Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-03-14
DAILY EVENING STAR.
L0CAL INTELLIGENCE.

An act authorizing tue curb stone to be "a,
and the footing paved on the south fronts O,
squares Nos. 4iS and 4SI; passed.
An act for the improvement of 9Th street
west; passed.
An at making an appropriation for grading
and graEelling I'd street west from Pennsyi.
wanna avenue to street north passed.
joint resolution RENTING n portion of the
assessment in lots 10 and III in square 252;
passed
An act authorizing the opening of an alley
IN original lot Z in square SIS; passed
An act making an appropriation for the
repair of the bridge over the Tibcr at Ii street
north; passed.
An act for the relief of Lewis Carusi passed
Comm unication from the Mayor intimating
hat his assent had been given to the following
An act for introducing gas into the Central
Watch House and for other purposes;
An act for the relief of Elizabeth Braiden
Also. an act for making gravel foo, walk
along 10Th street west, from L street north. to
the Western Burial Ground;
Also, a communication notifying the nomi-
nation of Joseph C. r. Clark as resident
student of medicine for the Asylum, to fill the
vacancy made by the resignation of Edward
Moore; confirmed.
An act to repell part of an act regulating
the sale of wood and coal; passed.
An act for the improvement of 18th street
west, between X street and Massachusetts,
Avenue; passed.
An act for the relief of ]. T. Garner; passed
The report of the committee on City Rail-
roads, who visited New York for that purpose
was laid on the table and ordered to be printed
The following is copy Of the report
''The Committee on the part of the Board of
Aldermen and the Board of Common Council
OF the city of Washington, appointed at the in
vitatiOn of Messrs. Ierby. Dewey and others
to visit the city of New York for the purpose
of examining the practical workings of the
local railroads of that city, proceeded, in con-
formity to said invitation, for the purposes
therein expressed, and submit the following as
their report:
The attention of the committee was more
particularly directed to what is known as the
Park Row Third Avenue Railroad as it pre-
sented, IN their Judgment, the greatest mum
Der of obstacles and objections, owing to the
TACT that portion OF this route INNS through
very narrow and thronged streets
This road is laid from Park Row, near
Broadway, to and along Chatham street TO the
Bowery, thence along the Bowery to Third
avenue, thence alorgsThird avenue to its
present terminus at g. Street
The width Of the streets from Park Row to
the Bowery are thirty-two feet, from curb t.
curb; from the Bowery to the Third avenue
the streets vary in width from sixty to eighty
feet; from this point along the line of the Third
of sixty feet. This entire route, from Park Row
to the present terminus ST Third avenue at s i 81
stree, forms the great thOroughfare to and
over the Harlem River at Westchester. The
length OF this road, now completed and in
operation, is four and half miles
''There is upon this line double track, wi h
grooycd rails, laid upon cross ties focr feet
apart, which are firmly bedded in concrete; the
rails are 50 laid as to cssue even with the sur.
face Of the paving IN eisher side. thus pre-
venting no obstruction u vehicles in crossing
the track. The guage OF the road is four feet
eight inches and Il half with a space of five
feet between the tracks.
The cars running over this road arc II fee,
long, exclusive of the platform at either end
by six feet eight inches wide; the seats are
arranged ienGthwise, wi h space of three and
a-hali feet between them fer n passage way;
tWenty-s1X passengers can be comfortably seat
ed- while as many more can be accommodate
with safety by standing on the platforms at
either end, which are under cover or by stand
ing IN the passage way of the cars, and hold
ing on bars provided for that purpose at
tached to the ceiling of the cars The wheel:
OF the cars are thirty inches in diameter; the
height OF The first step from the ground is abou,
ten inches. thus making the ingress and egres.
TO the cars safe and easy, particularly to ladies
and lnflrm persOcS; III fact, such is the facility
with which the passengers may get into and
4
does not stop either to receive or discharge g
passenger.
Zach ear is provided with a careful driyel
and conductor The driver stands upon the from
platform, and has near 20 his light hand ;
crank. which operates upon the breaks attached
TO each wheel, 20 that the motion of the car
can be almost instantaneOusly arrested. TIL,
conductor has the general Superintendent O
the cars, collecting the fare. preserving order
DC Zach car is drawn by two horses, whicI
are changed every trip. The number of car,
running upon this line is fifty in summer, and
forty IN winter running az follows:
From to 6 clock, A. NJ, every 10 mi nutes
from A NJ, to p VI, every 3or minutes
from p NJ, to II =. NJ. every 10 or Is min.
utes; and every hour thereafter until clock
An
There are required for this vice $50 horse:
end 500 men.
Your Committee have endeavored to present
the detailed operations of this road, as far az
they were able to observe them as we'll a:
from information obtained from the compan,
and others, in order to remove, if possible tn,
many erroneous impressions which arc evi
IDENTITY abroad in reference to local railroads
In this community, they are unable, however
by any report which they can make upon thi
important subject, to show at once the grea
utility and convenience of this mode of transit
believing that experience alone will and mus
piiSu thdt very ueslfaDfc purpose.
: Your Committee are entirely satisfied, thai
so far as 1t regards the safety, comfort, and
cheapness ofthiS mode of common carriage tina
iii superior to any other now in operation. /
Is very evident to every rejecting mind, tina
by increasing the facilities of communication
between the more distant portions Of our city
that our population, especially on the extremes
must increase, from the fact that our home
and places of business are brought within {
few minutes ride Of each other and man,
persons who owing 10 the high rates Of prop
eriy in the centre Of the city, ara unable Il
procure themselves permanent homes, will bt
enabled TO obtain for themselves and families
that which every citizen should aspire to, /
place Of permanent home. which he may cal
his own, Mt a cost within his means
Your Committee, after careful examina
ton OF the whole question, so far as il regard:
Its pIactlcab:ity, Is connected with the great
thorouShtare leading from the navy yard tt
Georgetown, are Of the opinion that railroad
established on this route, under proper restric
TONS, could not be Of any de,riment whateyc,
To the genera! interest of our city, but on the
contrary would result in 4 great good to the
community al large, and more especially tc
the extreme sections thereof
1t Is understood. however, that while We
would recommend the granting OF the priv.
ieSe Tor the establishment of a railroad th rou I'll
our city, that il should be subject to such regu
lailJns and restrictions as the Corporation ol
enforce - ~ '-' -