The New York herald., 1869-02-15
THOSE WHO RIDE IN CITY cars.

1
class OF character to be found IN the city. Here Is
the place par ercelleace and study human ma
ture In almost every possible phase Of its curiousy
| divergent development. Comparatively modern me-
dums as the city are OF locomotion, they have
| steadfasty resolved themselves INTO a neces-
sary institution as well as necessary evil.
And the evil will continue until elevated railways or
underground roads some mode OF speedier travel
is devised-a result which the progressive spirit Of
the times and the imperative demand Of rapidly
increasing population will certainly accomplish be-
fore long. For the present our city are ndis
pensabe, and with their inseparable evils chief OF
which ore their overcrowded condition and sluggish
speed, they must be endured. Everybody cannot
keep carriage. Very few, compared with our en-
tire population can afford the exorbitant luxury OF
hacks Pedestrian proclivties not peculiarity
Of our people. In fact, there Is not half
the walking done that there should be
TO make us a heathfnl people, to keen
the blood tingng merriy through our veins, and to
keep body and mind sound and capable to bear up
brayely under the burden OF depressing cares and
lanors Again, most OF our business and working
population-we refer only to those living on our
lsiand-liye on the east OF town or the west Of
town, or up town, which now, by general consent
means between Fourteenth ana Fifty-nnth streets,
or in YorEville or Harlem, or Manhartanvle, or
Carnansville or High Bridge the extreme upper
boundary OF the island at Spuyten Dnyvil creek,
many miles away from their stores and shops and
counting rooms and the varously multiplied voca-
tions OF the daily busy life of our metropolis. Most
OF these ride in the city filing them 10 repetion
Just before the beginning and after the closing of the
days routine OF labor. In the intermediate hours OF
the day there are also other streams OF travel, hut
different classes of rders--a slower and less compact
now OF the same tide of ceaseless travel. We VIII de-
TIT.
present room though the material is ample to cover
paces of the HERALDthese different classes riders
and set forth some Of the dlstinctivey marked
phases OF human respectively revealing them
selves.
II is four o'clock. Thus early city ears begin
to fill with passengers Important actors in the drama
OF life are these early travellers mainly newsdealers
and newsboys. They are hurTyng TO the news
paper odices for their bundles Of papers, and soon
viii be scattering broa least the daily printed record
of the worlds history and doings. There Is sharp
enterprise to be read IN every counenance They
are very laxative. particularly the newsboys, and
rap out good things with as mucn naturainess as
Dutchman drinks lager and, Notwithstanding their
noise and Dragging impudence, occasion small
quantity OF mirih among other passengers, including
the more stad newsdealers. No conservator OF the
peace not even Grant himself, u he should promise
each place in his Cabinet, could keep them quiet
They viii talk and laugh and Joke, ana are by nature
as innocent rs they are seemingly hostile 10 good
clothes. ana contemptuous OF the benignly redeem
ing guaiities OF cleanliness and cleansifying soap.
.swhy do YOU keep ut such an internal nose?'
excialmed ierociousy sallow looking gentleman to
these boys, q few mornings since.
''Noa dry up: you ant the conductor reforted
one oi the Juveniles.
.Bui wont have such noise, responded the man,
.Put him out = shouted a dozen voices.
"HoW dare youN replied the gentleman now in q
~ nj N getO /
put these dogs out OF the car- he called out 10 the
latter. who Ike the historical canine read about
was laughing to see The sport.
II think | see myself doing it, quietly answered
the conductor; .'they are gentlemen q the press
ter that, succeeding this rejonder or the conductor
burst upon that cholefe gentleman's ears was too
air Of eSqusley absurd Indignation, ieft the cars
At i've O'Clock the Third avenue and the
Second avenue dummies, at their upper ter
mini ~ Harlem, begin to ~ up with an
other class OF passengers There Is conforta-
| bic sitting room IN these ears. Reused up
| thus early and with the shadows OF night still
hanging the clty and the gaslights dimly burn
ing, Us n wearied with their night vigils II is no.
liceabe that nearly every one snnggles himself for
snooze-a general, jealous but not very successful
effort 70 make up for the compulsory and disagree
| are the carly birds, bur IL s not many worms they
CATCH They are those who have TO open stores aud
| shops and make ures and sweep ana prepare Tor
| the hordes OF workers 70 follow. They are
| mostly grown up boys. They not particular
10 dress for the reason that they cannot afford to
their years, which they nearly all wear SHOWS they
90 not live very well, anu that thcr early life burden
wears heavily upon them. Half an hour later another
class 81 passengers begin T. pour IN by shoals, anti
sim later AZ The cars progress down town, the nun
! bers increase These are those who are Obliged 70
| be ~ their worsksh0ps az seven O'Clock Most are
mechanics, the hardworking MASSES OF our popula-
| ton, young men and middle a9cd men and some
| honorable toll They are dressed Is suits their
! diverse employments. Many carry tin dinner pals.
For the most part they ride on as untakative as q
| stage load OF mor0sely moody English cockneys.
/ Among them aTe al sorts Of working gris, tldiiy
dressed a. 4 general thing ana some OF them very
pretty Next come tho clerks 81 the early opening
stores, c0geiy. sleek l0oking young men. fashIona
ably dressed. with sty starcned shirt collars and
cuffs 20 match. scsrfs snd crayats of lashy pat
I terms. ana head coverings o. The most ap
| proved modern mould. These clerks talk very
nights opera theatre OF bail. whichever they hap
pen TO have attended. and OF course their converse
tl0nal resources would nOi be exhausted h they dId
not tell OF ladies they know and visit and OF stun
| ming times generally, IN which OYSTERS aud cham
1ed. They talk for euect and stare fmpudently atthe
pretty girls who are 40 unfortunate as 20 be obliged
4 70 stand near them and ~ whom they never think OF
/ offering seat Want of poiteness and brazen
lmpudence show themselves more among this than
any other class o car riders. GradnaIy-with an al
most burlesoue ar Of grandeur they do II so extra
\ dne--they stak away 10 their stores, where thor
egrcgious enrontery subsidies INTO subdued aud STU
! pid smirking
\ II Know those young menr we heard one young
lady say 70 another just two asiopishingy got up
clerks VI tue style We have been describing LEFT the
! car.
''You astonish me: you didn't recognize them or
speak to them, or they u you,n answered the lady
.'Hy acquaintance don't extend as far as that,"
\ replied the irst lady.
| ''Oh, you know thcm by sight and namef
"Bctter than thatu
"tiowff
~ know them.-to be fu0s.r
This IA the best description that can be given OF
| this Ciass.
Seven O'Clock, eight O'Clock, and then nine O'Clock
hurry apce. Merchants begin TO mn the cars, aud
bank clerks and lawyers cerks-a more Intelligent
class OF riders. for nearly every has his news
paper aud they read them steadily and unweared-
iy TN they leave the little later and lawyers,
4 bank oilcers. clerks IN the Custom House and city
government bureaus are on their way their places
o business, and OF course, take tie inevitable city
| cars About this lnno the riders begin TO
show less of distinctive classes, more Of hete-
! rogeneous mixture There are fat landIadies or
| cheap boarding houses. with nupe baskats going
10 market for material for the day's dinner
huge laundry women, who seem likewise TO run to