The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-13
City RAILROAD Monopolies.

City Railroad Monopolies
The language held by the residents Of the
Eleventh avenue in relation to the Hudson
River Railroad cars may be unreasonable in
some respects, but in the main it well deserves
attention. To talk Of tearing up the rails or
employing violence in any shape to remedy the
grievance Of which complaint is made, is of
course preposterous recourse to such mea-
sures would place the railroad company in the
right and the indignant residents of the avenue
in the wrong. We trust no such folly will be
attempted. As matters now stand, there is
much to be said in favor Of the compliments
Whatever service the railroad cars may render
to business men who live in the country, the in
jury they infict on the street through which
they insist on running their locomotives is plain
and indsputabe. No man would willingly con
sent to have a train Of cars whrled along at
twenty miles an hour dozen times day close
past bis door. If he have children, the danger
is feaIfully increased: and we can quite under
stand though we cannot approve the violent
feeling such a practice has aroused along the
North river shore. 1t is of no avail to urge, on
behalf Of the company, that the convenience OF
travellers requires that the locomotives should
proceed as far as Thirty first street; it is far
better that the customers of the Hudson River
Railroad who live at Yonkers and do business
in town should spend half an hour more
on the road, and be drawn by horses as
ar as Fifty.ffth or Sixtiesh street, than
that the residents Of the avenue should
be kept in perpetual terror of their lives.
Public convenience is great thing no doubt;
but public safety is Of lar more importance.
And when it becomes question whether the
convenience of merchants or the lives of the
residents of the avenue shall be sacrificed, no
reasonable person can hesitate or an Instant in
deciding that the former must live way.
If the dangers Of which complaint is made
could be called problematical or visionary, q
defence might be set up for the course of the
company. But sad experience has furnished
ample proof Of their realty. Frightful aoci-
enthusiastically causing The death of inuo-
cent individuals-are constantly occurring on
The line Of the Hudson River Railroad. II any
one could be found to pretend that o locomo-
tive running through populous street was not
likely to cause accidents to life and limb, the
records Of the Coroner's office and the city
news column In the daily press would at once
give the lie to the pretension. But no one has
ventured to set up so bold q defence. The
dangeris admitted on all hands; and It is fur
Their obvious that it would be fearrully increas-
ed were it not ior the constant watchfulness
and anxious re which it imposes on the resi-
dents OF the cality. The city has no right to
impose any such burthen on its inhabitants. 1t
has no right to grant monopoly which shall
subject one section Of the people to an incoa
veDience compared to which the delay dreaded
by the customers Of the railway Is triAing and
Insignificant. The residents Ct Eleventh avenue
are entitled to the same protection and security
as we enjoy: it cannot be pretended that it is
granted to them 70 long as the locomotives are
permitted to rush past their doors, crushing
every thing In their resistless course, and send
Ing thrill through the heart o. every mother
in the neighborhood.
What l. to be done, then? The same Difficult
~ has occurred in other citi 8; AMI each has
solved 1t in its own wy. The Paris termini
are at the outskirts Of tie city; should the lat
ter ,pread along the ine of The road. provision
IL made or removing the term nus still further
ont. No Inconvenience is occasioned by this
arrangement; "a ca, ,riolets and other hacks con
vey travellers to the terminus in q very short
space Of time and ior very small expense
We are far behind the Parisians in this respect
Two Of the London termini, those of the Green
witch and Blackwell Railways, are 10 the heart
OF the city IN both cases the rails are hid on
visdncfs on level with the second story Of the
houses, 30 that the traveller looks into garnet
widows as he is whirled along. The other
London termiui, those Of the Great Western,
Northern and Southern lines, are on the outskirts
Of the city and in general the railroad compa
nice own the land on both sides the line A pro-
jet has recently been set on foot to establish
central terminus In Paddington street In the cen
ire Of nodera London: should this be carrie