The New York herald., 1922-03-08
d. i. Turner Reveals That
Subway Capacity, Built by
City, Is Not Used.
WHALEN'S POOR SHOWING
Staten Island Line, Munich
pally Conducted, Runs Fewer
Cars Than Company Did.

Daniel L. Turner, consulting engi-
neer for the Transit Commission pro-
duced figures at yesterdays hearing
on inadequate transit service show
ing how New York's millions are
packed like sardines in the trains and
cars of the elevated, subway and sur
face lines in Manhattan. Brooklyn,
The Bronx and Staten Island.
According to these figures the
worst conditions appear to prevail
during the rush hours on the Sixth
avenue elevated lines, where there
are 100 passengers for every 100
seats, and on the Sea Beach subway
line in Brooklyn, which has 220 per
cent. overload during the rush hours.
Conditions almost as bad. however,
prevail on every line dealt with by
/ Mr.. Turner's figures, which cover and
are the tabulated results of observa-
tions made on 126 subway. elevated
and surface lines. While on the
stand yesterday Mr.. Turner did not
deal with the East and West Side
subways Of the Interborough lines.
The only line which seems, accord
ing to these figures, to be giving good
service is the Flatbush surface line
in Brooklyn, which has rush hour
load of los per cent, or only eight
standing passengers for each 100
seated. In presenting his figures to
the commission Mr.. Turner compared
service conditions in 1922 with those
in 1916 for two periods Of the day,
one the maximum rush hour and the
othef~ the hour Of minimum midday
traffic.
Cxowds on City Operated Line.
Wen the witness came ~ the rich
mond line, formerly known as the
Staten Island Midland, and now oper-
ated by the city administration, the
figures showed that the city has so
cut down the number OF cars operated
during the maximum rush hour period
that the loading ratio has been in
creased from only 81 per cent. in 1916
to It's per cent. at present. That
means rs passengers standing for
every 100 seated. Within that maxi
mum hour the city now is operating
ten fewer cars than were run in 1916
under private operation. They are
carrying 206 fewer passengers, but 331
fewer seats for them.
Mr.. Reddington, counsel to the COM
mission. who was conducting the ex-
animation, inquired: do you know
Of any operating reason why this SER
vice should have been SO materially
cut DOWN."
II see no operating reason why that
should be DONE" replied the witness.
DO you class that as an argument
for municipal operation?" asked Com
missioner Leroy 7. Hardness.
Cars Cut Down by City.
II certainly should not" Mr.. Turner
answered. He then showed that the city
had cut down the number Of cars OPP
Grated In the hour from fifteen to five,
the latter now running twelve minutes
apart; had reduced available seats from
Al to 40 and had produced rs per cent.
overload.
"You say you know OF no physical
reason why that should have been
done7"
II do not. There Is every reason why.
as the city Is operating this road II
should have furnished a proper standard
or service"
The examiner first questioned his wit
ness concerning the figures for the Man
haitian elevated lines. On the Sixth ave-
nua elevated during the first two
months Of 1922 there were 1870 express
passengers for every 100 seats In the
rush hours. The loading was 36 per cent.
greater than in 1916 Yet the company
was operating one train less, which
means $50 fewer seats for 610 more pas
sengers. The local rush hour service
shows four less trains but 1850 more
passengers. Overcrowding was IS per
cent. in excess Of that OF 1915.
On the Third avenue elevated during
the r7isn hour, express serSice. l0i per-
sons stood while 100 were seated con-
ditlon 40 per cent. worse than in 1916.
but on local trains in the same period
there were two seats to spare In every
100 The line now Is running thirty
three express trains an hour during the
peak OF the load, which is nine more
than were operated In 1916 Mr.. Turner
said they could not do much better as
this schedule means almost two min
utcs headway
Express rush hour loading on the
Ninth avenue elevated was 176 per cent.
and on local trains 10f per cent. On the
Continued on Page Eight.