New-York tribune., 1875-11-26
STREET RAILROAD TRAFFIC.
DETAILS OF A VAST TRANSPORTATION
BUSINESS.

1000 HORSES UsED-ANOUNT or CAPITAL IN
VESTED STATISTICS OF ALL THE IINEs-YEARLY
RECEIPTS AND EXPESsEs-NUMBER OF ACCT
pENTs-DTPICULTIEs WITH WHICH RAILWAY
MANAGERS MUST CONTEND.
The traffic of the street railroads of this city
no vast In volume that very few persons except tDose
who are directly interested in their management can
have any idea OF s extent It can hardly be realized
that over 100 600 900 passengers carried ny INC
sreetcars during year II II the entire population
Of the city were to from part to another by
cars Mt least In every two days To perform TINS
immense work, over 10000 horses are required, anu
1000 In constant use. About 100 miles OF inc
streets OF the city have double lines OF riroad track
laid along them, requiring, with turn-outs, aide
tracks and branches, about 450 miles of rais About
$4,000 600 has been expended in building and equip
ping these roads, $750O0O is required yearly to
maintain the roads and real estate, and the expense OF
operating repairing the lines amounts to S6oooooo
annually. These figures have been gathered from the
official reports OF the different railroad companies ana
from careful inquiries made at their Offices.
The Company which has the largest patronage and con-
sequeny requires the greatest number Of appliances or
all kinds 10 work it. is tl Third Avenue Railroad This
road begins at the City Hail. and continues almost IN
straight ne in northery direction along Cha'hms'
the Bowery and Thrdave, to Harlem Bridge, distance
of eight miles. Double tracks are laid down the whole
distance requiring, with the turnouts and other extra
requires about 800 cars Of which can only be used
for about five months the year. as they are what are
known as omen or excursion cars The are kept In
motion-especiay during the busy hours OF the day.
when nearly every available car Is brought lh'o Iequ
sltiou--by force of about 1000 horses Aohs
this road according To the last Official record 2ooSo'ooo
persons travelled during year. the majority fidihg
down town between the hours OF d and a. m, ana re-
turning up town between the hours OF and p M. 10
accommodate this vast moving population the ears have
to run at times with only half block between each ana
often between the hours Of and p. M, three ears
going in the same direction may be seen on single
block To run ears closely together, and with heavy
oads-5O persons sometimes being in single car-re-
auires sfu drivers in order to prevent accidents at
cross streets especially where lines OF track are laid east
and west at right angles with the main line The cars
employed on this service often travel one way nearly
empty. The expense Of maintaining the road ana real
estate Of this line was 900 last year. while the
expense operating ard repairing the road was nearly
81 100000 To offset this great expense, the cash re-
cepts Of the road 81 100000, leaving profit
for the year OF about $500 00O portion of which, how
ever was lost in paying for damages on account OF six
persons killed and in. ired, very small proportion
when the number carried ia taken into consideration
WEST SIDE ROADS.
The next road in Importance, 20 tar as uave ~ con
cerped is the Broadway and Seventh Avenue Railroad
Although its tracks begin at the ,ty Hall and end at
Central Park at Ftynlntlst. ana ScNchlhaFe'' u oc
cupes eight miles Of the streets, having two ses OF
double tracks one passing from Barcay-st, through
Church and Grcene-st University place EroaiHay ana
Seventhve, 10 the Central Park, Willie the ofher sN-
tends from Par-plaee through Church, Canal and other
Ia and along the entire length OF seVentave'
TIE former road has also turnout a B9olnssI MO
eeflIcr the Company over 80 miles OF riils Ap0ut
$50 required for the conveyance OF the t1Nes
public-who on this road make shorter Journeys thah Oh
INC Third Aycnde-and between 100 and Loo horses
During the year. according to the Last Official leoo over
19,000000 persons Travelled on TINS road anu, aousn =
af he
demand for travelling facilities than at others e crush
not quite great this side OF the city aS on lhr
ave" at The hours before specified, the traffic being
more equally distributed throughout the ddy Inc eA
nrnse OF maintaining the road and real the year
wac about $50 OOC0, and the outlay for operating II was
about SG32,OO0 the cash receipts were s9SO392 Nc
The Frhth Avenue Railroad ranks Third in Importance
tradks begin at veseys follow the line Of Church and
ChamhorE-sts 10 and along West Broadway canal ana
been opened to railroad travel, with branch along
Canast to broadway This ROAD 4eGupies 81 ~ nue. , ~
streets, ard has over 40 miles OF rall 9id down. ADot
40 ears in use, and nearly LOO horses Although
number of appears at certain hours to DC INADEQUATE
the demand for transportation the traVel Is cohled
men going to and returning from Their w0rk cOhse
quently, the official record shows only l6loo3of pas
siderable part of tho day and night often travelling over
the entire extent the road in nearly empty condition
The as year was nearly 90 OOo while the for
operating and repairs was nearly $oOoOoO; against
had not been AZ fortunate with regard TO accidents as its
ne ghlOr; for the official record shows three persons
killed aud six injured during the year. go
The sixth Avenue Raj road. which ranks fifth among
the city companies in number OF passengers Is wat
thp,1eh 1,nnrch and Chamberssts West Broad
way, Vafick and Carmncst. and hXti-aVe, ehds at
tie Central PARK snort branch along Canal A. gives
the road an additional terminus at BIoadway ana
Canast line passes through four miles of streets
and has over 16 miles of rails ild down inc business
the road 10 transacted with lO0 ens ara about lo9
and vet
annually. The expense of maintaining the road ad TtI
estate is light being ess than 100000 yearly 1ut tne
cost OF operating and repairing the road over S6lOOoo
per year The cash receipts rom inns r0aI aceordg 70
The last Official report, amounted 10 $7S04iO Tor the
wear. Three persons were killed and seven injured.
OTHER LINES WITH MILLIONS OF PASSENGERS.
The company which stands fourth in the list OF city
lines the nnmber Of passengers s taken Into con-
sieraon is the Dry Dock East Broadway, and Battery
Railr1ad embracing four lines, known as the Grand
Street Canal Street, Avenue b. and Avenue ID roads.
OF streets requiring about 10 miles ot rails me tufiouiH
"hont 1870 care aud 600 horses and carried nearly
I6OOOOO0 persons during the year The amount OF
money spent IN maintaining the road and real estate was
abluf 100000, while the expense for repairs and
operating the road was $338600 The cash receipts
were SOL 7l9 Although the road had been fortunate IN
escaping fatal accidents, it was called upon 10 answer
for 13 persons ninred-a very email number ior tDe
narrow streets. thrOnged with children, that the cars OF
rue street ralroad which ir sixth in importance is
generally known as the Belt Line, but us real uts
If the Central Park North and East Rivers Railroad
This line starts the Battery aud the east SIDE
masses through number of stTee;s adjoining the East
River 10 Avenue A, rwenty-thIrd St, Fl-st-ave, and
Ffy-nintlst 10 Central Park. on the West side the
cars run along West-gt. 10 Tenth-ave, thence along
ty-ninthst. 10 the Park where the connection win
thc East side formed making continuous line oi IL
Tpiles in extent, requiring with sidings and trn-
outs about - miles OF rail The ears oi this Com
Ysny carry annually nearly l5,ODO,000 persons,
with l95 cars drawn by LOO horses. The yearly
eXrensc OF maintaining the road and real es-
tate IL $4,000, and the cost Of operating aud re-
uiriuy the rad Is nearly 100000 annually The cash
eoeits were 1871 no. and were somewhat In excess oi
the payments The fatal accidents Tor the year. nom an
causes were only q but Ii persons were more or less IN
inr,.t-a rather large proportion when compared win
other roads, bn probably efed ny the numerous sharp
curves In the rails.
The second Ayenue Railroad ranks next IN number OF