New-York tribune., 1921-02-10
I. Defiies
City to Run
Bridge Cars
threatens to Withdraw
Its Williamsburg Lines;
Lawyers Want Bills TO
Rush Revenue Increase

huSn heVenue increase
Lindley NJ. Garrison, receiver for the
b. Il. t., announced yesterday that he
would not compete with nunieipally
operated trolley cars on the williams
burg Bridge. If Grover Whalen. Com
missioner Of Plant and Structures, car
ried out his threat to put municipal
trolley cars on the bridge, Mr.. Garri-
son said, the B, r. T. cars would stop
on the Brooklyn side Of the bridge.
Commissioner Whalen hopes to put
some of the 100000 worth Of trolley
cars which he has been authorized to
buy on the Williamsburg Bridge
tracks. The tracks are owned by the
city. The cars which Commissioner
Whalen purposes to use on the bridge
were bought, it was understood, for
service on Staten Island.
The cars now running across the
bridge are operated by the BROOKLYN
Heights company, a subsidiary Of the
b. Il. T., which has obtained a tempo
rary injunction restraining the city
from making the crossover which
would be necessary If municipality oper-
ated cars were to be run there. The
fare on the bridge cars at present is
two cents for the trip or three tickets
for five cents.
If the B. r. T. cars were withdrawn
from bridge service 1t would be neces-
sary for all through passengers to
change at the bridge, paying the B. R.
T. fare and the municipal fare as we'll.
The through trolley lines now using
the bridge are those on Nostrand,
Tompkins and Bushwick avenues and
Grand Street.
Lawyers Ask Aid
Lawyers who met yesterday at the
Lawyers Club, 115 Broadway, decided
to ask Governor Miller to expedite leg
islation which would enable bankrupt
transit companies to pay judgments OBJ
tanned against them, in some cases
many years ago by victims Of acci-
dents or their surviving relatives.
The attorneys who resolved to lay
their case before Governor Miller rep
resent 10000 claimants, who have OBJ
tanned $4,000,000 in judgments. Some
of the attorneys advocated supporting
Governor Miller's traction plan as
promising the quickest relief through
increased fares.
Among the cases in which there has
been long delay because of the pow
erty- y-stricken conditions of the transit
lines against which judgments were
! i L.
ing relatives and dependents Of per-
sons who were killed, 72 in which the
victims suffered fracture of the
skull, 19 in which one or more limbs
were lost, 240 in which an arm or leg
was fractured, about 1000 in which
ribs were broken and more than 5000
involving less serious injuries. 1t was
said that in some cases relief had been
withheld for more than nine years.
The lawyers organized the Tort
Creditors Legislative Protective Asso-
citation, through which it is proposed
to press for legislation. Lyman A.
Spalding was elected president, Samuel
l.. Chess, secretary, and Jacob WOLF,
treasurer. Resolutions were adopted
setting forth that "itigants have been
and still are the hapless and present
hopeless victims of distressing physical
as result of accidents,
arising out of the operation of seid
roads, that include loss of arms, legs,
eyes and other faculties, while many
have suffered complete paralysis Of
their bodies and in about ESQ cases
DEATH" Among the claimants are
widows and orphans, who, it was said,
are likel- to become public charges.
Demand for Legislation
The demand for legislative action
said: "The Legislature of the State of
New York is petitioned to pass, with
all possible expedition consistent with
efficient legislation, such act or acts
said insolvent roads as will
tend to mitigate the appalling situation
hereinbefore recited, either through the
securing by the insolvent roads of
funds that shall be applicable, among
other things, to the prompt discharge
of the aforesaid tort obligations, or
through such other or further means
may be deemed just and
expedient."
Governor Miller's transit propose!
was approved by the New York Board
of Trade and transportation at its
meeting yesterday. The board
adopted these resolutions:
Resolved, That the New York Board
of Trade and Transportation approves
of the Governors proposal, and espe-
cially of that portion which recon-
mends the appointment of new Public
Service Commission charged with the
duty of ascertaining the facts in con-
nection with this complex problem and
formulating . plan for its solution;
and be it further,
Resolved, That this board hereby
~, ~ N, that oil nsaoI
throughout the state Loyalty suppor'
such proposition, and exert their infu-
ence to obtain the enactment of the
necessary legislation"
The resolutions were submitted by
special committee, consisting of Wslter
E.. Frew, chairman; Clinton L. Rossiter
and William McCarroll.
Brazilian Buildings Bombed