The New York herald., 1921-03-06

honest and just demand; that it will
bring smoothly running service, with a
complete transfer system. he will pay It,
What's the difrerence?" says one. mo
transfers-you pay 1t anyway-eyen
more"
Besides the impairment OF the 3. r. I.
resources by the withdrawal OF lines,
reduction OF transfer points, reduction
Of cars in operation and increased shut
tie service, not to mention the intermi-
nable chickering's or the city Admins
tration with the receiver, have tired the
Brooklynite At first indignant and re-
sentful at the suggestion Of higher fare.
he has become apathetic. He wants
this problem settled now.
The discontinuance OF service on three
OF the six car lines operating on Broad
way would be a calamity and would be
followed by the greatest confusion. The
receiver OF the B. r. T. has stated that
the Ralph Rocka way line, the Reid ave-
nue. and the Broadway lines do not pay.
He points to the balance sheet OF No
vember. 1920. to prove hts contention.
IN that month the earnings OF the
Ralph-Rockaway line were $60,424.2s and
the operating costs $67, "a. leaving a
deficit OF s7.s59.o5 The Broadway lines
receipts for November were s4s.631,.99,
but its operating costs were s1.14757
more. The Reid avenue line income was
S3l, 3.03 and It's expenses $3610l.93 leav-
ing a deficit of $5.20S.90. The operation
of these three lines on this basis for
twelve months would result In COM
bined deficit OF more than $4,000.
Few lines in Brooklyn carry more
passengers than the Ralph
| line, one OF the important "crosstown"
lines. This service begins at Rockaway
and Hegeman avenues at Canarsie and
runs through Brownsville to Ralph ave-
nue., to Broadway and over the WILL
| iamsburg Bridge. This line by its long
haul links the Brownsville and Will
/ iamsburg sections and connects botn
with the East Side in Manhattan. The
cars are always busy. They carry loads
\ OF passengers to Manhattan in the
morning and begin the evening rush
/ hour at 4:30 being still at II at o'clock
/ in the night Discontinuance OF this
service would take from Brownsville
/ one OF its main arteries and would
\ draw sharp protest.
The Reid avenue line crosses the
\ williamsburg Bridge from Delaney
street, runs along Broadway to Reid
\ avenue slips into Utica avenue at Full.
Il ton street and runs to the open
4 stretches at Church avenue. II also
Y serves large slice OF the population
4 that makes for Broadway. Williamsburg
and the bridge. Like the Ralph-Rock-
away line Il is one OF the valuable
crosstown lines which have no elevated
service or near by 10 replace them
/ nusiaess Men See Loss Ahead.
4 Unlike the other two. the Broadway
I line is paralleled along its entire course
from the Williamsburg Bridge to Man.
haitian Junction. and from there 10
Crescent street, by elevated road. Fig
urss show, nevertheless. that IL Is an
Important line, extensively used by
shoppers.
Broadway as shopping district
equals Fulton street. From Flushing
avenue 10 Manhattan Junction a-e
stores, big and small, that attract shop
pers not only from the surrounding
sections Of Bushwick. East New York,
Greenpoint and Stuyvesant but from
Flatbush and Flatlands FAR south.
Business men along Broadway cannot
understand why these lines, particular
lv the Ralph Rockaway, do not pay.
They are unanimous in the opinion that
II the lines are discontinued II would be
a mighty serious matter. There arc
oniv three lines running on Broadway
above Sumner avenue, in the heart OF
the shopping district. They are the
three lines the receiver says do not pay.
The Reid avenue line leaNcs bIo@uWay
at Reid avenue, about hall nlle apo'o
sumner avenue. The Ralph Rockaway
cuts into Ralph avenue almost half
mil. further on. The Broadway line
runs the entire distance.
When speaking OF tho possibility OF
dlscontlnuance business men think back
10 the last Il. r. T. strike, when tor
days not a wheel moved on the elevated
or surface lines. Business dropped to