, 1872-10-20

Sunday Morning, October 90, 1879.



The Common Council is beEieged by scores of
Individuals asking the use Of the streets and
avenues for horse-railways. The Council should
be slow to act on this subject. We want no
more monopoies, and horse-rai1way is Of ne
cessity monopoly. It has peculiar roadway
which is in opposition to common right; it is
absolute On this roadway, compelling other
teams to turn out, all OF which is also opposed
tocommonright. The horse-railway companiesal-
ready in existence have in addition to the streets
upon which they now operate, vested right
to lay tracks upon other streets. Looked On as
an investment Of capital. the horse-railwsy COM
panies are profitable; looked at as corporations
seeking to oblige and accommodate the public,
they do not depart from the general rule OF mo-
nopo1ies, which is to get the largest possible sum
Of money for the least possible service Theinade-
quacy OF the horse:railways, and their slowness
in giving the people the means Of transporta-
tion, led to the starting Of omnibus lines. We
DO not suppose there is q city in the country
which supports omnibus lines eo well as Chi
cago. "A pecnliarity Of the Chicago omni-
bus business is that vehicles run in
competition with the cars, along the
same streets, or in parallel Streets
Their business is limited only BY their capacity
to carry passengers. On all the West Side lines
Of horse-ralways, o1nuibuses run along side Of
the cars, and o. all the business they can ae-
commodate. Two-thirds Of the population OF
Chicago now reside west OF the river, and there
should be a1arge increase Of the means Of travel.
The horse-railweys are confessed1y inadequate,
nor will they increase their carrying capacity and
the number of their tracks, go as to accommo
date the peopla. So long as they can carry an
aTerage load, each trip, each way, of sixty pas
eengere, employing but two horses one car, one
driver, and one conductor, they will not put on
more cars or establish new lines to relieve the
crowds on the present lines Of travel. Before the
city sells out irrecoyerably any more streets
End avenues for horse-railwayR, let. there be
general invitation to omnibuses to penetrate all
parts Of the city, run On all streets, and give an
opportunity to the public to ride. There is
room in the West Division for dozen additional
lines Of onnibuses, all Of which would soon be
crowded.
On the South Side there is one main trunk
railway On State street; another trunk is to be
laid on Clark street; the use Of Michigan and
Wabash avenues for horse railways is prohibited
by law or by contract. These two horse-rai1ways
connect at Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twen-
ty-second streets with four branch railways run
ming south, southeast, and southwest. Ought
there be any more streets given up to
horee-railways in the South Division.
go long as the few remaining streets
and avenues can be used for omnibuses?
Let us hold on to the possession OF our streets
at least until such time as the existing railway
fines, and the omnibuses which can be put on,
actually prove to be inadequate. If the city will
decide to have no more horse-railways, present,
there will be an immediate increase Of omni-
bus lines the latter not running alone On q few
streets, but On all streets; not owned by one
man or company. but BY as many men. and COM
panies as may desire to engage in the business.
Let these gentlemen who want to accommodate
the public with new horse-railways, start lines
Of omnibuses. They can then run on any street
they choose without running streets OF damag-
ing private property.