The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1877-12-27
DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.
MEETING OF THE FRIENDS OF RAPID
TRANSIT EN NEW YORK.
Dinner Given by Mr. Field at Delmen~
ICe's-EIevated vs. Underground
Railroads..

New YoRH, Dec. 2G.-Mr Cyrus W. Field gave
dinner at Delmonico's to- night to the frientis
of rapd transit. Among, those present were
ex-Goy Hawley. OF Connecticut; David A. Wells.
William Cullen Bryant, Hon. VIM Orton, A. s
Hewitt, Peter Cooper e.x- Mayor " Miekham, u. s.
Uhittenden. ex4 United States Treasurer. David
Dawes, w. W. story. the sculptor Gen. d. j.
Cesnola, Rev. Father Young. Joseph seligman.
The dinner was one of the handsomest ever
given at Delmonicos,, The The menu was hand,
somely decorated with ILLUSTRATIONS of RAPID
Field spoke as follows:
we have come together. this evening to con
gratulatte each oher and the public. On tbs near
a hard battle for life for eleven years which
has ls bad many struggles, q, apd disasters. but
He referred to the improvements made In the
last forty years, and said Next to pure water
aud pure air the most Immediate and pressing
want of the people Of This city is rapid transit
some means of getting quickly and cheaply to
aud from their homes and places Of business.
Itapid transit is a necessity IN all large cities,
narrow
He depicted at length the benefits Of rapid
transit TO the working classes. and said that the
saving OF time In going to and returning. from
work would add immensely to the home life and
domestic comfort of the labotng POPULATION.
petseded by street railroads; the latter have
serve I i purpose but IKE all things
way TO a b5tter diSpensation.
He referred to the various fortunes of the ele-
yated railroad SINCE 1t was begun In 1866. and to
its financial troubles, and stated In pro / of Its
extfaord mary. vitality that the company has
now cash on hand to pay every liability and
cash and subscriptions from undoubted parties
amply sufficient to complete the entire road aud
He referred to the reported revival of the pro-
iect Of an underground railroad to be built with
English capital. He hoped Its projectors
would count the cost. The underground rail-
roads IN London have cost on an average of
$4,000 600 mile. while the building, Of ouf, ele-
tween $500 900 and st9e.ooo p mile
He intimated q belief that the English capt.
the solid rock underlying this city at On Ie's ex.
pense nearly twelve times az great as It costs
to build substantial railroad above gtound.
Il is intended to provide not only quick. but
He referred to the effect Of rapid transit upon
the city, its growth, prosperity health and com
been going on for, years, give 1t with ample
room o population Of two or three millions and
make u nors desirable place Of habitation.
Mr.. Field also read q statement showing the
number Of passengers carried by horse cars In
the city of New York for the year ending Sep
tember 20, 1876. as appeared by the annual state
ment OF the several roads to the State Engineer
as required by law. to have been 16s 400 0lB or an
average per day of 455.s95. BY all means of CON
veyance including the omnibus lines, the pas,
sengers carried In New York In 1877 will exceed
ts0, ,o00, 900.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Fields speech, which
was well received, the first toast of the evening,
Sherman. Secretary Of the Treasury.
Mr. Sherman 40 ~. was ,Ts received with raptnrous
and nothing but our country. That all would
set aside party for country. We have pro-
duced, statesmen equal to any other country:
] would mention Hamil on and Jefferson. We
have produced. great poets and great patriots;
I would mention Washington and abraham
naon o We nay tsks PRIDE In eur poitea
after oil 1t is our country that commands our
greatest allegiance.
Ex 4 NsySr Ssa yott WGtham proposed the toas THE
Mr.. Wiekham said he regretted tha. The mayor
Of the ,s city was not present. He congratulated
IN provdns n rand on s rapa
for the citizens Of New York. He cal ed atten-
ton to the fac that many had been driven to
New Jersey on account of the inadeouacy of
rapid, transit to the upper end of Manhattan
island.
The third toast-" Rapid transits-was re-
him no little satisfaction to respond to the sen
timent expressed. He contended that New
YoIks great need was rapid transit end that
under the stimulus now to be given 1t would
soon become city OF 100000 inhab tants. 1t
was great mistake to suppose that the horse
the bes o rnpd psGn wn9d sr y II +
Ia L. the end, and the future would prove go.
Rapid transit for New York means. not imme-
for. the laboring people, five cents for every
who want them.
paid gloomy compliment to Mr.. Field for his
efforts In giving New York rapid transit. He
said that rapid transit would benefit the prop
He ridiculed the idea of the underground rail-
road and said d. NJ. Stone would probably
st1 be az omrb 9os If
Bryant, Mr.; Bryant was Cordially T reeei7ed edsh
he said re ne had little to say In regard to the
that through Mr. Fields energy % we had e OCEAN sn
70 have rapid transit throughout our beautiful
island,
The sixth toast. Our friends In the Legisla-
He said that II rapid transit had been In the
hand OF those a few years ago that 1t is now. it
would tend to increase population and give US
Laughter.l He said that New York would not
be satisfied until rapid transit was extended to
Spuyten Duyvil creek: he also said that such O
would receive the support of all
honest gtslators.
The seventh toast. Our Friendly Rivals,
was responded to by Gen. Horace Porter. who
was loudly cheered on rising to his feet He
said he hoped and expected that New York
would soon have Q, means of communication
1aey he mG HS
,he late war. His speech abounded with
amusing and ludierous illusions to the street
md rapid transit railroads. He thought that
he government would not exercise its preroga-
i've and seize the rapid transit roads on the
ground of their being post roads, nor that the |
New York Elevated Road could claim pension |
rom the government on account of having but |
,ne leg.
Mr.. Field said that in few short months he |
loRed that all present could go from the battery
o Harlem and back inside of an hour.
Mrs. Oates Damage Suits-The Cause.
New YORK. Dec 26-On Decemher 4 Nm order