The New York herald., 1870-05-24
LONDON CITY RAlLRCAOS.


Scene mt the -American Talent
and Enterprise in Aid of the English
ssCousins''--How New York Helps London
to Move Along.
from the London News, May 1O.l
two miles and half length Of street tramway
was opened yesterday between Whtechapel and
Bow churches. The lie is constructed by the North
Metropolitan Tramway Company, and The works have
been carried out by Messrs Fisher and Parrish the
American contractors, who have successfully sup
Piled Liverpool aud Dublin with similar conve-
niences
Ine long. straight road through Mle-end and Step
ney was Ia state Of Tremendous excitement during
the whole OF The day. and Inc crowds were 80 greao
and so inprtdent that nothing but the most anxious
care the part OF Mr.. Corr gan, the manager ana
his staf Of oIlicas prevented The onerIng up OF one
or TWO Whitechapei youths on the Shrine OF
modern Improvement. AT the termlni OF the line
the crowds blocked up the thoroughares completely
during the midday hours. Owing To certain sewer.
ing operations in South London, the Br1Xton line,
the opening or which we recorded a week ago, is
nothing like SO perfect Illustration oi the system
this In tine eastern district Formerly the fare be-
tween the two points touched by the tfamways was
1Ourpence; but the omnibus companies, when the
new scheme was decided upOn speedily came down
to the tramway tarn OF twopence retaining for them
selves the additional advantage OF conveying their
passengers on TO the bank. There is however, pleny
VI rom FOR both systems.
The iramways commenced running at quarter
past hve yesterday morning. Ine registered number
Of passengers forty SIX, but nearly double aG num-
ber was carried on the rst journey, not necessarily
~
without would admit OF so great n cargo The cars
are about double the length OF ordinary omnbuses
and are built 10 seat twenty-five within and twenty
four without, and although the vehicles appear TO be
but little broader than tie widest or our onnibuses
the arrangeinent OF the solid wheels underneath the
body l1iizeS every inch 0f the limit allowed tO cover
the permanent way. According TO the provisions OF
the act Of Parliament workmen are to De conveyed
the fare OF one penny 0n particular journeys,
ing and evening, IL was OF this class or passen-
ger that the first load was composed. II the INTRO.
duction OF these trainways do nothing else but cause
a AAtn nf NEhIe
(ihe threepenny fare nom Cnaiing Cross to Temple
Bar, for example, are exorbItant in the extreme.
they VIII CONFER an advanlage upon the community
But they offer a degree OF comfort which omn-
bus travellers have not yet attained. They give
sitting and walking room FOR everybody inside, and
as much comfort on the roof rs sOt cushions and
ABUNDANT supply or knee wrappers can furnish. The
cars ran ABOUT every ten minutes yesterday: but
when the arrangements are III thorough working
order they VIII run every five minutes. Murmura OF
admiration at the lght elegant cars and equip
ments were 10 be nearc along the entire journey.
The cars were built IN New York, and excellent
specimens they are Of American Workmanship.
Some thirty or forty are being now buIlt at birken
head. The horses, ike tue cnariOteets or ancient
days, wear minimum OF harness, nothing, III fact,
behind the collars and the drivers are clad III the
one horse on the tramway can do the work
or three on the common road, moi only because OF
the smooth, unbroken surface, but because the
car Is stopped by the brake rapidly applied by
the driver The strain upon the morse III the ordl-
nary process oi backing Is thereby avoided. The
vehicle Is balanced upon India rubber springs, SO
that the riding Is as easy II possible TO make it,
II ever civilization advances far enough to give
line lof tranlway between London and Richmond
the trip would be one OF the Londoners chief de-
lights. Tie Whitechape undertaking has cost
something like "a, 900 per mile. The North Metro
poltan companies are at the present time promoting
bill in Parliament for line three mics further east
70 Leytcnstone ald as far west as Adgatc church.
The directors and few friends interested In the
undertaking celebrated the opening yesterday I'm
the usual British fashion, ana after dinner there
was much triumph expressed in legal victory
just obtained over an omnibus company where
which had altered It's vehicles TO the gauge of the
tramway with an intention which could very
well be mistaken. The decision oil the Vice Chance
lOr afforded the American gentlemen the opportu
nifty OF Wanting the value or English justice, and
others concerned In the project the chance Of
knowedging the assistance they had received from
the local authorities, who, IN their tender anxiety
Tor vested Interests are generally formidable opp0
nents of the Innovation The courteous behavior OF
the omnibus drivers, who got out OF the way like
gentlemen, and f0rebore to chat also met with
its due recognition.
The Whitechapel line will be an unusually difficult
one To work, because Of the invasion Which the road
suffers three times week from hosts OF hay and
manure carts from the Essex agricultural dis
trlcts. The necessarily slow character Of the
traific Is in itself an evil, but the evil
Is much heightened by the propensties Of the
carriers 70 stop IN company at certain hotelr1es IN
| speakers, the tranlways, instead of monopozing
would improve the traic by acting as the police act
on the bridges so az 10 make the vehicles per-
petually IN regularly defined lines. The English gem
| temen-Captaln Weston, chairman OF the company;
Mr.. Newton, OF the Board OF Works, and Mr.. John
Humphreys, the Coroner for East Middlesex-were
almost bound TO pay compliment TO the American
enterprise have TO thank for this manifest i'm
provement TO street traic; but Mr.. Parrish took
the earliest opportunity OF declaring that but for the
insanity Of an Amer can, whose name easily i'm
agfed but not descrlbeJ, tramwayS would have been
! adopted In England years ago.