, 1859-07-23

lam one Of those old gentlemen who lore 10
watch -t!H progrrss Of shings in this country,
and TO observe ia what particulars We are bet
ter or worse of tllau onr fathers were; and
while would not exaggerzte any Of the adFan-
fnEes We possess, profess myself Of different
temperament. from those who decrT the conye-
niences We erjoy to-day. or the reputation for
integrity, enterprise or skill which belongs to
us OF this generation. II would be impossible.
in the reasonable limits of communication to
. newspaper, to 30 into NIL the details Of 50
large subject, and propose to limit mr. yself to
single one Of those Improvements which hare
been 70 numerous that catalogue can hardly
be made Of them. 1t will surprise some Of my
contemporaries when thcy find that one of their
number thinks horac-raileoad one Of the great
Improvements Of the day, especially in regard
10 the interests Of the CITY. But horse-railroads
hare never had fair play in the newspapers.
Everything which could be Imagined against
them has been fully set forth by fhe mosf eu,j-
nent Of correspondents, but not word that
remember has been printed op the other side.
Every owner Of ricEety chaise or q caFFyall
u.ore shoxy than Trustworthy, sent his comuu-
nication to q newspaper within six months Of
!he laying Of the first, track, showing how his
Life or Limb had been endangered by Tue break
lug OF his a1letrte, or the twisting out Of tue
spoSes Of his wheels by the pestitent ra;lroaI
What IS the reason that We hear no more Of
these complaints: Are the rails more pliablc or
the carriages better built? Or are there fewer
Of such vehicles used in consequence Of tue sl,-
pef1or convenience, rapidity and cheapness Of
tue horse-rairoads If this Inst is The true rea-
sou, ns believe it to be, no one should be more
grateful 70 horse-rairuaas than the ci deyant
owners Of buggies and c1arryalls, who are suyed
tue expense of horse and cal fiage md slownegs
Of motion By the much abused iron track.
Another chasge against horse railroads is tint
they tempt people 10 live out Of town, and s.,
ri f{stAf IF r -.
justy due to it from those who do their business
IN the city, and who, therefore, ought to live in
It and Keep up the price Of real estate This
rule IS not Que Of perfect obligation, SURELY for
u everybody who wants to do businessin the
city ought to lire In it, the city must be big
enough to furnish fsw feet Of ground for theni
TO lire upon. But even when tile Back Bay is
Tiled up, fancy thas will hardly be the case,
and some Of our most important business men
Will prefer living in the suburbs for part Of tue
year at dcast, aud many of tloso OF the next
and most numerous and valuable class, will be
ebse1 aud yet will rejoice, to live in the viciui-
II ali the rear round, and 50 to and from the
city ON iiol se-railroad, when they cnnuot have
the switter conveyance Of steam. And even
where stean conveyance is to be hud. rs in
Ko1bury, West Cambridge and Somerriile, the
horse-rai!road is not found supertuons. but Aus
been added to steam accommodation previously
existing.
But It seems to nc most unjust course Of
reasoning to complain Of horse.roilroads for
diminishing the price Of real estate III Boston,
when the Gust Of real estate in the city was one
prominent cause certainly Of the existence Of
Aorse-ruilroads. People cannot afford, and will
not give for ground for residence, as much per
square yard M will purchase IN acre few miles
oit. There nre taany circumstances. rs economy
in ising, better air, lore Of flowers, or q pleas
ant prospect, which tempt some Of those who
aFe compelled to toll in counting. houses Ill The
mor1ling, to 20 beyond the limits Of tue city in
the afternoon; and submit that this facility is
an 'uilnitc advantage TO. the. taxpayers in tbe
city. The greater the number Of those who
come in from the adjoining towns for business
purposes, the better for the city; and the more
of It is occupied by business, j. e., By shops and
warehouses, the better it will be for the owners
OF those shops and warehouses, or the tax-pay-
ers On the real estate of the city. The true
policy Of the city, therefore, clearly is to throw
10 obstacle in the way Of horse railroads, bu.
to encourage them in all reasonable and proper
ways.
The immense traffic on all the principal horse
railroads, proves efsctualy that general want
has been met; that one Of those steps has been
taken which nre never retructed; so that what
ever may be the torture endured bY those who
do not use them, the best thing they can do Is
10 submit with as good a grace as possible to
tue VII OF the ms|or'ty; The greatest inconven-
the being Obliged to give way to tic cur; aud if
there we're no cars, the streets would be thropged
with vehicles to degree vnstly more incopreui-
ent than now. What would be the effect il the
fifteen or twenty thousand people who come in-
10 town every day By the horse cars, were to be
brought by seren Or eight thousand chaises,
buEg'es and carryalls in adtlisiou to those We
hase the pleasure to zee daily! And If that
difficulty is answered by saying that some Of
them would not come, then what would COM
pensate the shopkeeper and trader for the guin
iheJ derire from this number Of persons com-
ing every day for the purchases they desire to
makey
One more suggestion and will leave The mat
ter TO the consideration Of others. Since the
establishment Of horse railroads, hare never
heard Of single accident to an individual us
Ing that conveyance, ariaing from the fault or
defeat Of the road, the vehicle, the horses, driy-
crs, or conductors. Can ANYBODY say that Of
any other mode Of travelling! Were 50 mauy
millions ever before conveyed crea the shortest
distance without toe slightest injury. Com
pare the success Of these roads with that even
Of steam railroads, or. still more, with the post
coaches Of former days. and the immense supe-
riorty Of the horse railroads, in point Of safety,
is immediately apparent
ALLOW ME to add that am not stockholdcr
in any rnilroad, and bare only that interest il.
them which everybody eiso haa, as con1enient
and cheap mode Of conveyance.
Erpupn.x