The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-27
STREET CARS.
The Cushion Regulations Of the
Board Of Health.
VELVET VERSUS VENEER.
Bundles, Baskets and Bales
Of Dirty Linen.
HARD ROADS TO TRAVEL ON
Opinions Of Presidents Of Prominent
Railroad Companies.

Opinions Of Presidents Of Prominent
Railroad Companies.
It has been patent to every one living in New
York for long time past that the street railroad
cars were most fruitful source of spreading dis
ease and contagon. From the horses heads to the
dashboards on the rear platforms, inside and out
side, these vehicles constitutonaly constructed
and conducted for the dissemination OF almost all
the destructive elements. The worn, wearcd beasts
that drag them along the thoroughfares are an ad-
mirable example Of what the passengers are at
any moment likely to come to through too much
using Of these conveyances. The horses, I'M
like the cars sometimes have cold water poured
into them-and they most certainly look as If that
was the only thing given to the poor animals in
abundance This Is one reason, perhaps, why they
to have little relish for 1t In the middle Of
their journey, where 1t is generally administered.
The outward appearance of the horses is good
illustration Of what Is to be found inside the con-
veyance.
UNoLEAN, UNCOMFORTABLE AND UNsAvORY,
they look like the very last effort OF mans ingenu
ity in the struggle to torture his race. For miles
and miles the wretched passenger ia compelled to
remain crushed into his corner, while every sense
is grooming under the agony Of Its burden. Seeing,
~
an avalanche of nastiness. But there is no other
means Of locomotion and the sufferer is obliged to
bear the rack just to the very last blow Of the tor
ture hammer. In wet weather, II q man is fortu-
nate enough to get into car before he s entirely
soaked, the operation Is sure to be completed for
him In the vehicle by the bedraggled skirts Of the
lady passengers who drag them past him with an
injured air that goresi in the damage they doing
Then the victim Is obliged to shove his hands into
his coat pockets or caress the handle Of his UNI
brea with them; for he can no longer hug his
knees, they saturated by the ladies' skirts
In dry weather, when the breathing is not comfort
able, the amiabe conductor Grams the until the
poor passengers look like SO many
ROASTING RED BEHRING'S.
one very delightful sensation a passenger In
street car always enjoys Is that they are open to
everybody, and passenger is at all times open
while riding In them anything OF live lively
nature that any other passenger may be carrying
loosely about him. This in itself is constant
of nervous excitement to the timid or those
too nice about the cleanliness Of things in their
vicinity, but 1t is only minor evil to many Others
the travellers by the street cars are subject to be
annoyed or afflicted by. In the present state Of
New York contagious diseases are very dangerous.
Smallpox has been deluging the city for months;
typhoid and spotted fevers have also been doing
three diseases have made the street cars their
right arm of destruction. Outside OF New York,
too, in New Jersey and other neghboring States,
smallpox has been prevailing during the winter,
9sid many persons have come to this city suffering
from 1t and used the cars to go to hospitals to
friends In town. 1t may be easily imagined what
the result will be while such q state of things
this is permitted to go on. Becoming at last alive
to the fact of the danger to the public health under
this condition of affairs, the Board of Health OF the
city OF New York got it into Its wise head to work,
and after series Of sittings In secret and public
concave delivered itself Of
A MOST INDUSTRIOUS MOUNTAIN,
in the shape of an ordinance composed Of FIVE sec
tons, all of them relating to the street cars. The
Boards jester was on hand, too ready to ring in his
little joke at every favorable opportunity and make
the company smile. 1t was most delightful work;
the sages had found the cause OF all the disturb
ance, and how jolly 1t would be to annhate 1t with
q blow. King Pippn, of the cap and bells, clapped
his airy wings, waved his magic wand and shouted
in ptanisstmo trenao,o, Go here, my masters is
the elephant' Great should be the joy in Gotham ;
the savans had found the soap that was to wash
the city. Poor Paris, In her days Of trouble, had
"Cognac.n and so has New York in her hour OF dis
tress. The Partisan "Cognac" was juggler, and
the Gothamite follower of the illustrous knight OF
the cup and balls Is admirable imitation
"C0gnac" In Paris had but one trouble, and that
was a lovely daughter, on whom he lavshcd the
bOundless treasures Of fathers heart. "Cognacn
in New York has but one difficulty also ana that Is
the filth in the city. But, then, In his
tender care to relieve the fair metropolis
of portion of her unsavoriness he
brings to the labor 80 much fun and good
nature that the tiresome operation becomes be-
| wltchingly attractive. The street car track was
not one of ''Cognac's.n 1t was not the kind Of
sword he liked to swallow. 1t was not quite
'bony' enough to suit his palate. or, at least did
not at first look OF that aspect Still when it made its
his nature IT to It into a growtn At Ienats
the moment Of triumph arrived, and In full session
the set OF sections was passed and became law
! The first one said that all the companies owning
street cars in New York must instantly
TAKE OUT ALL THE CUSHIONS
and upholstered backs in the cars, as the Board in
its wisdom had come to the conclusion that these
cushions were the cause of all the dirt in the streets
the hospa s nas s have psG ans
chance OF being comfortable. you street car
passengers. The Health Commissioners have
! carriages, but you must be healthy, and
we viii ace that You are says the Board of Health.
We can't Inconvenience the companies by asking
| them to take the trouble to keep the cushions
| clean, but we can you, and we viii make you do it.
The companies are large corporations and we
age bodies OF men that are powerful such, for in
stance, as LEGISLATURES; we'llknncke down to them
| to any amount; but you've will see that you keep
yourselves clean, and we will make you do it, too,
our own way.
THE BOARD OF HEALTH
ordered the cushions to be taken away but 1t does
not say what should he put In their place. The poor
tired-0ut working girl VINO tolls all day standing
at some bench or counter was lost sight of, and so
was the laboring man, the poor mechanic, and the
thousand other wearied, used-up travellers to
whom tue cushioned scat Is the first comfort In a
days labor Not only has the Board ordered that
the cushioned seats be removed, but 1t has de-
tcfinned to Danish the upholstered backs also
Another section oil the ordinance relating to street
cara provides that all used for the transporta
ZION OF passengers be thoroughly cleaned washed
~ "A do hat utnh
used. This portion of the health decree alone il
worth all the rest, and IL the Board OF Health would
only see That Is enforced there would be no ncces-
sity for the other sections. As things now are the
cars look as If they were never cleaned or washed
except In wet weather, and even then they are
ONLY PARTIALLY PURIFIED,
unless the day hapnena TO be q very w ct one Rnt