The New York herald., 1922-03-08
CARS ARE PACKED
TO CUT EXPENSES
Continued from First Page.

Second avenue elevated the figures
showed only fifty-eight straphangers
when all seats were preempted In the
rush hour At the same time on the
local trains there were twonty-eight.
Brooklyn elevated and subway lines
next came under the microscope They
are operated by Lindley M. Garrison,
receiver for the New York Consolidated
Railroad Company. 1t appeared that
the new Brighton subway line in its
rush hour operates seven more trains
than were run over the oil Brighton
line in 1916 and twenty-four more cars.
Ii has 3.62o more seats. but $3.50 more
passengers to scramble for them and
the loading has increased by 27 per
cent There now are as many pas
sengers standing as sitting.
In its minimum midday service the
Brighton line carries 1,344 more pas
sengers than in 1916. It's percentage Of
loading has increased 68. but 1t operates
only the same number OF cars. though
with 4S0 more seats. as the cars now
used are of greater capacity.
This exhibit caused Commissioner
Hardness to say: "That shows. does 1t
not, Mr.. Turner, that although through
city construction work modern subways
were substituted for the old elevated
operation with ample capacity, still the
companies are not using that capacity?"
THAT is So" replied Mr.. Turner.
so stand While 100 SIT.
The Myrtle avenue elevated showed in
rush hour eighty standing to every 100
seated Only twelve trains are oper-
ated in the hour, on five minute head
way More could easily be operated.
the engineer said. On the Lexington
avenue elevated there were like condi-
tions--184 per cent loads with only ten
trains running in the hour on six min
ute headway.
Additional trains can be provided on
that line without question:" the witness
said.
hour capacity of the Broadway (Brook-
lynn elevated could be much increased.
1t is operating forty-two trains to the
hour, which is about the limit, but It has
a loading OF 238 per cent. as compared
with 231 per cent in 1s16--that is. 13s
stand to every 100 who sit.
THE solution Of that situation lies in
the completion Of the Fourteenth street.
Brooklyn Eastern line" said Commits
sioner Hardness. 1T will tap that big
Brownsville district and probably draw
off great part Of that traffic. That
would relieve this line materially"
What stands in the way Of finishing
that?" asked Judge Shearn.
''The chief difficulty, as understand
1t, is to get the contracts through the
Board of Estimate" said Mr.. Turner.
''The contracts have been before the
Board Of Estimate for a considerable
time"
The Sea Beach subway line during the
rush hour maximum has now five less
trains, twenty-six less cars, 1000 fewer
seats and 1880 more passengers, with
the loading 86 per cent. greater, than In
1915. There Is now a 220 loading per-
centage, or an overload of 120 per cent.
Judge Shearn suggested that the COM
mission should have the receiver, Mr..
Garrison. attend an early session. 1T
would seem as though" he said. mo
long drawn out proceedings ought to be
necessary to bring about Improvement
in the service"
Mr.. Turner testified that he had dis
cussed eleven lines and twenty-five SER
vice hours in this series. If the COM
missions avowed new standards of op-
Grafton We're applied to them, he said,
there would be effected seventeen bet
terments OF service out Of the twenty
Two service hours of maximum and
minimum traffic covered.
On the surface lines of Manhattan.
Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens and Rich
mond 1t was found that in many in
stances increases in straphangers had
been the result of a deliberate policy OF
retrenchment. The examiner found one
notable exception in the Flatbush ave-
nue. line, whose rush hour loading is
only los per cent.
Chances for Betterments.
Summarizing his conclusions on the
103 surface lines in the five boroughs
Mr.. Turner said that IL the PRINCIPLES
erunciated by the commission on Mon
day were to be applied. the result would
be ninety increases or betterments in
the ninety corresponding service hours
out of a total of zoe service hours
studied.
Before the public hearing the Transit
Commission adopted the orders direct
ing the Interborough Rapid Transit
Company, the New York Consolidated
Railroad Company and the New York
Municipal Railway Corporation--the two
latter being b. r. T. operating sub
sidiaries-to appear before the commits
sion on March Is at 10 80 A. NJ. when
the commission will institute proceed.
fngs to determine whether the "regu-
lations, practices, equipment, appliances
or service" of these companies "are un-
ftfqt rfnraa aOnable unsafe irnnropar -