The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-27
THE PARALLEL RAILWAY.
Aysument OF David Dudley Field Before tho
Leglslatlve Committee, Fob. IS. 1850.

Mr.. CHAIRMAN GENrxMES OF THE CoAnnrrEE-As
lature for per mission TO establish this railway am TO
lay before you the reasons which they conceive should
induce you to grant i. In doing 80 II will be my par-
pose conhne 70 general reasons leaving the de-
tails to others
What my clients ask is that they may be permitted to
lay iron rails in the Seventh avenue from the Central
Park the Boompgdale road, thence down that road
10 Union square thence through streets parallel Broad
way south Barclay street. and to upon these
rails cars drawn by horses as often may be neces
sary the conveyance Of passengers. II you will .oox
at the map, you will that this es nearly in the
centre of Manhattan island Fifty ninth street down
through of the most populous parts Of the city
II is for the convenience OF passengers that the
railway is to be made, II made at all; and the first
be promoted by 1t; and it viii, then the only qucs
ton which remains is, whether there be any reasons
why their convenience should not be thus promoted.
The convenience Of passengers will be promoted in two
ways FIRST the conveyance will be quicker, easier and
cheaper than the present and second ager
number be transported Or, In other Words II the
omnibuses could take all the passengers who wish to
over the route, and will 60 il within the next ten
years the mode Of conveyance ought TO be adopted
because better one but when it considered that
capabily Of tho railway is three four times that Of
the onibuses the reason for the change is much the
greater.
The traction upon rails being lees Difficult. than upon
roads result must be that the conveyance
Is quicker. Such is our experience
The difference in time between the omnibuses and the
of Sixth Avenue Railroad from St. Pauls church
of the railway than one fourth-the taking
nine minutes ant the omnibuses from fOryhve to
if.y minutes.
smoother than stones and there less jar less nose and
less dust. The wheels OF the rail being smaller tho
e b aaa s fare paa
usually less, and ought always to be so, since the
capablity Of the one mode of conveyance, compared
with the oher is in greater ratio than the expense.
What this superior capabihy? Let compare the two
modes of conveyance In that respect The omnibus nine
sna w twelve the c IS
feet long and six wide also drawn by two horses and
wi take twenty four passengers as easily as the omnibus
will take twelve Many daily crowded into the
present city cars sometimes many forty. Mr. Eaton
Of Troy. the builder has testified that can be
constructed by two horses and take sixty
passengers The whole length the omnibus and horses
twenty feet of the and horses thirty five feet 50
that taking into consideration the expense OF horses
alone. there saving Of half II not two thirds consider
ing the space in the street occupied by the vehicle there
will be great wing, aud takpg all the elements of time
motive power and space the result may be thus stated
nifty omnibuses if they to go and return without any
delay would in twelve hours take 800 passengers each
way, $500 IN all the route have just mentioned
while at the time fifty cars would, at the rate OF
twenty -four passengers in each, take 5000 up and
down. or at the rate of thirtysix car AZ, 200 and
at the rate of sixty, 900. No more horses would be
used the than in the other while the O,cupa
ton Of the street by the would be in far less
portion might add the saving in time and expense to
passenger eene ITS in the aggregate of great i'm
portance Is this additional accommodation needed? For
answer to this question might appeal to the observa
ton OF every person at all acquainted with our city
There Is notbipg lille sufficient provision now for the pas
sengers The cars crowded, overcrowded almost to
sufOCaOn at hours oil the heaviest travel up ana
down. might also appeal to the arguments Of those, or
most of those who oppose this bill They say the grant
is too valuable to be given without price, that it should
be sold 10 the highest bidders, and the profits paid into
the City Treasury without stopping consider the
to this objection, it is sufficient for the present TO
saw that comedies the necessity Of the railway Pas
senges will crowd into its cars because they need them
And even if the number Of passengers had not been al
ready SO great as to require the additional provision
have suggested additional rail ways means Of occupy
the upper parts Of the sand and increasing our po
r,,lcs,,~ .~I Mn lntinn pf I'M
city Of New York, at the census Of 1855, was
$500 at the census OF 1850, it was 5l6 600 1t
probably 8oo000 The increase is at the rate of
from GOO to 600 year, and, as the city an expand
in only direction, host of buildings moving
porthward, like an advancing army first single houses
here and there like scouts and then solid compact masses
advancing steadily onward; and will continue 10
till they the whole island But whether they shall
move faster slower will depend upon the facilities pro-
vided for those who wish live in the upper portions Of
the island il marvellous how the facilities for travel
stimulate travel ITSELF the any
means of moving rapidly, easily and Cheaply from the
lower TO the upper wards will offer an additional tempi
ton to those who do business below to find themselves
homes the other parts of the island. Nov thousands
and tens of thousands live in Brooklyn Staten Island Jer
sey CITY, and all along the lines Of railway leading from
the city TO the distance Of fifty miles or more.
The more rapid settlement OF the upper wards will in
the proportion the value Of property there,
adding the wealth Of the city, and of course diminish
ing burdens upon existing property BY charging the
sources from which given amount IS to be raised
These, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, are the reasons
which il is supposed should lead you to think favoraby
of the present application for railway If were to ex
press my own opinion as citizen, should say, without
hesitation that railway in every Of the city,
from end of it TO the other If properly constructed and
managed, would be public advantage.
BIT there DIRECTORS many OF them worthy citizens,
who demonstrate with great earnesness against new
railway. They entitled OF course, to respectful con-
side,aton and II the objections cannot be answered,
should expect from the Legislature the granting OF
clients application. But think the answers obvious
and shall eDdeavOr TO give them OF course none of the
objections openly covery from any Of the exist
ing railways for would be as ungenerous as would be
c upon the reasons we now present. to object to
others receiving like They not better than other
men, that they should Lave wha; is denied TO those, nor Is
the publis better served by them.
The first objection is, that the matter concerns
chiefly the people Of the city, and should be left 10
them This is certainly most ungracious objection
Why do my clients come here? Because you have
except conditions with which is impossible to com
ply The history OF this veXed question OF power is too
recent 10 be forgotten. Previous to 1854 the Common
Council OF the city granted permission TO various assoca
TO lay rails the streets and on them The
pow Claimed as being necessarily implied IN the
power regulate the streets the rail being only an i'm
proved pavement, and the cars improved omnibus
Various decisions the point have been held In the
courts, the result Of which, in opinion, Is tss the
power existed The language of the Judges Of the Court
Of Appeals IN Davis the Corporation, has undoubtedly
ltf the question in 9oubt; but understand the
majority 10 have been IN favor OF The power inc Legs
lstgie OF lsjl however saw lit to forbid It's exercise ex
cept with the consent Of majority in interests OF the
owners vi property in the street where railway is TO
passa TO be obtained, for there are
few persons who would rot gladly keep or drive out Of
the stree, in Which they live not only all railways, but
all cmpihuses and all carts Of every description.
The principle oi that act was, my clients submit
with The grcaieft respect, unsOuDd and uDius IL as
sumed that they no 1--we upon street have some ex
elusive right IN Tire street itself. We insist, on the
other hand, that tpey have and that the question
what KIND OF vel lies run in street. 70 be de
cided 10y all tho1c who may the street, AMI not by
these who look cot OF their windows uponh twould be
az absurd 20 give 10 the nhabanis Of block fronting
Terry OF pier the right TO decide who should cross the
ferry OF what ships lie at the pier. There was a time
rance and burdens by those who dwet upon thb highway
whether OF land or water the voyager upon the Rhine
oested by the robbers who infested its Shores the
commerce OF the Mississippi annoyed by the possess
ofs oi New orleans before II fell into power but rev
pc sons now think these rghtful uses Of might
To the objection, therefore, which would drive US from
the legislature because Ought TO have goneto the Com
mon counoil, We answer that here because you
have forbidden rs to there We here ig yonr will
ard my clients trouble You with their app eaton because
| yog alone grant H.
II Ought not to be forgotten that some " the very
persons wbo now insist that should 20 70 the Com
mon Council helped procure the PASSAGE of the act
OF 1854; and they then warned thai they were
ts.E fE lI.QNN.w IA