The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-12-14
THE FOURTH AND MADISON AVENUE LINES.

Fair Endcavor 10 Nee, the Public Wants.
What is Left Unaone and What is to be
Done.
III contradistinction to the other lines OF travel
the Madison and Fourth avenue lines deserve
honorable mention. Although eight cents fare Is
charged on the Madison avenue road and six cents
on the Fourth avenue, against 1--WE cents on every
other line OF city railroad cars, there are few found
10 object TO the egazed imposition In view OF the
better time in running cleaner cars and more
oDllging conductors ana drivers. People will walk
many block to reach car on which pollteness is
considered virtue worth practising and roughs are
not recognized as having peculiar rights. But even
this line of horse cars, though greatly superior to
any OF the Others III the city, Is not faultess.
IL Is pretended by the company that the cars run
on time; out passengers know how absurd Is the
clam. There Is hardly conductor on the Madison
avenue line wno Is provided with watch; SO That
the time must Uc guessed at. In TRUTH the cars are
navigated ny dead reckoning. Gentlemen on their
way down IOWA IN the morning nave to lament
THE PARSM0NY or THE COMPANY
IN the matter oil time pieces and disturb their diges-
ton by muttered explcllves IL Is happy ACCIDENT
wonder in view Of what is slated above, ii it Is I'VE
minutes benind time. Much depends upon the good
humor OF the driver II that 1unctlonary happens
TO have had good breakfast and leisure to read the
HERALD afterwards well aud good If not the chances
are that the passengers suffer on the way down
town. Clearly, then, tue conductors on this road
want watches more than spotters. Time works
wonders III most things; correct time on this road
would lie valuable to the conductors and oil the
greatest benefit 10 the passengers.
There Is one great evl on this ROAD which should
be remeded. Passengers, say from Eightieh street,
getting on car supposed 70 be through one, have
TO get out at the depOt ana
SCRAMBLE FOR A SEAT
In another car. This Is particularly true after
dusk. passenger who happens 10 be deep
in his newspaper and who mas Jailed to COM
pfehend the eQufr0Qae OF the nmble superintendent
may not remember his duty to the car corporation,
and, consequently, he eit IN the iuich. Ana II ne
shoud remember his situation IN TINE the chances
are mat he Will have to walt Tor some minutes, or
stand on the platform Tor the remainder OF the jour-
neg. This Is little less than an outrage Passengers
VINO pay their through tare from, say eighty
sixth street to The HERALD ONCE ought
not to be compelled to change cars at
the depot. IL Is miserable. picayune spirit
OF economy that dictates the policy, and the
sooner 1t Is abolished the better. For many years
the competing lines between here and the Far West
have siriven TO connect the different roads 10 mu
tuai interest, 50 That passengers could 20 right
through wllhout change OF cars. This has been ac-
complishel TO the advantage or the rallroau cUIl-
panies anu The great convenience OF
TIE TRAVELLING PUBLIC.
Why can't The Fourth and Madison avenue lines
afford their passengers The same privllegc? Ther
Is nothing 10 prevent them but the pig.headed 90.
Stinacy or some incapable undcrstrapper or Mr..
Vanderbilt. Were IL not for these and Il lew otncr
matters that may be notice hereafter the Fourth
ant Madison avenue lines might DC declared III
their management and manner oil working models
for imitation by the other companies.