, 1859-07-09

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lFron the Philadelphia rsees]
In 1895, the fret passenger railroad in the
world was opened between Stockton and Dar-
linetou, in England, . distante Of thi1ty-scTen
miles. The cars were drawn each BY a single
horse From such beginning, what do We see
nswe We will dot at present enter into dis
Guesfon Of what We consider ordinary railroads,
but will eontine our attention 70 tracing the at-
tccedcnts Of city passenger RAILWAYS. In 1882
q time horses were the motive power. In the
same year-indecd, within feW days-a part
Of the Columbia Railroad was put in use with
horse cars elsc 4 few months before that time,
a supplement to the charter Of the Northern
Liberties and Penn Township Railroad Compa-
ny was passed, extending the time required for
the completion Of this road (which had been
chartered in 1920 to July 4, 1886. Long pfr-
rious 10 this, however, the road, now the Wi1:.
low street Railroad, was opened, and line Of
horse cars established between Third and VII.
low and Columbia Bridge, by Corsican named
I.uciani. The first car was called the Paul
Amelia 1Aa teGs, 1oe bfiiere, fAefrst city pas-
seager railroad in tA< .corI. It differed from
the Germantown aud other roads on which cars
were run by horse power in the fact that its cars
stopncd, rs our city ears now do, to take up and
set 4owu passengers at any point on the line,
while the others uad regular stations for stop
ping. Such cars were afterwards run on bran-
son and Prime streets to Gray's Ferry, as also
on Market and Broad streets. But they ceased
running some years since. Had these objec-
tions, however, been removed, it must be re-
menbercd that the demands Of travelling citi-
zcns were not great The first omnibus in Phil
adclphia WIS started in 1852. In New York,
horse passenger rairond cars hare run for
twenty years or more on The Harlem Railroad,
and for long time without prompting ,mita'
tion. Dickens, in his American So,cs, aaiudea
to two stout horses trotting along, "drawing =
score or two Of people and j great wooden ark
New York has widely extended her city rail-
way lines, till they run throughout many, por-
tions Of the city. In Boston, the first road was
opened in 1856. Every one was afraid to touch
the stock; now it is much above par. From the
year 1852. efforts hare been made time and
again in Philadelphia, to procure from tue PR
per authorities charter for passenger rali-
Intellectual. All sorts Of objections were made.
But so it Was when turnpiles were started, tsee
Macaulay's History Of England, voi. ], chap. 3,
and the Geat1tman's Nagd-ine for 1549, IN The
Philadelphia and Mercantile Libraries.) i.
As VIC have already stated, rail. oads were II
olent1y opposed ut their origin, as was aso the
Introduction Of gas aud water into Plli1adel.
mia. The furious ard determined resistance
to hydrants, made by those who happened to
| bare good wells Of their own, when the Water
| ing Committee had to 80 10 Fairmount before
daylight for fear of beng mobbed, Mt this day
seems perfectly absurd It was objected to gas
that it was unhealthy, and besides. might b'o"
up the city. In November, 1855, joint specia
committee Of Councils, appointed to examine
cidcdly Of opinion that city passenger railroads
| might, by proper construction, arrangement
| aud use, be made exceedingly convenient ant
| beneficial to the citizens. anu TINT the expert
encc Of New York and l,rooklvu 80 sufficiently
attestcd their utility us to preclude The necessl
| t. Of argument"
The lhiladelphia aud Delaware River Rail
! road Company was chartered april 4th. 1854
| to build a road FROM poiut north of Cherr.
street, kensingtou, one square south Of Berk
street, to Eas;on. But in two yearB, this pla'
being giyen up, it WAS determined TO cxten
the road, adapted for horse cars, to tEanSior
only. By IN act, approved br the HoveFno
extend their road to Southwark, over Fifth m
Sixth streets, subject to the approval Of Cout
ellis within thirly days. Such a bill had befo1
passed the Senate, but had been rejected by th
House, Strong Efforts were made on bot
sides, and petitions for or retnonstranccs again
it were signed by nearly MI the residents on t
streets concerned. Nearly one hundred Of +
either as put on without knowledge Of the pa
| ties, or, as was the case with many, further C.
| animation showed their objections unfoundc
| Some Of the objections were really disgracef
to the parties urging then. After pe11nissit
was given to build tic road, every itupedimc
possible was thrown in the way, and the cor
ncrcial crisis intervening nj that time, the ca
were not ruu on Fifth aud Sixth streets un
January Goth, 1855. The whole cost Of the ro
| wus about $G50, ,o00--hard times and want OF e
! | pericncc in the matter combining with oil,
peculiar disadvantages to increase tnc expen'
.. There are now in use by this company, on scre
teen miles Of single track, forty two cars. vi
complement of seven horses per car, rupni
carried, during the year past, nearly 4,ooO,t
passengers.
We understand that there are no such ro1
!, now in existence in London, though there ha
been movements set on foot for their constr
tion. In Paris there is one called the "Aust
eau Railroad" running along the bank OF
:. Seine from the Palace Of Industry almost
+ St. Cloud, adistance Of about three miles. !
y writer Of this article. when riding orer it
# July, 1s57, counted & passengers in and on
car at one time. The car was like those
Spruce streets, aud had u ooxpe or conpastn
divided Of in front, with seats for four perso
| at higher price, where they could be III
private, aud fancy themselves, if they pleas
:, in carriage !'eha!e been unable to le
whether others hare since been built in Pa
but would suppose that Of alt cities 1t is the r
place forthcm. We need not be surprised
ncar of '.Amcrican Railways shortly in al
6. great cities Of Europe. So far, besides bc
= public convcniences, they hayc paid their I
prietors well, and each line opened seems
have greatly increased tue desire for local
ycl BY the new facilities it has opened for
I. qualification.