.
Deficit WouId BE Taxation
With a revision of the terms Of the
contracts along the lines suggested it is
possible that q readjustment Of the
order of payments from revenue would
place the city in much more favorable
POSITION. The contracts were signed in
March, 1918, and they cover Il period of
forty nine years from the beginning of
INITIAL operation, which took place in
1918. If a deficit Of $lO,0 100000 a year
should continue the city would be re-
quired to pay out of its taxes q total
OF $3.50 000,0 600 during the life of the
contracts. 1t Is probable, however,
that increasing traffic will reduce the
dehclts as the years go by. Neverthe-
less. the situation is sufficiently serious
to require close attention by the city
authorities. At the present time, when
the companies are seeking relief. the
city is in q position to demand sub
stantial concessions in this regard.
When we look back over the last
year and the period of the war it is a
cause for congratulation that New
York City has suffered so little in its
transportation facilities by reason of
the abnormal conditions. With very
few Interruptions, the rapid transit
service and the service of the street
surface car lines have been maintained.
and this without any general increase
in fares.
1t is true, however, that the Brook
lyn Rapid Transit system and the New
York Railways system have gone into
the hands of receivers and reorgan-
ization in each case is inevitable. The
receivers have been working against
tremendous odds TO continue the op-
Grafton of their lines. but the inevita-
bic has happened and the systems are
dlslntegratlng. Different lines operated
under leases as parts of the systems
have been separated therefrom bv or
ders of the courts. This has resulted
In inconvenience and additional eN
pense to the travelling public Further
separations are contemplated and un-
less a solution is found, the systems
winch were united Will be dissolved
INTO thelr component parts. That would
mean the operation of different lines
by different companies. each charging
q five-cent fare. which would add
greatly 10 the general Inconvenience.
The outlook, them is uncertain.
shall continue to work further for "
solution of the problem and shall well
come the advice and assistance of the
city authorities the Transit Construc-
tlon Commi ssioner and all other public
spirited citizens