The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-21
SHAPES OF STREET CARS.
YOU'D DOUBLE DECKERS COME
NIENCE PISSENG Frs.
John Stephensons sketch Of Car Building,
uud of Various Improbable Experiments
The Cars of New York mud Elsewhere.

JONn NIfphcusOns SHfIcn 81 Nuf
nud of Yurious Jnprontnbie Experiments
The Cars of New York and Elsewhere.
Mr. John Stephenson, who is the leading
authority in reference to the history and con-
struction OF street cars, has furnished tho fol-
lowing facts Tho first street cars ever CON
structed were made bv him, in 1881, for the Har-
lem and Fourth avenue llne which started at
Prince street, and ran up the Dowery and
Fourth avenue TO Harlem bridge. There was
then open cut through Park avenue where
tho present tunnel exists. These cars were
double deckers-that Is, they had seats for pas
sengers on their roofs They differed much from
the present cars in other particulars. They were
moro like coaches. They had three doors on
each side but none in the ends. Two rows ot.pas-
seugers. facing each other. occupied each COM
partment, and sixty passengers inside
and thirty outside-could be carried by each
car This Is about the capacity OF an ordinary
steam railway car. The seats on the roof were
reached by steps. and they were occupied by
| men only. Women took the inside seats. Tho
clts were named like boats" John Mason,
/ washington Irving &c. Tho Iresident'
was n famous car, having asecond roof TO smell
| ter the outside passengers from sun and rain.
| The differed somewhat In other details OF
construction. This style continued to be used
| seven years. They were abandoned because OF
| their great weight, and because much time had
| to he consumed IN getting passengers upon aud
| on the roof, and into and out Of the side doors
| Tho extra weight Of half n ton caused By the
second deck had to he carried the year around,
| while no advantage was gained from u except
| in fair and warm weather. when the outside
seats were available. On the third avenue at
that time omnbuses holding dozen iassen.
| gers each were run, and these. on account Of
| their smaller size and less frequent sioppages,
| could make the trio to Harlem In less time than
| the street cars aud consequently they r. ceived
| Douhle-decked csrs were used again In
about ise0, bv the Second avenue company. TO
| accom- MEDIATE the increased number OF passen-
| gers who were attracted by the opening of the
I lpnnaa nllrp1
| roofs Of old cars, but the experment proved
| disastrous. Tho cars were broken down anu
delayed. and after the plan had been thorough
" tried II was abandoned. The cars used on
second avenue were Improved over the old
forms at each end, and tue root passengers
reached their seats, which were placed back to
| back lengthWi.e Of the clr, by short ladder eX-
tending OVER the platform. In lstG -hvo
cars Of this description were manu- &C;
before the consignment was made, the
COMPANY that had ordered them fhled,
aud ihe cars were sold In brooklyn and Boston.
Ca Atlantic avenue IN br'obiyn some OF them
were used until Ave years ago, when the upper
seats were removed and ihe cars reconstructed;
IN Boston. bus they have now been abandoned
for the single Sc ker'. which are aimos; uni
versily USED ~ inIs country. Two wears ue9
couple of dOuDle-de cked cars were made for the
Southwestern road In ST. Louis. These were
liKc the cars now used in England and some
parts Of the Continent Of Europe. The upper
seats are reached by winding stairs at each end
Of the car I'm order to- avoid the tipping beck
Of the cars when going up hill, or when sudden
lv started, which sometimes threw passengers
! from tho roof they were shortened one WIN
dow width IN the rear
The wheel basc Of street cars cannot exceed
six teet. on account oil the difficulty OF turning
corners. aud tins IL one reason way cars longer
than me present style cannot be used for street
Railroads. The Londn cars carry twenty Two
Mr.. Stephenson thinks that the principal reas ms
WAY doubie-decked cars proved unsatisfactory
differences Of climate between the countries and
o. disposition between the people Ia England
the weather. ridcr. aud the people don't mind
u little dampness, aud 80 the outside seats are
used much more than they could be
.e.e and thus the e sssT. s'9e9,s OF
stated. In the next place, the English are con-
tent to move slower than Americans. and the
delays caused by heavier cars, and the consump-
ton u Tine IN mounting or descending lfon
the roof, do notvex them as they DID New \ ork'
ers. The haste Of our people Mr.. stephenson con-
siders to be the underlying difficulty In the
problem Of suprlying satisfactory street transit
here. This. he save. Is illustrated by the history
| Of the broadway omnibuses. Many years ago
, large omnl5uses drawn by four horses were
= used. but when smaller vehicles with only two
horses were introduced, the speed they were
atle to gain by reason OF their smaiiness at
tracted the passengers away from the saviei
= conveyances and caused them to be abandoned
| Short nC-horse street cars similar 10 those OF
A | the cross-tovn lines are row u.el by the major
= ny OF the street railroads in this country
. About fifteen per cent in time between points
i saved by these smaller cars over me two
horse carr They are uns lifted, how aver, for the
T. heav, traiiic II the principal avenues
b Before $50 there were no street cars In Eu
rope, CX 'c.t a. Brkenhead. where they were In
trofuccd Ia 800 by George Francis Train. Nov
they imported t. almost every impottau
country Of the known world. In Parts th'
street car system has been dew Hoped within th'
= ltst year. They are shipped from New York I,
Berlin, -. Petersburg, Vienna. Brussels Lisbon
| Liverpool. Glasg gov, Dublin, Bombay. Java, Cal
CUTS, and To- various places IN South America
n aud Mexico. In Buenos Ayres douOle-de keG
n cars were ahardoncl fer single -cecked one
! SITTER We rs. nj d, and sing -deCkeI cars ar
Il also used ia India.
IS 10 resume tne use OF doube-decked cars II
= thls country. Mr. stephenson SAYS, would no
u solve the problem ~ now u provide suifcien
v means uf street transit. The form OF cars nov
e used has been DEVELOPED by long experience
d aud Is about the best under all the circuIn
I, stances. The remedy Ia. he thinks, to oblig
d the companies 10 furnish more cars IN tn
9 crowded paris Of tue morning and eveninl
e arlv. He believes that the companies cOul
~ now used. lie does not think that u law obilgin
l. enfo.ced. Siil liar legislation exists Ia EnglanC
n Vienna a like Ihw H. not enforced. In Berlin 81
e persons are allowed to stand In each car. tn
e Elsiish cars have not the conyeniences (,
q standing That are provided Ia this country. q
e account of toe nArrowness OF London street
n the cars thrr are a loot narrower than tnOs
II used In New York.
l. Disracii In his Old Age.
- From ne GIlTry.
nf-pao1f IL -.f Ioup in tho pnrlis