The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-19
COMMUNICATED.
A VENUE RAIL WAT.


and gauge of the proposed Avenue. railway bill now
pending before the Senate.
The following extracts from the speech of the Hon
Elijah Ward Of New York, delivered in the House while
the bill pending before that body to meet the
objections suggested and will be read with interest by
those who desire the early completion of street railway
Mr. WARD said Mr.. Chairman, it is proper, perhaps
that having had charge of this bill in the committee
Of which am member, should make few remarks
upon the subject not surprised at the prejudice
which manests itself In regard 10 this railroad 1t
istcd for time in the city of New York. after the
first Introduction OF passenger railways we have seen
hostility arising wherever railroad enterprises OF this
kind have been projected. But completed and put in
operation, have found them beneficial and of great
public convenience In the city of New York, where
we have five six railroads through avenues, but
small part, II any, OF citizens would desire TO have
those tracks taken up, and the public convenience
incommoded thereby recoect that when the Har-
lem railroad was laid down there great opposi-
ton to it; and prejudice existed for long time
after it finished and put in operation But
that prejudice from defects In the track which
impeded other public travel The improvements which
since been made in laying down tracks, by intro
ducing the open groove rail placed upon level with the
pavement has removed the impediments to other vehi
Giles, Hostility has been removed, and there are
railroads in several OF the principal avenues in the city of
New York. and cars running from the extreme upper
to the lower portions OF the city II is estimated that in
the cities Of New York and Brooklyn there fifty miles
of double track railway hundred miles of single
track They are Of vast public benefit They not
only benefit as avenues of public travel but it has been
demonstrated that the city is benefited by bringing dis
tant points together, it 1t has enhanced
the value of property upon their routes The Sixth and
Eighth avenues through which lines of railroad rum are
hourshng avenues, with business extending out two
three miles upon them, while the Seventh adj
joining which there is no railroad track is far less
thriving as far az business is concerned
Mr.. WAsmURSE of Illinois. desire to inquire of the
gentleman if the authorities of the city did not grant to
f,l,,
railroad in Broadway and if the property holders that
did not apply for injunction to prevent its be-
ing built and if the court did not grant Injunction
restraining the building of the road y
Mr.. WARD. That is true in regard to Broadway. The
objection in that case was, that Broadway narrow
though think that o mistaken objection will
not argue that matter here That the of the
hostility of some persons who supposed the road would
interfere with the travel of Broadway, it is great
thoroughfare and constantly filled with carriages and
omnibuses But there is Chatham street, only thirty
three feet wide, in which two railroads rum and still
they do not incommode the public
o o
The railway, principle, has every argument in its
favor and if any valid objections can be made against
them they constructed it is against such features
as can be readily modified The Harlem railway, in
New York the first used for the local business of the
city in the carrying of passengers small horse cars 1t
not originally constructed for this purpose and
laid with rail of the ordinary pattern IN upon ordi
nary railways. and with gauge of four feet eight and
half inches The form of rail did pot admit of smooth
surface perfect connexion with the pavement offering
serious obstruction TO the passage of ordinary vehicles
When, subsequently, it proposed to lay railways
through the Sixth and Eighth avenues this objection
most seriously urged TO avoid the difficulty rail
of groove pattern adopted. This admitted pave
men laid close against both sides of the rail and
with the top and removed, to considerable extent
very important objection. The groove is made shallow
wide, and aring that the wheels of ordinary We
hce will readily enter leave it, To make the surface
perfect square blocks laid each side of the
rails, while the remainder was laid with the ordinary
cobble stone Successive improvements in the method
of paving and in the form of rail have been made until
railways have in that city become indispensable
venence, They have been adopted in Boston, BROOKLYN
and Philadelphia and the construction of lines is in
progress
The width of gauge adopted upon existing street rail
seems to be entirely accidental feature the other
roads in New York adopting the gauge the Har
lem road, which constructed originally without ref
to being used street railway In other cities
the gauge has been adopted without any better
cause
There Is certainly good reason why railway for
street PURPOSES 10 be used with horse power and with
small light cars and at speed not exceeding five OF six
miles to the hour should require width Of gauge such as
is sufficient for bearing locomotives and trains speed Of
thirty or forty miles per hour.
The ordinary street in seven TO seven and
half feet in width, and might with advantage be re-
duced to six Our large passenger drawn by locomo
tves nine to nine and half feet The proper
ton between the width OF and width of track would
give from three to three and third feet sufficient for
street railway, without making allowance for the differ
ence of speed.
The objection TO the wide gauge and the wide car does
not apply with the force in Pennsylvania avenue
in of the streets in New York Boston.
Brooklyn and Philadelphia through which railways are
laid But there other considerations in favor of the
and narrow track which apply equally every
where The width proposed for this is three
six inches to four feet for the track and five and half
six feet for the Their height from the pavement
will be about twenty inches They are in fact sim
liar to omnibus body elongated and resting upon car
passengers and they designed to be drawn by one
horse only
These carriages ornamental In form and design,
and will not occupy thirteen feet of the width of the
street, from out TO out of carriages double track
No conductor required the driver performing the same
dntles as the omnibus driver Passengers need not be
annoyed by persons standing in their 'front.' by the
constant passing of the conductor through crowded
passage-way. In the of horse only which is per-
mted Cy the ghtness of the carriages the travel in
The centre, between the two tracks, where perfect foot
hold is obtained
prompt speedy and comfortable transit of pas
sengers insured because of the small number that il
proposed TO carry in each carriage Their stops viii be
fewer than the large car they stop and start more
readily 10 do given amount of traffic the carriages
must be at more frequent intervals thus accommo
dating the public better The transit will be more regu-
lar and rapid and their convenience in every way en-
BANGED 20 the public over any heretofore used The
whole movement in the street will be Jissimar to
that Of only two jpes of omnbuses but far more safe
aud convenient because less elevated fro the pavement
occupying less width having axles, wheels and hubs