Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-05-31
fifr Pnssrnrer RniIronds

These institutions Of the People are meeting
with great favor in all the cities where they
have been introduced, and prove profitable in.
vestments to capitalists We are gra,fed to
learn that the prospect Of soon "epjoying the
same blessing" in Cleveland is Frightening, that
the new City Council will probably consult the
interests of the people by consummating the
necessary legislation, and that the parties inter
ested in the proposed routes Of roads now har-
monize ia their views, aud will act in concert.
G pital to construct the roads at once, we un-
derstand will not be licking.
Philadelphia has suddenly become the city
of Horse Railroads, and they are model lines
of passenger travel To Jonuary, 1853, the
first road was put in operation there, the pref
udicC being strong against it So rapidly did
it grow into popular favor, that at this time
there are eight roads, covering seventy nine
miles Of single track, employing eight huOdred
and eighty-one men, two hundred and forty-four
cars, and fifteen hundred and twenty-five
horses, in active operation, and all well patron
lied. Ten new roads are being constructed,
and which will make, when finished, nearly
two hundred miles of single track Horse
Rail roads in the Quaker City alone
Instead of interrupting ordinary travel on
streets, the railroads facilitate it. The rails are
fiat, about five inches in width, the outside por-
tion, for an inch and a half in width, being
three.quarters of an inch higher than the in
side. This rise being slightly rounded, allows
vehicles to pass off from the track with perfect
facility, while it is simply sufficient to retain
the cars in their place. The lower or inside
portion Of the rail forms tramway, upon
which carriages, dc, run smoothly. The die
tance between the rails is five feet two inches,
just the width of the Philadelphia wagon track,
50 that both wheels run upon the tramway
are constructed, vehicles of all kinds travel on
the rails, and horses soon learn to press for the
centre of the track The paving is laid upon
the level Of the rail- aud closely upon it,, on
both sides, so that the appearance of the track
Is that Of two strips of iron set in the pave
ment. The rails offer no obstruction to cross
ing the street at any point with vehicles.
The cars are about seven feet in width, ana
comfortably seat twenty persons The floor is
about eighteen inches from the ground, and
one step takes the passenger to the platform at
either end. The running speed is about six
and halt miles an hour, the time tables being
arranged at six miles an hour including stop
pages. In Philadelphia, the cars commence
running at five in the morning, and continue
at short intervals, until midnight Being well
lighted, sometimes with gas, ladies and child.
ren can travel even by night in them, unat-
tended. The fare is so cheap the mode Of con
veyance so prompt and pleasant, that the travel
in the Eastern cities, is stated, upon any one
route, to be ten lold in cars, over that of the
obsolete omnibus.
The Railroads also contribute directly TO the
city revenues in most cases. as the Companies
can wen afford to. They are generally re-
quired to keep in order the streets through
which they pass, and in Baltimore pay into the
city treasury one cent on each passenger car.
ried The five OF six companies about to be
organized in Cincinnati, will probably be re-
quired to pay similar tax The Chicago
Companies are also to contribute to the city
revenues.