The New York herald., 1871-12-04
A FATAL RAILROAD.
The Fourth Avenue Butchers Pen-How People
Have to Run the Gauntle. OF the Loco
motives The Public Demand
Depressed Railroad Track.

A HERALD reporter took ride one day last week
on dirty, unwnolesome horse car OF the Belt Rail
road which girds The CITY, for the purpose Ofmaklng
= visit to that part Of the Harlem Railroad track
which Is ntersected by FIny-ninth street and In
that Immediate vicinity. The car driver by whose
side he took stand on the front platform, was one
OF natures noblemen-an individual mufied up TO
the neck with comforters and padded around the
shoulders to keep the northeast wind away.
Nearing Fourth avenue IN Fity.ninth street, tho
worn out and attenuated norses became very rest
less, and 1t was Visible that they showed great de-
sire to run away from the driver and
turn back to Third avenue. Tic cause for
this soon became apparent. Fiendish snrleks
from some unseen locomotives rent the CIR,
and the bellowing, pulllng ana gruntlng OF THESE
IRON monsters were so appalling 10 the equine ear
that wretched as the constitutions OF the poor ant
mails were they fairly reared back on their mind
legs and elevated their tails with fright
lhe mllfied driver began to swear just then,
and his wrath rose as the fright OF the horses in.
creased.
"Bless my bleeding eyes. this Is nice job have
about sevel or eight times day with these blessed
locomotives OF the UH Eoa.@ ntH
HARLEM AND HUDSON RIVER ROADS.
The other day, nst was crossing the track. one
OF these same locomotives burst at my car and tore
the back platform off, just leaving the conductor
enough platform to hang on by. Bless these id
locomotives say. It's too much risk for fourteen
shings DAY." said the driver.
The ear had now approached the track, and while
one train was going out, bound north, a freight
train Of coal cars was coming down the ROAD IN the
direction OF the Granl Central depot. The poor car
horses became unmanageabie as hey found them
selves between TWO fires and not able to proceed
OF them leapcd OF the horse Car who had agility
enough to do SO, while the women ami children re-
manned, and, trembling with fear, expected to be
SMASHED TO PIECES INSTANTLY.
Just at this moment there out OF side street
q licensed vcnder's wagon and tho tattered and
torn VEHICLE with Its reckless driver, was thrown
on the track and rolled down an embankment,
where driver and horse were both deposited IN the
twinkling OF an eye, loss OF life resulting from
the accident, fortunately. fr
The passengers picked their way out OF the dan.
gerous spot as quickly as possible. inwardly vow :
Ing that they would not risk another ride on
horse car which had to cross the Fourth avenue
end OF the Harlem steam railway
The driver as the reporter left, briefly re-
marked:- @ -fa
sIr there ain't seven eight persons killed here
some day will be greatly mistaken. They don't
think much Of killing one day; but the first thing
you know they'll nave another Westfeld disaster
in the same family"
During the last rev days wooden posts have been
erected at the crossings from Forty second to For
y-eighth street, and chains have been stretched
across Fourth avenue at these intersections, sup
| ported IN the middle by iron pins. This virtually
closes Fourth avenue, for space Of SIX blocks, at
point where travel Is very neayy, and as every one
| in the nelghborhOod is very much afraid Of the
DANGERS OF THE sHRIEEINd LOCOMOTIVE,
| no traf1C Whatever Is carried on here, and both
equestrlans aud pedestrians have to 60 below or
above to get across to the west side or the Central
DAY before ine chains stretched across the rai
road. Collisions were OF common occurrence. ana
railway. particularly on tue East side, feeling OF
alarm and distrust IN regard TO the passage OF the
the road every day. 1reignt and passenger trans in
cluded. Pedestrians dare not cross the road at any
Eoa3 is " sanncea any human une is eis below
par The New Haven, HUDSON River and harlem
ana # anything is done to interiere with the pro-
gress OF The railway Juggernaut II wil be necessary
for the three combined companies 10 employ cOrO-
ner or their own, VINO Will have hs hands full III at
| tending TO their daily morfuary report.
The section OF the city through which this rail way
penetrates would be the richest 1t Is the health
lest, in New York, were II not for this ntoerable
locomotive nuisance. which makes the neighborhood
| HELL UPON EARTH.
Day and night Is heard the same nearl-rending,
hellish shrek OF the iron horse, giving forth q
| scream like the wall OF soul Ill torment, entering
/ by force into the bedroom OF the sleeper, whirng
around the agonIzed car OF the patient in the nosp
tal and raisig havoc and terror III the bOudOlr Ot
| the delicate and refined woman. .
Another aud most serious evil has arisen from this
| railroad nuisance Property on the eastern line OF
the ward, from Forty second street 10 Eighty
street, was rapidly rising IN value nntil all these
various railway lines brought to centre the
Grand Central Depot. The natural rise in this valu-
aple property has been reversed, aud the lot which
two years ago would have sold for $4,000 10 $4,000
| viii not average more than $4,000 to 5000. sales
| OF properly cast OF Fourth avenue have come to
J staldstI, and should this nuisance be not abated
Inv 10 in \
| that no corruption or thieves can enter, there
Will not be any buildings erected on the eastern
| side oil the road. People In many cases nave sold
| their houses during the last two mon hs In Madison
| aud Lexington avenues and on adjacent streets,
| for which they had paid high prices. and
| HAVE MOVED THEIR HOUSEHOLD GODS
to the west side OF The cily, which. now That the
| Twccd-COnnoly conspiracy has been broken will
perhaps be improved by the future city authorities.
| There Is no, mother having children VITO resides
VINO darcs 10 let any OF her precious charges under
fifteen years Of age venture near the track or at
tempt to cross lt, when when she knows that every SIX
south. It is amusing perhaps 70 an intellect which
| Is chiefly devoted to sporting matters TO witness
| make dash between trains, with the chances
| nlnety-nvc 10 five that they will he smashed to
| pieces before getting across the track.
And II must be considered meanwhile that this
magnificent avenue, 14o feet wide, belongs 10 The
/ people OF the city oil New York, and any rail.
| way company any more than the stock purchase sed
by The egai stockholders of the Eric Railroad be-
based and ID dcn,oraliled since iLe war by monopoes
| and army thieves nat no one Is bold
i ENOUGH TO BELL THE CAT
and IL is left for tile HERALD. the peoples friend 10
speak IN tones that cannot be mistaken III this mat
| ter. Tue feeling OF the people IN the Nineteenth
ward has such pitch that il Will be impOs-
| sib.c 10 any longer control them should any more
accidents occur, particularly II any person should
be Killed VINO IS well known IN the ncighbornood
oil the railway.
About two weeks ago q secret association was
formed IN the lower p0rian or the Nine
tcenth ward. actually Tor the purpose OF
tearing up the tracks should another accident
occur. ny tins means tho railroad could be
brought into court through its ofrcers and
directors " nothing else could he done. The asso
citation though an unlawful one. Is approved by
many OF the richest AMI most Influential citizens OF
the ward, and II = more than possible that blood
sned may be the result Of this
DRfiANcE or rCBIiC OPINION.
One properly holder stated 10 our reporter that @
could not sell any real estate in the vicinity, and
tnat he never allowed his coachman TO cross the
rack e,her by day or night since the three compa-
pta m OyV tn nN The ~ mo