The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-06-09
HEDGES THREATENS
TO REPAINT CARS
Surface Lines Of N. Y. Rail-
ways May Even Lose Car
pet Covered Seats.

Job Hedges threatens to repaint some
intimates that he is doing" some Of the
old car seats over in the fashionable
wicker tints to replace the smelly" old
carpet coverings.
Mr.. Hedges said so himself yesterday
in a Transit Commission inquiry, the
purpose of which was to see II service
on the Manhattan surface lines OF the
New York Railways Company. OF which
he is receiver. could not be made more
esthetically attractive without break
ing the bank.
And now see what it is to have the
reputation OF a chronic humorist. AS
soon as Job said he was going to re-
paint the dilapidated old flat wheelers
his hearers laughed.
Jobs joking, again." they said.
Nature made Job humorist the day
he was born. But II took an order from
Federal Judge to make him the re-
ceiver of an insolvent street railway
system. Yesterday. with James Blaine
walker. secretary OF the commission, as
interlocutor, and Counselor George o.
Redington as end man, he gave mono
logue. In which he said:
at have been quite as conscious as
ANYBODY of the condition OF these cars
I had to choose. however. between reia-
lively safe physical transportation and
ornate traffic. Nothing has been SAID
here by any of the city's witnesses
which would tempt me to refrain from
competition with them rhetorically IN
-
prefer orange and black color 10 pu11.
fMr. Hedges is a Princeton mani.
But. be that as 1t may. 1t so hap
mems that with the change in condl-
lions we have been for some time get
ting ready to do in a measure what
this commission Is getting ready to
ask us TO do. We are painting some
of these cars We will have estimates
prepared to see how far we can go
toward painting them. All the seat
I ings will be changed. We will have
wicker seats instead of the carpet. As
! fast as we can get the money that will
be done gradually.
Though I am not at all an ex-
perienced traffic man. / was much i'm
| pressed with what one of the witnesses
| said about the speed OF those surface
| cars The mechanism OF II / know moth
ing about compared with the experts
but ii Is perfectly clear that. regardless
OF where the traffic comes from. whether
| 1t is to be taken from the elevated OF
the subway, or Is TO be invited or cul-
tivated or conceived. there will be nc
/ traffic that amounts to anything or
the surface cars until they can move
with sufficient CELEBRITY and with the
least interruption.
EFF man can leave the surface. &c
into the subway and beat the surface
cars four or i've stations further north
or south that precludes the surface cal
from doing its quota OF the traffic. Be-
fore the surface cars can do their best
there has got to be reorganization OF
the city's traffic regulations.
Now. can see that the painting OF
these cars would draw some traffic. and
| would like to see the dirt or. but not
at the expense of paint would not
like to have the age OF some of the paint
disclosed. and I wouldn't want to be
there when some of II is removed
"Our tracks are being repaired. That
has been the natural evolution in these
days OF competition between progress
and conservatism. AS for myself. can
quote one of the former Presidents by
saying that I am Progressive-Con-
l sentative"