New-York tribune., 1922-03-07
Overload of 24z Per Cent
Barred by Expert, Worse
Than Treatment of War
Prisoners, Says O'Ryan
Every Line Must
Improve Service
No Straphanging Dur.
ing Non-Rush Hours;
Companies Show Finan-
ciaI Gain y ;il,in Yeav


The Transit Commission served
notice yesterday on tho transit lines
OF the city that the time had come
10 improve service, and that improve
ment must tend TO definite end
seats for sll passengers 1t is recog-
nized by the commission that this end
is not sttainsble at once. It's plan for
improvement / OF service calls for seats
for sll except in the rush hours, and
always response in service to traffic
demands
The Interborough Rapid Transit
Company is invited to send representa-
,tives to hearing to be held Wednes.
day Of next week to show cause nhv
the company should not be compelled
10 reduce congestion or its lines. Dan
ssl L. Turner, chief engineer for the
commission. testified yesterday that on
some occasions the overload in the
subway was 247 per cent. and that on
February 9 there was surplus Of
passengers over seats in twenty one
out Of twenty-five consecutive opserya-
ton periods Of twenty minutes each,
beginning at Z n. M. at the south
bound Ninety sixth Street station.
Protest by O'Ryan
After listening 10 the testimony Of
Mr.. Turner telling of continuous over
loads over period of more than seven
hours, with a : per cent overload at
the time when traffic was the lightest,
Major General John F. O'Ryan, a mem
Der Of the commission, said that if
prisoners of war had been handled in
that way in the expeditionary forces
some one would have been in for trial
BY court martial
george MeAneny, chairman Of the
commission, said that in presenting its
Liam Tor Improvement of service and
announcing that the companies would
re neld to 1t the commission bad no
intention Of making threats. The tran
st companies, he said, could Join the
united system which the commission
ropes to establish, in which case sup
port would be given to lean lines from
me yield Of the more prosperous, or
the transit companies could remain in
dependent o. the unified system. Either
way, ne said. the orders for improve
ment OF service would be enforced.
Inc commission is anxious that il
De understood" he declared, "particu-
.srly by the companies. that it has not
introduced this general subject st this
'lnle, nor during the past several weeks,
rs measure of coercion or as a threat
o1 any pressure to be brought against
the companies while they arc consid-
erlng these matters. On the contrary,
the improvement of the service Of the
foaos is and has been from the begin
hlng a prime consideration. 1t has been
une q me most important purposes Of
the legislation of last wear. Whether
ne companies enter the comnission's g
pans or not, tho same standards of
service will be set up. and the same
measure OF compliance with those
standards will he enforced, lust as far
as the commission possesses power to
compel enforcement''
Suggestions for Improvement
Nhen Mr.. Turner had finished lis
testimony, which covered conditions At
many stations besides the one at inc
W.sXth Street, Clarence j. She.rn.
counsel to the commission. had him
lis. lsao INTO the record the commissions s
Nv o. nineteen suggestions for the
b.equent train service forms the
Oasls OF the commissions plan of i'm
ptofemtrt. 1t is stipulated that even
o. mloQay trains must be run on the
uuhA Hnes on q two-mnute headway,
VI even less, if conditions indicate that
mere trains are needed.
except IN the rush hours. local and
'Apies5 trains must be run with sutfi
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