New-York tribune., 1922-03-25
jam
To Be w orse.
Says Eedley
tccatlnecd from psqo ono)

dent Hedley toward the close of the
hearing.
Judge Shearn is bending his energies
to relieving congestion, especially dur
ing non-rush hours and yesterday he
discovered that under Mr.. Hedley's
tiVe-year plan the company contom-
locked good to Mr. Shearn until he ex-
amined the supporting data and then
he was plainly fabbergasted. Reading
from blue print prepared by Mr.. He'd
ley, Judge Shearu said:
in 1921, according to your exhibit.
you had 1895 cars, and you were
carrying Gag .3S5,7SO passengers, which
Is about 100000 passengers per car per
annum. In 1922 your cars each will
carry $4,000 per annum. In 1929, which
is the first year in which there will
be any additional cars, you would he
carrying 365, 900. In 1924 you would
be carrying $4,000 per car. In 1925
you would he carrying 37S.oo0 per car
and in 1926, when you would have your
full $50 now cars in operation. would
would be carrying total Of $50 900, 900
passengers, with 2,SS5 cars, which is
$4,000 passengers per car per annum.
If this thing is going TO spread out
like this you never catch up, but in
stead you get behind.
Short Riders Increase
"rhose figures as you have calcu
lated them are correct" said Mr.. He'd
Icy, "but they do not reflect the crowd
ing or maximum loading in the subway
or on the transit lines You have taken
the cars and divided them by the pas
sengers. Some cars are in service only
few hours of the day and other cars
are in service tweuty-four hours every
day. On the other hand, as the traffic
increases year by year there are
greater number of short riders who
ride to and from new business con-
ters."
When Judge Shearn suggested that
there was no hope for more comfort
able riding on the Interborough in the
figures he was considering Mr.. Hedley
said:
"The figures clearly indicate that the
old cars plus the new cars have got to
earn per annum more than they are
earning now. That is all. 1t does not
reflect the peak congestion that you are
going to have at any one point, al
though it is going to get very much
worse than it is now. AS you know,
there cannot be anything new stepped
into the increased facilities until 1926,
and the congestion will from year to
year get very much worse than it is
now, and it is bad enough now"
Judge Shcarn was amazed at this,
and said so.
~ have already stated that l be-
lievc conditions are going to get
worse, " said Mr.. Hedley. "What wo
must have in this city is more rapid
transit lines. You cannot relieve this
congestion in a reasonable way, or in
very perceptible way, with the facili-
ties you have now. You have got to
have more facilities-more railroads."
During the forenoon session Mr..
Hedley discussed the financial condi-
tion Of his company. saying half a
dozen times that the 1nterborough
could not do anything in the way of
improving its service without more
money.
Mr. Hedley said the 1nterborough
owed $38, ,144, 400, due on june 80, this
year, in addition to its overdue rem
tails on its Manhattan lease of S2,10O,-
600. due on Saturday Of next week. IN
addition TO this there arc arrears of
taxes OF about $3,000,000.
Hedley Is Aroused
Mr.. Hedley fared up when Judge
Shearn said the record showed that
the Interborough during The war re-
quested that work on the new sub
way yards at Jerome and White Plains
Avenues be dropped, and that if Mr.
Hedley was trying to give a true pic
ture to the commission he should have
mentioned such facts.
Mr.. Hedleys face flushed, and he
pounded the desk in front of him as he
exclaimed: 81 have not attempted to
give you anything else but true pic
ture."
Judge Shearn said the witness should
have told him that it was on the re-
quest Of the Interborough that there
was delay on the railroad yards. He
declared there had been an indefinite
postponement of the work on the yards
in order to enable the company to avoid
spending $8,o00,0Oo, and Mr.. HedIey
admitted this to be fact. Mr. Shearn
brought out that in that same year the
company had paid 17h per cent divi-
dends and that during the three years,
1917, 1918 and 1919, it had paid djvi1
dends et $7,000,000 in excess Of earn
lngs. Mr.. Hedley said that the mat
ter of dividends and the new construc
tlon work had nothing in common. He
declared the company was ready to
equip the unfinished yards if the city
would 60 ahead and complete the CON.
struction work
"1f you stop your quarreling with the
Board Of Estimate it won't take lono,
to build those yards" he said.
Who has been quarrelling with the
Board Of Estimate?' asked Judge
Every body"
Are you attempting to attach any
blame to this commission ?"
u know that you don't get together
ana l Know that you ought to get to-
New. York; said Mr.. Hedley.
After taking exception TO the use of
the word Quarrel" Judge Shearn pot
from Mr.. Hedley an admission that fhe