The New York herald., 1869-10-11
Raas. csas SND HOW TO HANDLE THEN.


citizen Of New York. They relate to street cars,
and propose reform IN their management. which,
II carried out Will bring blessing to every lndi.
vidua whose requirement 1t is to ride in them.
am fairly acquainted with the different modes OF
street passenger traffic IN use in large European
cities and hesitate not to say that for cheapness,
comfort and speed-in short, for general efficiency,
not one Of them at all comparable to the horse-car
system OF America. shall go further and state my
belief that there ls no plan yet born in the brain OF
man, or likely to be born, superior TO the rail car
drawn by horses. Steam, electricity or some other
motive power yet concealed from human ken, may
supersede, but cannot BETTER perhaps not equal It,
Bet understood however, that ] am not speaking
OF horse cars as we now have them, but as we might
have them, and by means so easy and obvious
that the necessity OF pointing 1t out almost
sarcasm on public intelligence But as the neces
sity exists, shall waive all apology and submit the
promised suggestions. afterwards backing them up
by reasons that will, no doubt give them claim to
consideration. The proposed plan Of reform may
be set forth in single sentence, as follows:-Let
regulation be adopted, and, II need be- enforced by
legislative enactment that no street shall stop
for the purpose OF taking up or setting down pas
sengers unl after it has made clear run OF 1000
feetthat is, the space occupied by four blocks Of
buildings; Strange as It may seem, in this simple
rule Will be found all the requirements OF speed now
loudly Jas valny) called for ana by Its adoption the
horse car WIN become comfort, almost luxury,
instead Of what It Is nova discomfort and almost
misery. With your permission as to space think
can make this comprehenslbly clear. In the first
place it must be evident to every one that
OF tne time occupied by the car in max.
Ing hs It's t journey large portion consumed
s ts ySes accoraus 10 ne nabe 81
passengers carried 1t would be impossible to give
an exact computation OF it, though In all cases II is
compared With that arising from the low rate OF
speed necessarily caused by these same stoppings.
the time thus idly wasted Is little, II any, less than
onehalf the whole period required for the trip or
But worse saan @o wasea M m Is 1%I" toll to ,ts ane
driver, trouble 70 tho conductor discomfort to the
passengers and death to the horses 10 the last 1t
IS especially trying; for ON the iron ra it Is the
pace that Kills, but the oft repeated sartings that
wrag the witners Of the dunb brute and strain every
muscle Oh his body almost to breaking. No doubt,
were speech permitted him, he would tell us that by
the plan proposed he could 10 double the distance
with less wear and tear than by the present system,
or the same distance in one-hair the time and with
one-ha the toll. 1t requires but slight acqualnt
ance with dynamics to Know that railroad car
when once in notion even though heavily weighted
calls for but little collar work from the horses; and
with stretch of loo feet before them these Will
produce q rate OF speed that steam with all Its
power, for the same short distance, can never be
controlled TO come up to-
But TO say nothing OF this gain OF ease to the
driver convenience TO the conductor and saving OF
strength to the horses let us come to the more
Important point and see how the plan would for
the benefit of the passenger public In the first
place, there wond be the saving Of time; and from
venianees; or, what amounts to the same thing, the
present dlsconiorts and inconvenience will be
avoided. The worst OF them now is the crowdIng
OF the cars; and though IL may seem a little para
doxcal l venture to say that this Will be at once
obviated by the adoption of the arrangement sug-
gested and without tue necessity OF adding single
ear 10 the line. II s simple question OF statistics
which any one may figure out for hllnself Tabu.
laJed 1t will stand Ihus:-A car now running 10
fairly crowded when carries forty eight people, IL
this car can make two trips IN the same time 1t
one 1t will carry the same forty eight people
"A pUI afar ~ No,
horsed will perform the service OF two. IL Will no
doubt be denied that car can do tins double duty;
but IL must be admitted that III do portion OF
ing.n
guent upon the saving OF tine might be pointed out
For the present the above may be deemed suficlenr
| shall now submit some details Of the proposed
plan win word or two OF explanation. II Is sug
gested that the car snail stop after having run four
biocks-that is, AT every fftn crossing, and after
having cleared 1t; the stopping place TO he indicated
by two parallel bands OF nagstone, between which
the car comes TO rest. These bands may be about
the length OF tse car ITSELF and of course joining
to the nags OF the crossing, which Will be skirted
and fairly cleared by the hind platform al the point
OF stoppage. The horses will soon get to know the
exact spot, and VIII bring up without any drawing
| Of rein or wrenchlng oi drag on the part of the
driver, aud tue passengers VIII soou come to con.
graduate themselves on the clear pathway that car.
riea them rom sidewalk to especially they be
| wearers OF silKen skirts. They will then ascend 20
the platform not only with ease but with graceful
unruilied equanimy, so different from what it Is
| now-hurrylng through slush aud mud over slippery
! their necks or at least spraiung au ankle. And
| irom the time gained In the long, quick run OF 900
feet the car can afford TO make good round stop
long enough for the half dozen passengers who have
| been waiting for IL to get comfortably "aboard;n
then then or again IKE steam, wn no stop for another
fare and s ready FOR the next batch VINO may come
aboard.
Now, against this system OF proceeding but one
objection can be urged, and though absurd-alinost
iudicrousiy lrratlonaiit no doubt will be urged. 1t
Is the presumptuous dogma that any person passing
become
In street car can stop 1t at spot TO suit his
convenience Tor getting on, and again at another
belief is based upon Old usage when stage carriages
were the only means or street conveyance before
| conceptions where the individual deems certain
rights due TO hln that belong only to the general
pupc aud 10y their arroRaton causes both confusion
aud grief not only to tue public but to himself In
such cases the legislative power Is required to inter
yers oTesos of tn caea upon M 70 u ts
| ever inlhks OF SO commanding the driver OF the
ison horse, or even hating him, w4ie the Jehu OF
e seet car mack is not only ordered to pull M at
auy moment, but insuted, even sworn at, II he do
not instantly obey. II tisa stupid mfsconcepuon Of
Iants ana privileges which the law sh.Nud no longer
| allow.
| But, supposing It permissible what h' the object
sa,.vu o'A people, often twelve OF ttleo, range
tholhselVes aoIR iuadrupe or blocks, ca ch taxing
slsna oy ms own ciader barrel. rhcy al irregu.
art , lar, arrangeo from twenty to thirty pace apart
Dut tlef are an equally obstinate, and no two or
theln WIZ walk haf the dvidlng distance to coon.
niyaase one another, much less the Carload pas.
|
lost IN separately taking them on inwardly cur sing
the uhweicothe accession. and each has 81 )od
waiting by the dust cask quite as long as wot. ia
nave carried hm 10 the proposed stopping place.,
where ne could reach the car m confortaDle trnry
fas'ay ias,esa ,es ol W wild diagonal rush across
.ue steea uhlourh siops ahq over slippery cobDe
stones, at every step threatening disocaton OF a
| JOINT. In truth, the whoe thing is a udlcrous,
though perhaps nltter, commentary on what peo.
pie viii do when left to themselves and how necas.
\ aary II Is To employ their wiser representatives
against insane, selfish instincts by acts OF leQlaaon
L gt hnta
| IL cannot be denied that the present mode OF
transit through the streets OF thls great cty ia not
| only ieproachaolo but lanentabe. The New Yorker
| Is dcslr0us to OBTAIN something better Beinr
somewhat OF a fast man, he requires greater speeJ
sh1 accustomed 70 JuxnrJ, he woud ike more com !.
Tort and convenience. lie Is waiting for some one
| 10 tell him how ne may obtain them. lie promised
steam under the earth and steam In the air In time
he IL likely TO get bOh but when he has rot them
1 lie WIN find Thai nniLueL