The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-04

The folly and absurdity Of citizens Of New
York invoking State interference in our
municipal institutions were fully illustrated
at the meeting held on Tuesday, at the Mer-
chants Exchange. In the anxiety Of few
gentlemen TO get rid of the Broadway rail-
road, they struck blow at all city railroads,
by placing them in the hands of the Legisla-
ture, and this effect was not perceived by the So
Ions Of Wall street till their attention was called
to it by the common sense Of o plain mechanic,
upon which they Immediately repudiated the
idea; yet they confirmed the principle--such
observation-disclosures do men make when heated
by the blind zeal Of passion or interest. As Mr..
Roberts justly remarked, if it were put to the
vote tomorrow, it would be found that three
fourths Of the citizens would be opposed to any
interference with the railroads Of the Sixth and
Eighth avenues The whole meeting assented
with loud applause to this statement; yet the
bill, as it has passed the Senate, does inter
Railroad Company, for example, have cut
through the block from West Broadway to
Barclay street, at their own expense; and they
propose to extend the line to the Battery
very thing that is wanted to make the accom-
mediation complete to the public, and to relieve
Broadway of the pressure Of the omnibuses be-
low the Park, being that portion Of the street
where the chief difficulty exists, and for which
nothing has been as yet done by any OF the rail-
roads. The Eighth Avenue Company also in
tend to continue their line to the South Ferry.
This necessary extension, though entirely at
the expense of the companies, cannot, according
to the bill, be accomplished without the special
permission of the Legislature
Though opposed to railroad in Broadway,
we have been always in favor of railroads run
ming parallel with it, knowing that they would
relieve it Of much Of its travel, without des-
troying SO noble and fashionable thorough
fare. The proposed continuation, therefore, Of
the Sixth avenue railroad, together with
the Eighth avenue road and the Ninth avenue
road, if it be granted, would take all the passen
gers residing on the west side Of the city; while
those living on the eastern side could be all
taken by the proposed Second and Third avenue
railroads, and thus there would be no necessity
whatever for disfguring Broadway by the laying
Of rails. This great thoroughfare ought to be
left as q promenade for our citizens and for
strangers who come to visit our city-for
public professions on gala days-for the
of ladies shopping, and for private
vehicles which sufficiently crowd it, without
either omnibuses OF railroad; and the parallel
streets ought to be assigned exclusively for
public conveysnces. The result would be that
the whole public would be better accommodated,
while property would not be deprecated in
Broadway as it undoubtedly would be by a rail-
road, and ON the other hand in the parallel tho
roughfares, the property would be improved
and its value Enhanced. We go for putting the
omnibuses out Of Broadway as well as keeping
out the railroad. Such has been the monopoly
ofthe omnibus lines and the fortunes their propri-
etors have made, that they have sold them for
seventy or eighty thousand dollars, and we know
an instance Of one man, who, by the mere fact
OF getting the license without investing dollar,
sold the right for thirty-fve thousand dollars.
Like the Sixth and Eighth avenue lines,
which run side by side through West Broad
way, it is proposed that the Second and Third
avenue roads run together from the Battery
through Pearl street, widened one hundred
feet, and to continue through Chatham square
and the Bowery to Grand street, where the
Second is to diverge through that street, east
ward, and on to the Second avenue; the Third
avenue is to continue up the Bowery and Third
avenue to Harlem.
The omnibus proprietors are willing to
abandon their now antiquated stages for
shares in these roads, as, for example, Kipp
4 Brown, in the case Of the proposed Ninth
avenue railroad. But if they were not willing,
the great consideration after all is the public
fort and accommodation. The Omnibuses have
become SO serious nuisance by their noise, by
their delay, and their completely blocking up
our highways, that it has become question
whether the evil does not outweigh the benefit,
even if there was no other mode of conveyance.
But when, in addition to this, their expense to
the city is taken into account, and the superb
GRITTY Of well managed railroads, there can be no
hesitation between the two modes Of travel.
We well recollect that two years ago, Alderman
Dodge. who is the father ofcity railroads, stated
in his place in the Board of Aldermen that
during the Investigation Of committee, Of
which he was one, into the monopoly of the
omnibus proprietors, they admitted that each
omnibus cost the city, for repairs to the streets,
sl0o per annum, though they only paid $40
license. According to this admission, the ON
nibuses, which number 628, are a loss to the city
Of about $4,000 per year; but 100000 would
be much nearer the mark for in compliance
with resolution Of the Common Council, Mr.
Adams, the commissioner Of repairs and sup
plies, reported that at that time they cost the
city at least $4,000, and they have since in
creased by two hundred vehicles. The result
was the passage OF the Sixth and Eighth
Avenue Railroads The railroad proprietors
are bound to repair the streets at their own