The New York herald., 1921-12-21
Scraps 100 of 248 Miles Of
Track, Junks 10 Lines
and Improves %.
5TH AV. LINE CALLED SAFE
Surface Roads in Lower West
Manhattan Are to Be Sup
planted by Motors.

'@N tNSiiNO ilitiopQCtO III lic lEdDSlt
examination yesterday indicated that
in Brooklyn Borough alone since No
velnber. 1919, jitney buses operating
under Mayor Hy!an's municipal per-
mits have been involved in accidents
in which there have been eight persons
killed ana 29s seriously injured.
Incomplete records in Manhattan
Borough from September 49, 1919,
down to June g. 1920. showed 14S
accidents, 81 of which resulted in the
injury OF crippling of passengers or
pedestrians.
Clarence J. Shearn, special counsel
TO the commission, explained that he
had great difficulty in gathering data
because it had been the policy of the
Police Department, acting under or
ders. to refuse access to police blotter
records which set forth the troubles
Of these jitney buses"
Mr.. Shearn read into the record
names, dates and localities of such ac-
cidents as he had been able to collect
lacking police cooperation. Then he
said: "This incomplete record sug-
eests the Importance of having the
commission go into this matter more
fully. II no record is obtainable from
the Department of Plant and Struc-
ures / suggest the commission have
it's examiners go through the blotters
cf the Police Department which, of
Sourse cannot refuse the demand OF
the commission"
1--WE will act on that" said Chair
man McAneny.
Fifth Avenue BUS Fatalities.
As the Mayor had suggested publicly
nat the buses operated by the Fifth
Avenue Coach Company were dangerous
Ind likely to be overturned, Mr.. Shearn's
iext step was to swear Herbert G.
Moser. that corporations superintendent
transportation. Testifying from his
.'ecords Mr.. Moser swore that since No
ember, 1919, his companys vehicles had
been concerned in accidents which re-
suited in no fatalities and In six serious
and thirteen minor injuries.
"I noticed statement from his Honor
tige GtA6r day" said Mr.. Shearn, ito the
rstccf That your buses are unsafe. Has
theFc been any effort on the part Of the
1rthoii lies 10 prevent you operating
pese unsafe buses?"
No ~e have no unsafe buses was
tie reply. The witness then testified
that In tho fourteen years since 1907 his
company had carried 276,S34,021 pas
sengers in buses which had traverscd
64,000,000 miles through New York
streets. In that period there had been
only two upsets.
Mr.. Shearn suggested that the COM
mission summon the owners or operators
Of the municipal jitney buses to ascer-
tain their degree of responsibility,
whether they have paid anything to per-
sons injured. what they have done in
the way of upkeep of their cars and
similar data. Chairman McAneny said,
THAT is our purpose"
The other outstanding feature OF yes
tcrday's session was the presentation by
Daniel l.. Turner, consulting engineer to
the commission. of the plan prepared at
It's order for the rerouting of the sur
face lines of Manhattan Borough The
plan. though tentative, is regarded. with
favor by the commission. Should II be
adopted IL VIII work radical changes in
the transit map and in the utilization 81
many of the city's main thoroughfares.
In contravention of the Mayors oft
reiterated plant that the surface lines
funk" is TO be foisted upon the city,
this plan eliminates 100 OF the total PAS
miles of trackage and cuts down the
number OF surface lines from thirty-five
TO twenty live. II contemplates the
abandonment OF all surface car traffic
west OF Broadway and south OF Four
teenth street, substituting bus lines in
that section for crosstown traffic and as
feeders to the rapid transit systems.
Details of Surface Scheme.
Mr.. Turner'S report In its more essen
tlal parts follows.
The proposed rerouting plan for
Manhattan recognizes
u. That a new system of surface
lines is needed that will permit the
most convenient and freest circulation
about the borough for a single fare and
with a minimum amount of transfer,
and that VIII have sufficient capacity
10 meet all the traffic requirements.
80. That the vehicular congestion in
many Of the streets of Manhattan
particularly IN the important north and
south thoroughfares-has nearly reached
the linit
"3. That II Is of paramount import
ance that consideration be given TO the
needs of the vehicular traffic as well as
TO those OF surface car traffic
"f. That. therefore, the rerouting of
tho surface lines in Manhattan should
he accomplished In such manner as
20 utilize for the purpose the minimum
number Of north and south streets pos
s3sls without detriment TO the con-
vcnrence and capacity OF such new sur
face line system.
Biased upon the foregoing princi-
pies:
"ta) The new surface car system Is
20 utilizc approximately 14s miles OF
single track-or about 100 miles less
iraclSage than Is now In the atreets The
Continued on Page Seven.