the act of the Interstate Commerce Commission in suspending and granting parts of the applications of the companies for a general freight increase, in order that the local rates within the jurisdiction of this Commission might conform to the Interstate rates of the several companies involved.

Applications were received during the year from The Long Island Railroad Company, the New York Central Railroad Company and the New York, New Haven and IIartford Railroad Company for increases in passenger fares. The application of the first named company is discussed at length elsewhere in this report as Formal Case No. 2209. The New York Central Company filed tariffs showing increases proposed to go into effect at the end of the statutory thirty-day period. After investigation and report by the Tariff Bureau, the Commission gave permission to the railroad company upon application to withdraw the tariff before the effective date. The application of the New Haven Company was denied because of an important defect in the form of application. The company, however, has not yet renewed its application.

HORSE-CAR OPERATION DISCONTINUED

The year 1917 is notable for the disappearance of the last horsecar from the streets of New York City. The persistent survival of this antiquated method of transportation has been one of the interesting features of New York City life to the resident and visitor alike. It so survived not because of any particular adaptability to modern traffic needs, unless it might be an ability to leave the rails and take to the pavement in order to pass trucks and other obstructions, but rather because of the inability, until very recent years, to find a satisfactory substitute. Such has been found in self-contained transportation units, namely, storagebattery cars, and these have been substituted in some instances for horse-drawn cars and in other instances the old horse-car routes have been abandoned as having outlived usefulness in districts much better served by adjacent rapid transit or electric lines. Overhead trolley lines have never been generally permitted in the streets of Manhattan, where the trolley companies employ the device of a charged third rail carried in an under

ground conduit to furnish the necessary current to the motors. Such a system, however, would not work with entire satisfaction along the marginal ways and other streets near the water-front, where most of the horse-cars in use in recent years have been operated. High tides on several occasions it was found subjected the third rail to the dangers of short circuit. Hence it was necessary to seek another method and this has been found in the storage-battery cars which have been developed for economical and efficient use.

The last horse-car made its final trip over one of the lines of the Bleecker Street and Fulton Ferry Railroad Company on July 26, 1917, the occasion being officially recognized by a final trip participated in by representatives of the Commission and the operating company.

The Commission has been insistent for years upon the necessity of eliminating this cumbersome and well nigh useless method of travel and it was as a result of orders of the Commission that the storage-battery cars have been substituted.

EQUIPMENT INSPECTION

An Equipment Inspection Bureau is maintained by the Commission, in charge of its Electrical Engineer. This Bureau keeps the Commission informed regarding the physical condition of the tracks, roadbeds, rolling stock, signals and other parts of the equipment used by railroad and street railroad companies. There are eight Divisions of this Bureau, viz.: Power equipment and special investigations; equipment inspection, which includes reports and investigations of accidents; appraisals, having to do with the physical valuations of corporation properties; construction accounts; electrical laboratory; track and cable inspections; engineering statistics; locomotive boiler inspection.

Power Equipment and Special Investigations. The work of this Division for the year included an investigation of heating and ventilating conditions on cars of the various types used in this district (Case 1426). Recommendations have been made for modifications in equipment, looking to improvements in these respects. Special studies have been made of ventilation in the cars of the type used in the subways for operation by the New

York Consolidated Railroad Company. Periodic inspections have been continued of shop and power equipment and recommendations made as to needed improvements in conditions existing (Case 1628). The engineers of this Bureau continued (Case 2062) the consideration of applications for approval of changes in and additions to electric wiring installations in buildings of public utility corporations. Where installations conform to the Commission's requirements a certificate is issued to the company. Many investigations have been made as to power conditions on surface, rapid transit and other railroads, resulting in many changes in operating and other conditions.

Accidents. The Commission is directed, by the legislative act establishing it, to investigate the cause of any accident which results in loss of life or injury to persons or property and which in its judgment requires an investigation. Such investigations are made largely through the Equipment Inspection Bureau, save in instances where an investigation by the Commission itself is deemed necessary. In such cases the Commission is guided by the reports of the Equipment Engineer. Report by telephone is made to the Commission of all accidents causing delay to traffic or interruption to service on the lines of railroad or street railroad companies. Later the companies forward written reports. on such matters, which are filed with the records of the Commission. These reports are constantly studied and when a serious condition is shown in reference to any particular utility, a special investigation is made for the purpose of determining what remedial measures are necessary in order to prevent a repetition of the accident from similar causes. As a result of the statistics collected over a period of years in reference to operation by street railroad companies, there was disclosed an increasing number of accidents to persons boarding cars and alighting. Comparison was made between the reports of such accidents. from companies which had fitted their equipment with closed vestibules and such companies as had not, with the advantage shown to be with the former. Hearings were held to determine whether the Commission should order the installation of closed vestibules, but such action has not yet been taken, the companies contending that no order should be made at this time, owing to

The Bureau has recom

the high cost of materials and labor. mended to the Commission the installation of platform devices. on some of the station platforms of the First Subway at which boarding and alighting accidents have been common in the past. A test of a device to prevent such accidents at the 14th Street station has shown the importance of protective measures. Studies of derailments have been made with considerable success in prevention.

Car Inspection.- Periodic inspections of cars and car equipment of all companies have been continued during the year and defective conditions corrected as a result of suggestions by the Bureau's engineer. A great deal of difficulty, however, has been experienced in maintaining car equipment properly, owing to the scarcity of labor and materials. Inspections of street surface railroad cars have averaged 576 per month and those of elevated and subway cars 245 per month.

Appraisals. The appraisal work of the Bureau was continued during the year to determine the cost of properties of utility companies under the Commission's jurisdiction, the several phases being carried on in connection with formal cases before the Commission. The appraisal of the physical property of the Flatbush Gas Company (Case 1451) was completed and put in evidence as was also the appraisal of the property of the New York Steam Company (Case 2036).

A tentative valuation was made from the exhibits of the Bleecker Street and Fulton Ferry Railroad Company (Case 2194). The inventory and appraisal of the physical property of the Westcott Express Company (Case 2238) is approaching completion. Engineers of the Bureau are also coöperating with the Chief Gas Engineer in the appraisal being made of the property of the Kings County Lighting Company. Much other miscellaneous work was also done.

Construction Accounts.-The Accounting Division has investigated and checked the expenditures reported periodically by a number of corporations and has made investigations and checked the expenditures of other companies in connection with applications for permission to issue securities. A total of $3,620,

233.56, distributed among the following corporations, was investigated and checked during the year:

Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of

Electrical Laboratory.— An electrical laboratory is maintained as a division of the Bureau of Inspection and is equipped with apparatus and electrical instruments capable of taking electrical measures and making electrical tests of widely divergent measures, the work of this laboratory having broadened through the year until tests are possible covering practically all of the operating activities of the several utilities under the jurisdiction of the Commission. During the year a number of new types of electric meters has been tested upon application of the electric companies, and, when meeting with the requirements of the Commission, certified for use. Particular tests have been made on a number of devices for measuring, indicating and registering maximum demand. There is in progress a thorough study of the maximum demand situation as it exists in the First District and work is being done with the companies and the United States Bureau of Standards on a plan of grouping and classifying many different features of demand devices. Work being done by this Division under Case 2125 has entailed a large amount of labor and study, involving the approval of some three thousand devices. Monthly inspections have been made of the meter departments of the electric corporations to insure the necessary upkeep of the