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PASSENGER

TRANSPORTATION

SERVICE IN THE CITY OF

NEW YORK

A REPORT TO THE MERCHANTS'
ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK
BY ITS COMMITTEE ON
ENGINEERING AND SANITATION

SEPTEMBER, 1903

COPYRIGHT, 1903,

BY

THE MERCHANTS' ASSOCIATION

OF NEW YORK.

TIMIA OL

HE4491
N65M5

I

PREFACE.

N December, 1902, public indignation was aroused by the disregard of public rights, then evinced to an extraordinary degree, by the street and elevated railway companies of this city.

Extreme overcrowding had long been a notorious evil, unresisted by the public and practiced without scruple by the companies. About the time cited this abuse was greatly increased as to some lines of transit and certain hours of the day, by the deliberate policy of the companies. The Manhattan Elevated Railroad reduced its train service to a minimum during non-rush hours; the service of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Elevated lines, at all times grossly defective, spasmodic and overtaxed, was likewise reduced; and in both cases facilities which the companies could readily have supplied were withheld for reasons of economy in order that a maximum of passengers might be crowded into a minimum of trains and cars.

The Metropolitan Company aggravated conditions already extremely bad by the abuse of the "car ahead" rule, whereby the passengers of two comfortably full cars were often compelled to crowd into a single car, to the intolerable discomfort and inconvenience of all. This company still further concentrated its traffic, and thereby increased overcrowding, by refusing transfers over certain lines.

As to sanitary rules, little or no effective effort to enforce them had at that time been made by the transportation companies, despite constant public protest against the filthy conditions usual in public vehicles.

These conditions culminated in formal protests by various associations of women against the public indecency of promiscuous overcrowding in public vehicles, and against the repulsive personal contact and frequent secret insult to which women passengers were subjected. Following this initiative, several civic

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organizations moved in the matter with a view to securing a reform of the existing abuses.

The Merchants' Association of New York called a public meeting and organized the following committees for investigation and action, with a view to relief:

1: By direct representations to the street railway companies.

2: By procuring such legislation as should be necessary to control and regulate the conditions.

Legal Committee for Reform of Street and Elevated Railway

Service.

PHILIP B. ADAMS.

ADDISON ALLEN.

ISAAC M. ARON.

SELDON BACON.

SEWARD BAKER.
ELLIOT S. BENEDICT.
HAROLD BINNEY.
WILLIAM C. BREED.
GEORGE W. BRISTOL.
HARCOURT BULL.
FRANCIS X. BUTLER.
FREDERICK B. CAMPBELL.
CHARLES R. CARRUTH.
STEWART CHAPLIN.
CHARLES W. COLEMAN.
STEPHEN W. COLLINS.
AARON J. COLNON.
RUFUS B. Cowing, Jr.
CRANE & Baer.
LOUIS A. CUVILLIER.
MAURICE DEICHES.
JOSEPH L. Delafield.
JOHN ROSS Delafield,
JOHN S. DURAND.

JOHN A. DUTTON.

BELA D. EISLER.

MARK H. ELISON.

EDWARD R. FINCH.
DALLAS FLANAGAN,

WILLIAM D. GAILLARD.

WILLIAM HENRY GARDINER.

GEORGE H. GILMAN.
ANDREW H. GREEN.

BERT HANSON.

JOHN M. HARRINGTON.
WALTER F. HAYWARD.
J. ASPINWALL HODGE, JR.
WIRT HOWE.

ANTONIO KNAUTH.

RICHARD D. KNABE.

EDGAR J. LAUER.
LEOPOLD LEO.

LUKE J. LE ROLLE.
FRANK E. LOUGHRAN.
JAMES F. MCNABOE
DAVID IVES MACKIE.
CHARLES E. MANIERRE.
SEABURY C. MASTICK.
JOSEPH S. MEnline.
JOHN S. MONTGOMERY.

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