St. George to John P

REAL ESTATE RECORD AND BUILDERS' GUIDE. YoL. XXV. NEW YOEK, SATUEDAY, FEBEXJAEY 14, 1880. No. 622 Published Weekly by A DIRSCTOB'S VIEWS. work to transport thousands of people at lightning speed, almost constantly, from one end of the Mr. Benjamin Brewster, one of the directors of Island to the other. We don't know what improve the Manhattan Eailway Company, in the pres ments may yet be called for, though we are every ence of Mr. H. R. Bishop, another director, TERMS. day mastering the problems more and more, at once acknowledged that no public pres whether it be in the calibre of the men we employ, ONE YEAR, in advance.. ..$10.00. sure, so called, on the part of anjr individuals or the machinery we use, or the rolling stock at our representative bodies of citizens, had been made command." Communications should be addressed to upon the company for the reduction of the fares to " And yet it is claimed that even now, already, five cents. The public, so far as the company C. 'W. SAVEET. your profits are enormous ?" knew, did not demand it, and the only pressure " Our extensions," replied Mr. Brewster, "have Nos. 135 AND 137 BROADWAY brought to bear upon the legislatnre was composed not yet paid interest on the cost of construction, of the clamors of the public press and of some while the increase of business to these roads will political associations, that endeavored to make come from the upper wards. You must not forget capital out of the demagogism of their leaders. THE ELEVATED ROADS. that there is a great difference between running " Mr. Brewster," asked the writer, " do you not per mileage, and running per capita. We are THE EECOKD has always appreciated the great actually charge smaller fares to-day than the running per capita, and ten cents do not pay lor work the elevated roada are doing, and will do, charter allows you ?" this running. We have offered our very beat lines for New York City. We think they are worth not " Yes, air, we do," replied Mr. Brewster, " we thus far, and have to make a long haul of passen four times, but twenty times their cost to the are allowed by the charter to charge five cents for gers at the average fare of 7| cents for each owners of real estate and the people of this metropi eich five miles of road, and one cent for each addi passenger. Over the Third avenue line we are won polls. We wish to put it plainly on record that tional mile not exceeding seven cents during the running forty-eight trains an hour during the we are not only friendly to the present elevated commission hours, and ten cents for each five busy time of the day, and our average stops now roads but to all proposed ones, hence when the miles, with two cents for each additional mile dur are only fourteen seconds, all these matters, how first Kapid Transit Commissioners laid down a ing ordinary hours. Now, sir, please bear in mind ever, as I said before, are even yet to-day questions route for a new one, we immediately favored the that the road was first opened to Sixty-seventh that are being studied so as to enable us to accom scheme, and had it not been for the outcry of street, then to Eighty-ninth street, and finally to modate the enormous traffic that ia pouring in the daily press of the city, it is probable that be One Hundred and Thirtieth street. It is singu upon us. But as we go along we improve. We fore the close of 1880 we should have had another lar, indeed, that not a single newspaper, nor well know that more termini or pockets are load added to those already in active operation. even a single individual, ever has given us credit required and the same as wo are now doing on the The present elevated roads just now are laboring for the fact that instead of adhering to the privi East Side we will very shortly do on the West Side under difficulties, for many of which they have only leges granted us by our charter, we have preferred You were mentioning that between the hours of themselves to thank. The legislative commission, to run our trains at uniform rates, whether to nine and ten in the morning it is even now difficult recently in session, brought out some ugly facts, Sixty-seventh street or to One Hundred and to obtain a seat at the Twenty-third street station, such as charges having been made under heads Thirtieth street, or One Hundred and Forty-fifth going southward. This will be remedied by the of sundries, office rent, legal expenses and such street. The ordinary rules of business, please additional termini that will shortly be opened on like, many of which seem imaginary. It is this also remember, are reversed in the enterprise in the West Side, so that fresh traina can be started phase of corporate management which is bringing which we have embarked. We did our very best from certain stations. Of course a very large the whole system into discredit all over the coun business at the start. While we were filling a sum of money, as yet unknown, will be required try, and it is this which needs probing. great public need we were actually carrying people to complete that system of pockets and termini The public, however, in attempting to have these only over short distances. As we were extending thoroughly. In addition to all this, the extraordi wrongs righted should be careful how it lends our road we had to procure fresh rolling stock, and nary shape of Manhattan Island, with the people itself to the use of the lobby, which cares for as we advanced further north we, by making all living at one end, and doing business at the nothing except its share of the spoils. And here heavy outlays for increased purchases, actually other,, a tremendous rush down-townward in the is just where the attempt now being made in the assisted in helping to populate districts that were morning andup-townward in the evening must not Legislature to interfere with the rates of fare is heretofore desolate." be overlooked. We have to haul empty rolling likely in the end to be of more benfit to the lobby "Now we hear a great clamor about the cost of stock in a reverse direction, without compensation, than to the public, plainly ibi the reason that it is maintenance, and that it is a mere bagatelle com twice a day, conditions most unfavorable to the questionable to-day whether a five cent fare is pared to what it is given put to be. What are the principles of lowest economy. It certainly does really demanded at all hours. Unquestionably, we tacts Mr. Brewster ?" not require an expert to tell you we cannot carry a would all ride as cheaply as possible ; at the same "Time only can tell what the actual cost of man to Albany for 25 cents, uo more than you time, there is a latent feeling in the public mind maintenance will be," replied Mr. Brewster. " The can carry a man to Harlem for 5 cents. The horse that, 80 far, people who use tlie elevated roads have two years just passed have been mere experi cars could not do it, neither can we. One hundred been well treated, and, as much is yet expected of mental years. Nobody can tell to-day what it will and seventy-five thonsand passengers weigh 12,000 them, it will not do to cramp or stifle them in the cost ultimately to run this property. The ques ions. To earn the same gross receipts, at 5 cents beginning. Our sister city of Brooklyn is about tion of maintenance is, so far as permanency is fare, we must have 18,000 tons, and this can only to have a system of elevated roads, but if a grant concerned, as yet a mystery. It is unknown. It be done at an increased cost to us and at 50 per or franchise is to be played with every year at Al is a. q estion we are studying; a problem that we cent, extra, wear and tear. bany, we doubt very much whether the necessary are endeavoring to solve, but what it actually will "What is the truth of the charges about the capital will be forthcoming for them. We hope the be, no one living can tell to-day. The starting of watered stock and the inflated securities ?" asked present roads may be permitted to continue their elaborate machine shops in East Ninety-eighth the writer. business in consonance with their charter, and street for the East Side branch, and other machine '' At every stage of the progress ot this road, the that the Legislature will watch the interests of shops to be started shortly on the West Side, give securities," said Mr. Brewster, " have been mar the public by looking aiter ita safety and comfort you just a little insight as to the uncertainty of keted at the highest figure they possibly could by compelling the managers to adopt all appliances any calculations for the future, based upon to-day's bring. People must not forget now that in times possible, and to strengthen their road at the estimate. The people, no more than the public past thia entire system of elevated roads was ridi curves, and other weak places, so that an accident press, have the least conception of the vast under culed as impracticable, and its projectors de shall be impossible.

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